Central Government amends Insurance Ombudsman Rules for better resolution of complaints - (03 Mar 2021)

Insurance

In order to improve the working of the Insurance Ombudsman mechanism and to facilitate resolution of complaints, the Government notified amendments to the Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017. Changes in the Rules would help in curbing deficiencies in insurance services and to redress the grievances in a timely, cost-effective and impartial manner. Now, the insurance brokers have been brought within the ambit of the Ombudsman mechanism, by empowering the Ombudsmen to pass awards against insurance brokers as well.

Policyholders will now be enabled for making complaints electronically to the Ombudsman. Now, a complaints management system will be created to enable policyholders to track the status of their complaints online. Further, the Ombudsman may use video-conferencing for hearings. Further, the selection committee will now include an individual with a track record of promoting consumer rights or advancing the cause of consumer protection in the insurance sector. The Ombudsman mechanism was administered by the Executive Council of Insurers, which has been renamed as the Council for Insurance Ombudsmen.

The Insurance Ombudsman scheme was created by the Government for individual policyholders to have their complaints settled out of the Courts system in a cost-effective, efficient and impartial way. There are at present 17 Insurance Ombudsman in different locations and any person who has a grievance against an insurer, may himself or through his legal heirs, nominee or assignee, make a complaint in writing to the Insurance ombudsman within whose territorial jurisdiction the branch or office of the insurer complained against or the residential address or place of residence of the complainant is located.

Tags : COMPLAINT OMBUDSMAN RULES AMENDMENT