**Executive Summary**
IRDAI convened a high-level meeting on November 26, 2025, with Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) and Grievance Redressal Officers (GROs) of all insurers. The meeting focused on strengthening policyholder protection, improving grievance redressal standards, and addressing operational challenges in the insurance sector. Insurers were advised to improve complaint resolution timeliness and quality, and adopt policyholder-centric approaches.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Meeting Overview:**
* IRDAI held a meeting with CCOs and GROs to discuss key issues in the insurance sector.
* The meeting emphasized the importance of trust, compliance, and grievance redressal.
* **Grievance Redressal Review:**
* Existing grievance redressal mechanisms were reviewed.
* Insurance Ombudsmen from Bhopal and Thane presented operational issues and challenges.
* Analysis of consumer complaints was done to highlight areas for improvement in industry responsiveness.
* **Improvement Directives:**
* Insurers must improve the quality and timeliness of complaint resolutions.
* Insurers were advised to develop a clear, standardized procedure for classifying consumer references into complaints and service requests.
* Insurers should adopt a more proactive, policyholder-centric approach and strengthen internal systems for compliance.
* Compliance should be ingrained as a mindset throughout the organization.
**Impact Analysis**
**Insurance Companies (Insurers)**
* **Impact:** Must improve complaint resolution practices, implement standardized procedures, and adopt a policyholder-centric approach.
* **Action Required:** Develop and implement a clear procedure for classifying consumer feedback, improve complaint resolution timelines and quality, and strengthen internal compliance systems.
**Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) and Grievance Redressal Officers (GROs)**
* **Impact:** These roles are highlighted as vital for maintaining the conscience and credibility of insurance companies.
* **Action Required:** Fulfill complementary roles, ensure compliance and credibility of their respective insurance companies.
**Policyholders**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved grievance redressal standards and a more proactive, policyholder-centric approach from insurers.
* **Action Required:** No direct action required; benefit from improvements made by insurers.
Key Entities Referenced
IRDAI: Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India; the primary regulator for the insurance sector in India.
Grievance Redressal Officers (GROs): Officers responsible for addressing and resolving grievances within insurance companies.
Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs): Officers responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations within insurance companies.
Insurance Ombudsmen: Independent bodies that resolve disputes between insurance companies and policyholders.
भारतीय बीमा िविनयामक और िवकास प्रािधकरण
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
प्रेस प्रकाशनी / Press Release | 26.11.2025
IRDAI Calls for Stronger Customer-Centricity and
Higher Standards of Grievance Redressal in Industry Meeting
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) on Wednesday, 26th
November, 2025 convened a high-level meeting with Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) and
Grievance Redressal Officers (GROs) of all insurers. The discussions centred on strengthening
policyholder protection, improving grievance redressal standards, and addressing operational
challenges faced by the insurance sector.
The meeting opened with the Chairman, IRDAI extending greetings on the Constitution Day,
underscoring the significance of the Constitution and its values of justice, equality, and liberty.
Addressing the participants, he emphasised the centrality of trust in insurance and the critical
role played by compliance and grievance redressal functions in upholding that trust.
A detailed review of compliance practices and the effectiveness of existing grievance redressal
mechanisms was carried out. The Authority also engaged with the Insurance Ombudsmen from
Bhopal and Thane, who presented the operational issues and challenges observed in handling
cases filed at their respective offices. An analysis of consumer complaints and emerging trends
in policyholder issues further shaped the conversation, highlighting areas where the industry
must enhance its responsiveness.
The Authority expressed concern over the rising number of complaints and emphasised the
need for insurers to significantly improve the quality and timeliness of resolutions. Insurers
were advised to develop a clear and standardised operating procedure for classifying consumer
references into complaints and service requests. IRDAI also urged insurers to adopt a more
proactive, policyholder-centric approach and to strengthen their internal systems to ensure
strict compliance with prescribed timelines.
Highlighting the need for deeper cultural alignment within organisations, the Chairman
remarked: “Compliance cannot be a department— it must be a mind-set. And grievance
redressal cannot be the end of a process— it must be our early warning system. When in
doubt, choose the customer. If we do that consistently, trust will follow, growth will follow,
and the industry will stand stronger than ever.” The Chairman highlighted the complementary
roles of CCOs and GROs, calling them the “conscience and credibility” of insurance
companies.
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