The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), through Circular No. IRDAI/PP&GR/CIR/MISC/95/07/2026 dated July 23, 2026, has advised all insurers (except re-insurers) to ensure timely submission of Self-Contained Notes (SCNs), supporting documents, and additional information to the Offices of the Insurance Ombudsman. The circular notes concerns over inordinate delays and piecemeal submissions by insurers, which delay disposal of policyholder and beneficiary complaints. Referring to Rules 15(2) and 17(4) of the Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017, IRDAI has advised insurers to submit SCNs with supporting documents within seven days of receiving notice, furnish additional information sought under Rule 15(2) within three days, provide all required information in one submission rather than piecemeal, and clear all pending SCN and document requests within 30 days from the date of the circular. The circular further states that where an insurer fails to comply, the concerned Office of the Insurance Ombudsman may proceed ex parte on the basis of the material available on record to comply with the timeline under Rule 17(4).
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
Circular No: IRDAI/PP&GR/CIR/MISC/95/07/2026 | Dated: July 23, 2026
To,
All the Insurers [except Re-insurers]
Sub: Submission of Self-Contained Note and other related documents to the Office of the Insurance Ombudsmen
1. During the interaction with Insurance Ombudsmen (IO) in the recent Orientation Programme conducted for the IOs, it has been noted with concern that there are inordinate delays by the Insurers in submissions of Self Contained Note (SCN), supporting documents and additional information, sought by the Offices of the Insurance Ombudsman. It has also been reported that follow up information / documents are submitted by the insurers in piecemeal and with inordinate delay. Thus, such actions are resulting into delay in disposal of the complaints raised by the policyholders / beneficiaries
2. While the submissions of the SCN and the follow up information / documents are necessary for the IOs to examine the fact of the complaints and to come to a conclusion, the documents called by the IOs in terms of rule 15 (2) of Insurance Ombudsman Rules 2017 (the Rule) needs to be provided promptly by the insurers to decide the case and to meet the spirit of rule 17 (4) of the Rule which provides that a complaint shall be decided within 90 days of the receipt of all the requirement from the complainant.
3. The Authority, in order to facilitate timely disposal of complaints and to improve the efficiency of the IO system advises the insurers as under
i. To submit the required SCNs duly supported by the relevant documents within seven (7) days from the date of receipt of the notice from the concerned Office of the Insurance Ombudsman.
ii. To submit additional information or documents, as and when sought by the Office of the Insurance Ombudsman in terms of rule 15 (2) of the Rules within 3 days from the date of the notice.
iii. To submit the required information including relevant documents in “one-go” and not in a piece-meal manner.
iv. To clear all the pending demands of SCNs and additional information and / or documents required by Office of the Insurance Ombudsman within 30 days from the date of issuance of this Circular.
v. Where an insurer fails to comply with the above, the concerned Office of the Insurance Ombudsman, in order to comply with the timeline provided in Rule 17 (4), shall proceed with the matter, ex parte, without any further delay, basis the material information available on record.
This is issued with the approval of the competent Authority.
Sd/-
(R K Sharma)
(Executive Director)
