By Sola Alabadan
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has launched the NAICOM Complaint Management Portal as part of efforts to effectively address complaints, ensure swift resolution to all Insurance related issues and ensure adequate protection of policyholders.
This portal: complaints.naicom.gov.ng, is in line with the powers of the Commission under section 8(a) of the NAICOM Act 1997.
The portal offers a streamlined and user-friendly platform for addressing all Insurance related complaints.
Consequently, the commission has urged the public to effectively utilise the platform to reach out to the commission on all insurance related complaints.
Recalled that NAICOM had earlier established the Complaint Bureau Unit to which complaints against insurer, reinsurer, insurance brokers or loss adjuster may be submitted by members of public.
The activities of the Bureau are categorised into three phases; Claims management framework; Complaints handling management processes and procedures; and Complaints management operations.
The Bureau is responsible for the implementation and institutionalisation provisions of all primary and secondary legislation that are developed to provide for coordinated steps, policies and procedures for the management of insurance claims by the insurance institutions.
The enabling legal frameworks are: Primary legislations- NAICOM Act, Insurance Act, Third Party Motor Vehicle Act: Subsidiary legislations – Market Conduct and Business Guideline 2015, and Circulars.
Statutory Consumer Protections
Section 6 of NAICOM Act, 1997 bestows on the Commission the responsibility for effective administration, supervision, regulation and control of insurance business in Nigeria.
Section 7 places responsibility on the Commission to ensure adequate protection of strategic Government assets and properties.
Section 8 empowers the Commission to establish a Bureau to which complaints against any member of the insurance institution may be submitted by members of the public.
Section 17(1)(C) establishes a ‘Security and Insurance Development Fund’ to assist in the development of the insurance industry in Nigeria.
Section 78 of the Insurance Act 2003 provides for the utilization of the fund to: Payment of admitted claims which could not be paid due to insolvency or cancellation of the company; To compensate innocent third party disabled or killed by uninsured or unidentified vehicles.
Section 70 of the NAICOM Act stipulates that where a claim is made in writing, the insurer shall where it accepts liability settle the claim not later than 90 days after issuance of discharge voucher and where remained unpaid, the Commission has the power to pay from the company’s statutory deposit.