By Priyanka Sambhav
When life or a non-life insurance policyholder feels that their insurance company did not deliver its promise he/she has the right to complain. A dissatisfied insurance consumer’s first point of contact has to be the company itself. But don’t expect a prompt response. The same company which so promptly collected premiums from you may now be unresponsive. This is where you may require to escalate. Let’s look at various steps of complaint filing against an insurance company.
1. Write to the Insurer
The first step for every consumer in case of disagreement is to approach the Complaint/Grievance cell of the insurer. Send a written complaint, attach all the documents to the insurer’s grievance redressal officer and get an acknowledgement. Writing complaint could make an everlasting impact because the hard copy could state a proof for complaint. You can find the contact details of grievance officer either on the company website or the Insurance regulator IRDAI’s website has a comprehensive list of all the insurer.
2. Keep track of the time
The insurance company must revert to your complaint within 15 working days of its acceptance. If failing to do so or unsatisfied with the response, you can file a complaint to Grievance Redressal Cell of the IRDAI.
3. Reach out to the Insurance Regulator (IRDAI)
You need to download the Complaint Registration Form on IRDAI website and fill the details of the complaint. Without the required information in the Complaint Registration Form, IRDAI will not register the complaint.
4. Other ways to contact IRDAI
Can send the complaint through email to complaints@irdai.gov.in or call Toll Free No. 155255 or 1800 4254 732.
5. IGMS
Integrated Grievance Management system of IRDAI also register and monitor the complaints at igms.irda.gov.in. Once you register here, you will be given a token number, and further communication will happen based on this number.
6. Send your complaint via post
Apart from the above options, if the complainant is comfortable in sending the communication in physical form, then it should be sent to IRDAI addressed to:
General Manager
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India(IRDAI)
Consumer Affairs Department – Grievance Redressal Cell.
Sy.No.115/1, Financial District, Nanakramguda,
Gachibowli, Hyderabad – 500 032
7. IRDAI will only take up the complaints from the insured or the claimants. The grievance cell will not entertain complaints written on behalf of policyholders by advocates or agents or by any third parties.
9. Insurance Ombudsman – If the policyholder is not satisfied with companies response, then he/she can approach the Insurance Ombudsman. The Government of India created the Insurance Ombudsman scheme for individual policyholders to have their complaints settled out of the court in a cost-effective, efficient and impartial manner. There are at present 17 Insurance Ombudsman in different locations. The Ombudsman can only take up the matter in which the value of the claim does not exceed Rs 30 lakh.
10. Civil court & Consumer forum- A policyholder can also approach a civil court or a consumer forum about his complaint.
But remember, before you approach any complaint forum first and foremost step would be take up the matter with the insurance company and keep track of all the communication between you and the company.
