BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is one of the top states in the country with the highest disposal rate of complaints related to insurance. The state has posted a disposal rate of 98 per cent (pc) as against the national average of 89.33 pc. Of the 1170 complaints lodged in 2021-22, the Insurance Ombudsman of the state has disposed of 1146 complaints. There are 17 offices of Insurance Ombudsman across the country including one in Bhubaneswar.
The total number of complaints across 17 Insurance Ombudsman offices was 45,370, of which 40,527 complaints were disposed of in the last fiscal.Insurance Ombudsman is an alternate grievance redressal platform for resolving grievances of the aggrieved insured persons. The quasi-judicial grievance redressal machinery can redress complaints against both life and non-life insurance companies.
In 2017, the centre had notified Insurance Ombudsman Rules, which were further amended in 2021. All complaints of individual insurance, group insurance, policies issued to sole proprietorship and micro enterprises on the part of insurance companies and their agents and intermediaries will be redressed as per the rules.
“The main objectives of the rules is for resolution of insurance complaints in a cost effective, efficient and an impartial manner. Even during the pandemic, the offices of the Insurance Ombudsman worked hard to resolve the complaints through virtual hearings,”said an official.
Online registration of complaints has been introduced since February 2021. Insured persons can register their complaint at www.cioins.co.in, from anywhere and anytime and they will not have to visit the office of Insurance Ombudsman.