Hyderabad:
The segment regulator IRDAI has asked the insurers to initiate immediate steps for quick registration and disposal of claims out of devastation caused by the cyclone Amphan in the parts of Odisha, West Bengal and other neighboring states.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said 80 people have died in the cyclone that has caused economic losses of over Rs 1 lakh crore and requested Modi to treat it as a national disaster.
There is an urgent need for the insurance industry to take immediate steps to mitigate the hardships of the affected insured population by ensuring immediate registration and settlement of eligible claims, said IRDAI.
The IRDAI has asked the insurers to take following steps to settle claim expeditiously.
– It needs to be ensured that all claims are surveyed immediately and claim payments/on account payments are disbursed at the earliest and in any case not exceeding the stipulated time-line,
– Adequate number of surveyors may be engaged immediately as required,
-For life insurersA suitably simplified process/procedure including relaxations in the usual requirements wherever feasible may be considered to expedite claims settlement,
-Nominating a senior officer at the company level who would act as a Nodal Officer for the affected states. The Nodal Officer would be coordinating the receipt, processing, and settlement of all eligible claims. The Nodal officer should contact Chief Secretary/ Officer concerned of the state immediately and be in regular contact thereafter,
– Similarly, district level nodal officer may be appointed in each affected district to liaise with DM/District Administration,
– The contact particulars of the Nodal Officer may also be conveyed to us and the same may be given due publicity in the press and though State Govt to enable immediate filing of Claims. In addition to this 24/7 help lines may be started,
– If there are any death claims and death certificate is difficult to obtain on account of non-recovery of body etc, the process followed in the case of Jammu & Kashmir floods may be considered,
-Details of offices/ special camps set up for the purpose and other relevant details may be publicized through your website, media and through State Government channels to enable filing of claims,.
– In view of Corona Virus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Insurers shall encourage the policyholders to use electronic communication wherever possible for correspondence while intimating the claim and filing all the relevant documents.