SECP proposes more insurance tribunals, digital complaint system
The move follows 37,029 insurance complaints received in 2025 across different forums
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Tuesday recommended increasing the number of insurance tribunals and small dispute resolution committees across the country and establishing an integrated digital complaint system to improve the resolution of policyholders' grievances, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
The detailed proposals, published by ProPakistani, follow an SECP report that recorded 37,029 insurance-related complaints through different forums during 2025. The report said the volume of complaints highlights the need to strengthen the existing complaint resolution framework and make it easier for policyholders to pursue grievances. The APP report had carried only the broad recommendation without the specific figures or measures.
The SECP proposed that the number of insurance tribunals be increased according to geographical requirements so that claimants do not have to travel long distances to reach a forum. It also recommended publishing a list of sessions courts designated as insurance tribunals so that policyholders can easily identify the appropriate forum for their complaints. The commission urged the Ministry of Law and Justice to ensure the timely appointment of members of insurance tribunals.
The commission also called for expanding the scope and geographical reach of small dispute resolution committees that handle smaller insurance disputes. On the digital side, the report proposed allowing policyholders to submit insurance complaints and supporting documents online, and it recommended establishing an integrated digital system to manage insurance complaints and reduce the time required for their resolution.
The SECP recommended legal measures to enable complaints concerning government-owned insurance companies to be referred to the Federal Insurance Ombudsman, a step that would widen the ombudsman's oversight to cover state-run insurers.
SECP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said the commission wants to use technology to shorten the time required to resolve complaints and improve accountability within insurance companies. He said the objective is to ensure that policyholders can easily access the appropriate forum for resolving their complaints, whether through tribunals, committees, or digital channels.
The proposals will require coordination with the Ministry of Law and Justice for tribunal appointments and with the courts for designating sessions courts. The SECP report did not give a specific timeline for implementing the changes.
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