Filing an insurance consumer complaint on e-Jagriti
A wrongly rejected insurance claim is a 'deficiency in service' — and you can take it to the Consumer Commission online. Here's how the District, State, and National tiers split by amount, how to file on e-Jagriti (the portal that replaced e-Daakhil), and how it compares to the Ombudsman and mediation.
In short: a wrongful claim rejection is a ‘deficiency in service’, so you can file a consumer complaint online on e-Jagriti (e-jagriti.gov.in, the portal that replaced e-Daakhil). Pick the District, State, or National Consumer Commission — file before the District Commission unless the premium you paid was unusually large, because the tier is set by the consideration you paid, not by the amount you are claiming — then register, draft the complaint, upload evidence, pay the fee, and submit. Prefer speed and a free, binding order up to ₹50 lakh? The Insurance Ombudsman may fit better — or settle via mediation under the Mediation Act 2023.
Wrongful rejection = ‘deficiency in service’
When an insurer wrongly rejects, delays, or short-pays a valid claim, that failure is treated as a ‘deficiency in service’ under the Consumer Protection Act. That is precisely what makes a consumer complaint maintainable before the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. Before you file, read our companion guide on what to do when a claim is rejected — get the written rejection, complain to the insurer, and escalate to IRDAI first.
The three Consumer Commission tiers — chosen by amount
Consumer forums are arranged in three tiers, and the tier is fixed by the value of the consideration you paid — for insurance, the premium — not by the value of your claim. That is the test the Consumer Protection Act 2019 introduced in place of the old 1986 rule, so a large claim on an ordinary policy still goes to the District Commission.
- District Commission (DCDRC) — where the consideration paid is up to ₹50 lakh. For insurance the consideration is your premium, so this is the tier for almost every retail policy, however large the claim.
- State Commission (SCDRC) — where the consideration paid is above ₹50 lakh and up to ₹2 crore, and appeals from the District Commission.
- National Commission (NCDRC) — where the consideration paid is above ₹2 crore, and appeals from the State Commission.
Before you file: try the National Consumer Helpline (1915) — it’s free
The National Consumer Helpline (consumerhelpline.gov.in) is the government’s free, pre-litigation grievance channel. Call 1915 (8AM–8PM), message +91 88000 01915 on WhatsApp or SMS, or register on the portal, the NCH app, or the UMANG app. Your grievance is taken up with the company — over 1,000 companies, including insurers, are Convergence partners that respond directly. It is non-binding and cannot adjudicate, but it is fast, costs nothing, and using it never takes away your right to file with the Consumer Commission on e-Jagriti afterwards.
There’s also CPGRAMS — for any insurer, public or private
CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in) — the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System — is the Government of India’s free, 24×7 grievance portal. For insurance, file under the Ministry of Finance → Department of Financial Services (DFS): DFS’s stated remit covers public-sector and private-sector insurers as well as IRDAI, and senior DFS reviews of selected grievances are held every month with the institution’s leadership and the regulator present. CPGRAMS cannot pass a binding award — use it as a free additional pressure channel alongside Bima Bharosa and the Insurance Ombudsman, not instead of them. File on the portal, the CPGRAMS mobile app, or the UMANG app; grievances are to be redressed within 21 days (with an interim reply if it needs longer), and if you are unsatisfied you can appeal within 30 days. Note: matters already before a court or commission (sub judice) are excluded — so use CPGRAMS before, not after, you file a formal case.
How to file online on e-Jagriti
Register on e-Jagriti
Create an account on e-jagriti.gov.in with your mobile number, email, and a password, verify the OTP sent to both, and upload an ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, or Driving Licence). e-Jagriti is the government's official online consumer-complaint portal, which replaced e-Daakhil on 1 January 2025.
Confirm it's a 'deficiency in service'
A wrongful, delayed, or short-paid insurance claim is treated as a 'deficiency in service' under the Consumer Protection Act, which is what makes a consumer complaint maintainable.
Pick the right Commission tier by the premium you paid
Choose the tier by the value of the consideration you paid — for an insurance dispute that is the premium, not the amount you are claiming. Consideration up to ₹50 lakh is the District Commission, above that to ₹2 crore the State Commission, and above ₹2 crore the National Commission. On an ordinary retail policy that means the District Commission even where the claim runs into lakhs. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaced the old 1986 'value of the claim' test, and the Supreme Court confirmed the change in Rutu Mihir Panchal v. Union of India (2025).
File the complaint with the required documents
Select 'File New Case' → 'Consumer Complaint', enter the amount, cause-of-action date, jurisdiction, and your and the insurer's (opposite party) details, then upload the required documents — including the Index, Memo of Parties, a notarised affidavit, your evidence (the written rejection/repudiation letter, policy wording, claim file), and a vakalatnama if an advocate is acting for you.
Pay the fee and submit
Pay the prescribed filing fee online through the portal (via Bharatkosh, Razorpay, or PayGov, using a card, UPI, or net banking) and do the final submit. You'll get a reference number and acknowledgement, and can track the complaint's status from your dashboard.
What the Act and the Rules actually give you
What filing costs
Nothing, for most insurance disputes. The fee is set by the consideration paid — your premium — under rule 7 of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) Rules 2020: nil where the consideration is up to ₹5 lakh; ₹200 above ₹5 lakh and up to ₹10 lakh; ₹400 up to ₹20 lakh; ₹1,000 up to ₹50 lakh; ₹2,000 up to ₹1 crore; ₹2,500 up to ₹2 crore; and ₹3,000 to ₹7,500 in the bands above that. Pay only through the portal, and keep the receipt.
Where you can file
Section 34(2) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019 lets you file in the District Commission where the insurer or its branch is, where the cause of action arose in whole or in part, or where you reside or personally work for gain. For an insurance dispute that means your own district is open to you — you do not have to go to the insurer's head office.
The two-year limit, and what to do if you are past it
The Commission cannot admit a complaint filed more than two years after the cause of action arose (section 69(1)); for a rejected claim, count from the day the rejection or final reply reached you. If you are late, file an application for condonation of the delay together with the complaint, setting out the sufficient cause — the Commission may admit it, but must record its reasons (section 69(2)). A late complaint filed without that application is dismissed at scrutiny.
What the complaint must contain
Regulation 7 of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Commission Procedure) Regulations 2020 asks for the particulars of the dispute and the relief claimed, with copies of the documents that prove it, and the portal asks for an affidavit. In practice that means: the parties with addresses, the policy and the premium paid, a dated chronology, the deficiency you allege, what you have already done (the insurer's grievance officer, Bima Bharosa, the Ombudsman, any National Consumer Helpline docket), the limitation and jurisdiction facts, the exact relief you seek (refund, interest, compensation, costs — not 'do justice'), an index of annexures, and the verification.
After you submit: scrutiny
The Registrar scrutinises the filing. A defect is recorded and you are asked to remove it within fifteen days; admissibility is ordinarily decided within twenty-one days of receipt, or of the day the defect was removed (regulation 9). Watch the e-Jagriti dashboard, not only your email; cure exactly the defect named; and do not file a second complaint while the first is under scrutiny.
You can appear yourself
Regulation 4 lets the complainant appear in person, through an agent, or through counsel — an advocate is not mandatory. That is the model BimaHaq works to: we prepare the filing material in order and guide you through each step, and you file and appear yourself.
If the insurer ignores the order
Apply for execution in the same case. Under section 71 the order is enforced as if it were a decree of a civil court, with Order XXI of the Code of Civil Procedure applying; and under section 72 failing to comply is punishable with imprisonment from one month to three years, or a fine from ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh, or both. A copy of the final order comes to you free of cost (regulation 21).
Consumer Commission vs Insurance Ombudsman — how to choose
Both routes are open to you; choose by amount and urgency. The Insurance Ombudsman is free, its award is binding on the insurer, and ₹50 lakh is both the most it may award and the claim value it accepts at filing — but you must first raise the grievance with the insurer, and then approach the Ombudsman within one year of the insurer’s rejection or final reply (available once the insurer rejects it, gives no reply for one month, or replies unsatisfactorily). The Consumer Commission via e-Jagriti has three tiers, but for an insurance dispute the tier is fixed by the premium you paid rather than by the size of your claim — so a large claim on an ordinary retail policy still belongs at the District Commission.
Choose carefully — filing here closes the Ombudsman door
Mediation under the Mediation Act 2023
You don’t always need a contested case. Mediation under the Mediation Act 2023 lets both sides resolve the dispute faster and more amicably — as an alternative to a full consumer complaint or alongside it. Where the insurer is open to a settlement, mediation can save considerable time.
Common questions
Is a rejected insurance claim a 'deficiency in service'?
Yes. Wrongful rejection, undue delay, or short-payment of a valid insurance claim is treated as a 'deficiency in service' under the Consumer Protection Act, which is exactly what makes a consumer complaint before the Consumer Commission maintainable.
Should I try the National Consumer Helpline (1915) before filing a case?
It's often worth it. The National Consumer Helpline (consumerhelpline.gov.in) is the government's free, pre-litigation grievance channel: call 1915 (8AM–8PM), use WhatsApp/SMS on +91 88000 01915, or register on the portal, NCH app, or UMANG app. Your grievance is taken up with the company — over 1,000 companies (including insurers) are Convergence partners that respond directly. It is non-binding and cannot adjudicate, but it costs nothing, and using it never takes away your right to file with the Consumer Commission on e-Jagriti afterwards.
What is CPGRAMS and when should I use it for an insurance grievance?
CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in) is the Government of India's free, 24×7 grievance portal. For insurance complaints, file under the Ministry of Finance → Department of Financial Services (DFS), whose stated remit covers public-sector and private-sector insurers as well as IRDAI. It cannot pass a binding award — it routes your grievance to the organisation and monitors the response — so use it as a free additional pressure channel alongside Bima Bharosa or the Insurance Ombudsman, not instead of them. Grievances are to be redressed within 21 days, and you can appeal within 30 days if unsatisfied. Matters already before a court or commission are excluded, so raise it before filing a formal case.
Which Consumer Commission do I file with — District, State, or National?
By the value of the consideration you paid — which for insurance is the premium, not the size of your claim. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaced the old 1986 test, and the Supreme Court confirmed it in Rutu Mihir Panchal v. Union of India (2025). Consideration up to ₹50 lakh is the District Commission, above that to ₹2 crore the State Commission, and above ₹2 crore the National Commission. In practice almost every retail insurance complaint belongs at the District Commission, however large the claim.
How do I file a consumer complaint online for a rejected claim?
Use e-Jagriti (e-jagriti.gov.in), the portal that replaced e-Daakhil: register and verify by OTP, select 'File New Case' → 'Consumer Complaint', enter your and the insurer's details and the relief you want, upload the required documents (Index, Memo of Parties, a notarised affidavit, and evidence such as the written rejection letter, policy, and claim file), pay the filing fee online, and submit. You then get a reference number and can track the case online.
What happened to e-Daakhil?
e-Daakhil, the earlier online consumer-complaint portal, was replaced by e-Jagriti (e-jagriti.gov.in) on 1 January 2025. e-Jagriti is the National Informatics Centre platform that now handles consumer-complaint filing, fee payment, and case tracking across the District, State, and National Commissions. If you have an older link to e-Daakhil, use e-Jagriti instead.
Should I go to the Consumer Commission or the Insurance Ombudsman?
Both are options; choose by amount and urgency — but mind the order. The Insurance Ombudsman is free, its award is binding on the insurer, and ₹50 lakh is both the most it may award and the claim value it accepts at filing, so a larger dispute belongs before the Commission — but you must approach it within one year of the insurer's rejection or final reply, after first raising the grievance with the insurer. The Consumer Commission (via e-Jagriti) handles a wider range of amounts across its tiers and can be the route for higher-value disputes. Under Rule 14(5) of the Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017, filing a consumer case first permanently closes the Ombudsman route for that dispute — so if your claim is within the ₹50 lakh filing limit, try the Ombudsman first — you can still come to the Consumer Commission afterwards if the award does not satisfy you. What you cannot do is split one dispute across both.
Will filing on e-Jagriti close the Insurance Ombudsman route?
Yes — permanently, for that dispute. Under Rule 14(5) of the Insurance Ombudsman Rules, 2017, no complaint is maintainable before the Ombudsman on the same subject matter that is pending before, or was already disposed of by, any court, consumer forum, or arbitrator. The reverse is not true: if an Ombudsman award doesn't satisfy you, you can still approach the Consumer Commission afterwards. So the safe sequence is Ombudsman first, consumer forum second.
Can I use mediation instead of a full consumer case?
Yes. Mediation under the Mediation Act 2023 is an option for resolving an insurance dispute more quickly and amicably, either as an alternative to a contested consumer complaint or alongside it. It can save time where both sides are open to a settlement.
Do I have to complain to the insurer before going to a consumer forum?
Start by getting the written rejection and raising the grievance with the insurer — the insurer must acknowledge it immediately and resolve it within 14 days. If it stays unresolved you can escalate to IRDAI via Bima Bharosa, and you can also take a 'deficiency in service' complaint to the Consumer Commission on e-Jagriti.
Is there a fee to file a consumer complaint against an insurer?
Usually not. Under rule 7 of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) Rules 2020 the fee is set by the consideration paid — for insurance, your premium — and it is nil where that is up to ₹5 lakh. Above that it rises in slabs from ₹200 (up to ₹10 lakh) to ₹7,500 (above ₹10 crore). Pay only through the portal and keep the receipt.
Do I need an advocate to file on e-Jagriti?
No. Regulation 4 of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Commission Procedure) Regulations 2020 lets you appear in person, through an agent, or through counsel. Many insurance complaints are filed and argued by the policyholder; the work is in the complaint and the annexures being complete and in order.
How long do I have to file, and what if I am late?
Two years from the date the cause of action arose (section 69(1) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019) — for a rejected claim, from the day the rejection or final reply reached you. If you are past it, file an application for condonation of the delay with the complaint, explaining the sufficient cause; the Commission may admit it but must record its reasons (section 69(2)). Without that application a late complaint is dismissed at scrutiny.
What happens if the insurer does not comply with the Commission's order?
You apply for execution in the same case. Section 71 makes the order enforceable as if it were a decree of a civil court, with Order XXI of the Code of Civil Procedure applying, and section 72 makes non-compliance punishable with imprisonment from one month to three years, or a fine from ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh, or both. Keep the final order (a copy comes to you free of cost under regulation 21), the proof of service, and the date the time to comply ran out.
This guide is general information about the insurance-grievance process in India, not legal advice, and figures (timelines, monetary limits, jurisdiction) can change — verify against the official sources linked above before you rely on them.