These turnaround times come from the IRDAI Master Circular on Protection of Policyholders' Interests, 2024. They tell you when you are allowed to escalate.
Insurer's response to a grievance
- The insurer must acknowledge your grievance immediately on receipt.
- The insurer must provide a resolution within 14 days, with the reasons referenced to the specific terms and conditions of your policy.
- If the complaint is not resolved within 30 days, or the insurer's decision is not acceptable to you, you may approach the Insurance Ombudsman.
(Note: the older "acknowledge within 3 working days" and "8-week deemed closure" figures came from the IRDA Grievance Redressal Guidelines, 2010, which Chapter IX of the 2024 Master Circular expressly repealed. The current norm is acknowledge immediately and resolve within 14 days.)
When you can move to IRDAI (Bima Bharosa)
Escalate to IRDAI through Bima Bharosa once the insurer's 14-day resolution window lapses, or the reply you received is unsatisfactory.
When you can move to the Insurance Ombudsman
You can approach the Ombudsman once the insurer has rejected the grievance, has not replied within one month, or has given an unsatisfactory reply. You must file with the Ombudsman within one year of the insurer's rejection or final reply.
Practical takeaway
Keep every date: when you filed the grievance, when (or whether) the insurer acknowledged and replied. Those dates are exactly what the Ombudsman complaint form (Annexure VI-A) asks for, and they decide whether you are inside the one-year window.
Source: IRDAI Master Circular on Protection of Policyholders' Interests, 2024. Last reviewed 2026-07-11. These are general timelines, not legal advice — verify against irdai.gov.in before you rely on them.