Insurance Ombudsman Day is observed on 11 November every year across India. It is also called Bima Lokpal Day, since “Bima Lokpal” is the Hindi name for the insurance ombudsman, a free, quasi-judicial forum where policyholders can take unresolved complaints against insurers. The day marks the foundation of the institution, and this year’s observance falls on a Wednesday, 28 years after the rules creating the forum were notified.
The Office of the Insurance Ombudsman, Thane, organised its first Bima Lokpal Day celebration on 11 November 2025 at Tip Top Plaza, LBS Marg, Thane (West), from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM. The Thane office covers Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Navi Mumbai and parts of Mumbai, including Mulund (East and West) and the N, S and T Wards [1].
History of the Insurance Ombudsman in India
11 November 1998: The Central Government notified the Redressal of Public Grievances Rules, 1998 (G.S.R. 670(E)) under Section 114(1) of the Insurance Act, 1938. These rules created the institution of the insurance ombudsman [2].
1 April 2000: This is the start date of the complaint records published by the Council for Insurance Ombudsmen (CIO). The institution had handled 5,70,126 complaints by 31 March 2024 [3].
25 April 2017: The Ministry of Finance notified the Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017 (G.S.R. 413(E)), which superseded the 1998 rules [4].
2 March 2021: The Insurance Ombudsman (Amendment) Rules, 2021 (G.S.R. 147(E)) brought insurance brokers within the ombudsman’s scope and renamed the Executive Council of Insurers as the Council for Insurance Ombudsmen. They also allowed complaints by email or online, required a complaints management system and permitted video-conference hearings [4][5].
18 May 2021: The Insurance Ombudsman (Second Amendment) Rules, 2021 (G.S.R. 334(E)) provided that the senior-most whole-time member of IRDAI chairs the selection committee when the post of IRDAI Chairperson is vacant [5][6].
9 November 2023: The Insurance Ombudsman (Amendment) Rules, 2023 (G.S.R. 828(E)) set the maximum compensation an ombudsman can award at ₹50 lakh and allowed awards to be signed digitally [4][5].
2024: The Thane office opened as the 18th ombudsman centre, with its jurisdiction carved out of the Mumbai and Pune offices [3].
25 November 2025: The Department of Financial Services released the Draft Insurance Ombudsman (Amendment) Rules, 2025 (G.S.R. 864(E)) for public consultation [7].
Why Is Bima Lokpal Day Celebrated on 11 November?
Bima Lokpal Day is celebrated on 11 November to build awareness of the insurance ombudsman among policyholders. The date is the foundation day of the institution, which the Government of India created by notifying the Redressal of Public Grievances Rules on 11 November 1998. Every year, ombudsman offices use the day to explain who the ombudsman is, what the forum does and how a policyholder can approach it after an insurer has rejected or left a complaint unresolved.
How the Insurance Ombudsman Resolves Policyholder Complaints
The insurance ombudsman hears complaints from policyholders against life, general and health insurers, and against insurance brokers. The process works as follows, per the PIB release:
Who can file: The insured person or an immediate family member. Agents and third parties cannot file complaints with the Insurance Ombudsman.
When to approach: After the insurer’s Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO) rejects the complaint, or when it stays unresolved for more than 30 days.
How to file: Online at www.cioins.co.in, by email, by post or in person at the office.
Cost: Free of charge.
Timeline: Cases are generally heard online and resolved within 90 days of receiving all required documents.
Outcome: The award is binding on the insurer, which must comply within 30 days.
Future of Insurance Ombudsman in India
The Draft Insurance Ombudsman (Amendment) Rules, 2025, released on 25 November 2025, are the first structural redesign of the 2017 framework in almost a decade, and one legal analysis describes them as a shift from conciliation to adjudication. Policyholders should check the CIO website for the current version of the framework. The institution has also grown to 18 centres with the addition of Thane, and the IRDAI Chairman linked its work to the goal of insurance for all by 2047.
Sources
PIB Mumbai, “Office of the Insurance Ombudsman, Thane, to celebrate First Bima Lokpal Day on 11th November 2025” (10 November 2025). https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2188434®=48〈=2
The Redressal of Public Grievances Rules, 1998 (G.S.R. 670(E), New Delhi, 11 November 1998), RBI Legislation Section. R1938: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=618
Council for Insurance Ombudsmen, About Us. Highlights of the “Institution of Insurance Ombudsman”. https://www.cioins.co.in/About
The Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017 (updated as on 9.11.2023), consolidated text on the CIO website. Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017 (PDF)
“Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017”, “Insurance Ombudsman (Amendment) Rules, 2021” (G.S.R. 147(E)) and “Insurance Ombudsman (Amendments) Rules, 2023” (G.S.R. 828(E)). https://cioins.co.in/OmbudsmanRules2017
Insurance Ombudsman (Second Amendment) Rules, 2021, G.S.R. 334(E), New Delhi, 18 May 2021. https://cioins.co.in/notification/227041.pdf
Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. https://financialservices.gov.in/node/62
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bima Lokpal Day?
Bima Lokpal Day is observed on 11 November every year to mark the foundation of the insurance ombudsman institution in India. Ombudsman offices use it to run awareness programmes for policyholders.
What types of complaints does the Insurance Ombudsman handle?
The ombudsman can consider complaints about delayed claim settlement, partial or total repudiation of claims, premium disputes, misrepresentation of policy terms, policy servicing, policies issued that do not match the proposal form, and non-issuance of a policy after the premium is received.
What is the time limit to file a complaint with the Insurance Ombudsman?
A complaint must be filed within one year of the insurer rejecting it, or of receiving the insurer’s reply.
What is the difference between Bima Bharosa and the Insurance Ombudsman?
Bima Bharosa is IRDAI’s online grievance system, where policyholders register and track complaints against insurers. The Insurance Ombudsman is a separate quasi-judicial forum that issues awards binding on insurers.
Who appoints the Insurance Ombudsman?
Insurance ombudsmen are appointed by the Council for Insurance Ombudsmen, on the recommendation of a selection committee.
Where are the Insurance Ombudsman offices located?
There are 18 centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Patna, Noida and Thane.
