How do I register a complaint on Bima Bharosa?

On bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in, choose Register Complaint, enter your name and mobile number and verify it by OTP, say who you are complaining against, give your policy or claim number, describe the complaint in up to 4,000 characters, and attach PDF or image files. When you submit, the portal shows a complaint number and the date by which it should be attended to; keep both. Write your complaint text before you start.

Before you start

• A mobile number you will keep: Registration is verified by an OTP to it, and you track the complaint with the same number later.^[1]
• One identifier: Your policy number, proposal number, certificate number (for group insurance) or claim number. For a claim complaint, the claim number is mandatory.^[1]
• Your complaint text: Written beforehand so you can paste it in. The description box takes up to 4,000 characters.^[1]
• Your attachments: Copies of your complaint to the insurer, its reply and the key documents, as PDF, JPG, JPEG or PNG files of up to 10 MB.^[1]

Step by step

1. 1

   Open the official portal

   Type bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in into your browser yourself rather than following a link from a message. The portal never asks for payment of any kind.^[2]

2. 2

   Choose Register Complaint

   Enter your name and mobile number, then the OTP sent to your phone.^[1]

3. 3

   Say who the complaint is against

   Pick an insurance company, an insurance intermediary (such as a broker, surveyor, TPA, agent, web aggregator or corporate agent) or an unregistered entity. When you pick your insurer, the form shows its Grievance Redressal Officer's name, email and phone.^[1]

4. 4

   Choose the type

   Select the policy type, the complaint type and the complaint description type from the drop-down lists. Pick the closest match; your own description does the explaining.^[1]

5. 5

   Give the identifier

   Enter the policy, proposal, certificate or claim number. For a claim complaint, use the claim number.^[1]

6. 6

   Describe it and attach files

   Paste your description, within the 4,000-character limit, and attach your files.^[1]

7. 7

   Register, and note the number

   Submit and confirm. The portal shows a complaint number and a target ('TAT') date by which the complaint should be attended to, and you get a confirmation by email or SMS with the token number. Take a screenshot.^{[1, 3]}

Writing the description

Four thousand characters is roughly one page, so plan it. Give your policy and claim numbers; the date you complained to the insurer and its reference; what the insurer decided, quoted; why you disagree, briefly; what you want; and a numbered list of the attachments. The complaint email outline fits the box with little change.^[1]

After you register

The complaint goes into the insurer's system and IRDAI's records. You track it with your registered mobile number and an OTP; what the statuses mean explains the labels. When the insurer marks it 'Attended to' you get an SMS, and if you are not satisfied with the resolution you can escalate it from the portal.^{[4, 1]}

If you cannot use the portal

IRDAI also accepts its paper Complaint Registration Form, one form per complaint, by post or courier to its Grievance Redressal Cell in Hyderabad, and its call centre takes complaints on 155255 or 1800 4254 732. Other ways to complain to IRDAI gives the details.^{[5, 4, 3]}

ClaimAssure is an independent private platform. It is not an insurer, IRDAI, Bima Bharosa or the Insurance Ombudsman, it never files anything on your behalf, and it cannot promise any outcome. What it does is read your documents and show you what they say.

More on bima bharosa