What should you do if you have a complaint related to your car insurance policy? You would probably call the insurer’s call centre and explain your circumstances, right? But what if you do not get a response or an unsatisfactory response?
This will lead to a car insurance dispute between you and your insurer. This article will discuss the right way to handle car insurance disputes in India.
What is a Car Insurance Dispute? And How Do They Arise?
Car accident disputes typically occur between the car insurance provider, the insured, or between the insured and a third-party. The most common car accident insurance dispute relates to insurance claims for personal injury or damage to property.
For example, if an insured individual expects an insurance payout, but their insurance provider denies the coverage, this can lead to a dispute in a car insurance claim.
Similarly, Some individuals might also dispute car accident fault, where there is a dispute or disagreement about who is at fault, especially if another individual is involved and they disagree with the situation.
Another instance of dispute may surface if an insured’s four-wheeler gets stolen, and their long-term car insurance provider denies coverage on the basis that a proper theft prevention mechanism was not in place. In such cases, the insurance provider might refuse to pay any claim amount or offer the insured a lower sum than expected.
Disputing Fault Car Accident: How to Handle It?
You should first speak to your insurance provider to resolve the car accident insurance dispute. If you think your insurance provider (point of contact) has treated you unfairly, you can file a complaint.
Most insurance providers typically have instructions on their websites for filing a complaint.
However, if you do not receive a response from the insurance provider or if the response is not satisfactory, you must contact your insurance provider’s GRO (Grievance Redressal Officer).
How to File a Complaint With The Grievance Redressal Officer of The Insurance Provider?
To file a car insurance dispute with your insurance provider’s GRO, you can email them or visit the branch office. You can get the GRO’s email address on IRDAI’s or your insurance company’s websites.
You must submit your dispute in writing, along with all the necessary documents requested by the insurance company.
Once done, ensure you receive a written acknowledgement of your complaint via email or letter. You can use this to track the complaint or for future reference.
The acknowledgement you receive will include details on how the GRO handles your dispute, the dispute number, the policy number, etc.
According to the IRDAI guidelines, your insurance provider’s GRO must address the car insurance dispute within 15 days of receiving it.
If you do not receive any response or the response is unsatisfactory, you can file a complaint with the Grievance Redressal Cell of the Consumer Affairs Department of IRDAI.
To Wrap It Up
While addressing a disputing a fault car accident, remember that complaints are only accepted if filed by the insured. Thus, complaints filed on behalf of the insured by agents or advocates or by any third party will not be accepted.
One common and effective way to avoid the hassle of car accident disputes is to prevent insurance claims rejections. To avoid rejections, you must get the right coverage, review your policy details, keep your car well-maintained and promptly report any issues to your insurer.
