Declare settlement within the insurance coverage sector in Bangladesh stood at 67 % in 2022, highlighting unhealthy investments and non-compliance that prevented insurers from attaining a better ratio, information from the regulator confirmed.
Final yr, 35 life insurance coverage firms settled 66.97 % of claims, which means round 33 % of claims made by the purchasers remained unsettled, in keeping with the Insurance coverage Growth & Regulatory Authority (Idra).
For all latest news, follow The My News’s Google News channel. Although the claim settlement ratio improved in 2022 in comparison with 2021, it was a lot decrease than that of 2020.
The ratio plunged to 57.84 % owing to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. It was 85.08 % in 2020. The ratio averaged greater than 80 per cent within the decade to 2021.
An insurance coverage declare is a proper request by a policyholder to an insurance coverage firm for protection or compensation for a coated loss or coverage occasion.
“The whole monetary sector is witnessing a confidence disaster attributable to an absence of excellent governance,” mentioned AB Mirza Azizul Islam, a finance adviser to a former caretaker authorities.
He mentioned most banks and insurance coverage firms that have been accepted on political consideration lack good governance.
“Banks are going through a confidence disaster attributable to enormous non-performing loans whereas insurance coverage firms are witnessing the identical downside because of the low declare settlement ratio.”
Idra information confirmed that 4 insurance coverage firms had a declare settlement ratio of lower than 40 % final yr.
Baira Life Insurance’s settlement ratio stood at 1.83 %, the bottom among the many insurers.
Fareast Islami life insurance coverage, Sunflower Life Insurance coverage, and Golden Life Insurance coverage logged a ratio of 21 %, 24 %, and 37 % respectively.
Prof Md Most important Uddin, a former chairman of the Division of Banking and Insurance coverage on the College of Dhaka, mentioned had insurance coverage firms invested in good securities utilizing life funds, there wouldn’t have been any delay in settling claims.
“The primary motive for the low declare settlements is unhealthy investments and non-compliance. The Idra ought to take measures and authorized actions towards the insurers that didn’t settle claims regardless of having ample funds.”
As well as, the Idra ought to work to minimise the dangerous investments made by insurers, he mentioned.
Sheikh Kabir Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Insurance coverage Affiliation (BIA), mentioned a number of firms are at present unable to settle claims attributable to unhealthy funding and non-compliance.
“The Idra and the BIA are engaged on the way to enhance the speed of settlement.”
The affiliation has requested firms to settle claims as quickly as insurance policies mature, he mentioned.
Hossain, additionally the chairman of Sonar Bangla Insurance coverage, thinks the Idra has instructed insurance coverage firms to digitalise their operations. “As soon as that occurs, this may enhance the state of affairs.”
He mentioned the declare settlement ratio is significantly better now than previously due to various steps taken by the Idra.
“If Idra’s monitoring turns into strong and digitalisation completes, the speed of declare settlement will enhance additional.”
Seventeen firms’ declare settlement ratio was greater than 95 %. Of them, 9 firms settled claims value lower than Tk 100 crore.
There have been eight firms whose declare settlement ratio was above 95 per cent and settled claims value greater than Tk 100 crore. They’re Guardian Life Insurance coverage, Meghna Life Insurance coverage, MetLife Bangladesh, Standard Life Insurance coverage, Pragati Life Insurance coverage, Prime Islami Life Insurance coverage, Sandhani Life Insurance coverage, and Rupali Life Insurance coverage.
Ala Ahmad, chief govt officer of MetLife Bangladesh, the lone overseas insurance coverage firm within the nation, says when clients buy insurance policies, they anticipate to see their claims settled with none trouble or delay.
“But when insurers cannot meet this expectation, it creates distrust between policyholders and the insurance coverage trade.”
MetLife Bangladesh settled 92.28 % of its complete claims in 2020, 95.38 % in 2021 and 96.02 % in 2022.
Ahmad mentioned MetLife has all the time put particular emphasis on making clients’ declare experiences clean and passable. “Through the years, now we have invested in know-how and folks to modernise the claims settlement course of.”
“Consequently, our clients can apply for declare settlement on-line from anyplace in Bangladesh and obtain funds in simply three to 5 working days. We’ve got utterly eradicated the need to come back to our places of work to submit paper paperwork wanted to provoke a declare settlement course of.”
Ahmad mentioned his firm has sturdy buyer fund administration and funding practices, which assist keep a powerful monetary place to settle claims with none problem.
One other component MetLife is specializing in is high quality gross sales.
“It’s because once we perceive the wants and prevailing conditions of our clients, we will recommend probably the most applicable merchandise to them,” mentioned Ahmad.
“When insurance coverage insurance policies are offered with a correct understanding of buyer wants and conditions, the method of claims settlement may be clean and with none surprises for patrons.”
Sadman Tanvir, head of promoting at Guardian life insurance coverage, mentioned if an organization settles claims and offers companies correctly to policyholders, it’s good for each insurers and clients.
Guardian’s declare settlement was 96.85 %, 97.36 % and 98.31 % in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Tanvir says his firm settles claims inside three to 5 days of the expiration of a coverage.
He added that typically policyholders cannot submit papers on time. “In such instances, settlement takes time.”
Azizul Islam urged the regulator to search out out why insurance coverage firms are failing to settle claims correctly.
“The administrators of the insurance coverage firms must be introduced underneath the scanner to determine whether or not they have been accountable for unhealthy investments.”
If wanted, the regulator ought to pressure insurance coverage firms to promote their belongings and pay again individuals’s cash, added Islam, additionally a former chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Alternate Fee.
