Life insurance policies are considered by many to be the strongest pillar of financial security for families, but sometimes this very support becomes a source of trouble. Thousands of policyholders face problems every year due to issues like mis-selling of policies, delays in claim settlement, partial payments, or outright rejection of claims. In such cases, people file complaints with the Insurance Ombudsman.

Statistics from the CIO's Annual Report
The annual report of the Council of Insurance Ombudsmen (CIO) for the financial year 2024-25 reveals that a large number of complaints have been filed against several major life insurance companies. According to the report, Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company received the highest number of complaints during this period.

Bharti AXA and LIC at the Top
In the financial year 2024-25, a total of 2,770 complaints were filed against Bharti AXA Life Insurance, more than any other company. This was followed by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), against which 1,951 complaints were filed. However, due to the very large number of LIC policyholders, the proportion of complaints is considered comparatively low.

Status of Other Companies
HDFC Life (1,320), PNB MetLife (1,060), and Bajaj Allianz Life (998) are also among the top companies in terms of complaints. Among the top 10 companies, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance received the fewest complaints, with 555.

The Picture of Pending Complaints
The report also presents surprising figures regarding pending complaints. As of March 31, 2025, Bharti AXA Life Insurance had 503 pending complaints. This was followed by LIC with 184 and HDFC Life with 174 pending complaints. Among the top 10 companies, Edelweiss Life Insurance had the fewest pending complaints, with 87.

 What customers can learn:
Experts say it's crucial to carefully read the terms and conditions when buying a policy, not to rely entirely on the agent's word, and to be familiar with the claims process beforehand. If problems still arise, customers can approach the Insurance Ombudsman to file a complaint.

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