Bima Lokpal is ready for service; response lukewarm

The cases of insurance companies dishonouring or rejecting insurance claims are on the rise in Assam.
Bima Lokpal is ready for service; response lukewarm

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The cases of insurance companies dishonouring or rejecting insurance claims are on the rise in Assam. Even though at the time roping in people with insurance policies, such companies show tempting offers. The situation is the same in general insurance policies or medical claims.

A Bima Lokpal (Insurance Ombudsman) office is here in Guwahati to address the grievances of policyholders of Assam and the Northeast. However, only a few people seek justice there. Often the victim policymakers move the court. The reason is not far to seek – a large section of policyholders is ignorant of the Bima Lokpal office here.

According to Guwahati Bima Lokpal Somnath Ghosh, in fiscal 2021-22, they disposed of the grievances of 582 policyholders, including 502 from Assam.

According to Ghosh, Lokpal is a quasi-judicial forum that settles grievances and complaints of policyholders outside the court system in a cost-effective, efficient and impartial manner. "We can dispose of cases only if the policyholders come to us before moving the court," he said. He appealed to all the policyholders of Assam and the Northeast to move the Bima Lokpal for grievance redressal. The Bima Lokpal office for the Northeast is at SS Road, Panbazar, Guwahati. Victim policyholders can also send their complaints online too – bimalokpal. guwahati@gbic.com.in.

According to sources, insurance companies are in a rat race in the neck-and-neck competition in the Northeast, and they often resort to providing tempting offers to increase their policyholders. A section of agents misguides people intending to open insurance policies. In the case of medical claims, most companies reject or dishonour the insurance claims under the 'pre-existing disease' clause. The moot point is that the insurance companies open medical insurances after proper health checkups by competent physicians. They also harass policyholders by seeking documents after documents before settling claims, sources alleged. In the event of frozen LIC policies, the policyholders have to face a whole lot of harassment at the time of getting their money refunded.

According to sources, some insurance agents never tell their would-be policyholders the terms and conditions in detail before making the policies. It creates problems for policyholders at the time of claims.

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