A media release recently published on the website of the Ombud for Long-term Insurance stated that a new portal had been launched to assist complainants to lodge insurance related complaints. This portal was introduced shortly after the news that there would be a joint Ombudsman for both long-term and short-term insurance complaints with effect from 1 January 2020.
The Ombudsman for Long-term insurance, retired Judge McLaren, has in addition to his current role taken over the adjudicative role in the office of the Ombudsman for Short-term insurance. The joint Ombudsman is for the adjudication of long-term and short-term insurance complaints only. While the office of Ombudsman for Long-term insurance and the office of the Ombudsman for Short-term insurance remain in existence and continue to operate separately within their current defined jurisdictions.
Accordingly, the office of the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance will continue to have jurisdiction over complaints about long-term insurance products such as life insurance, funeral, long-term disability, credit life and health insurance policies while the office of the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance will continue to have jurisdiction over all types of short-term insurance products, including motor, house owners (buildings), householders (contents), cell phone, travel, disability and credit protection insurance, and commercial insurance for small businesses and sole proprietors.
The new portal for complaints will assist complainants who are uncertain at which office to lodge a complaint. The existing individual complaints portals for long-term insurance and short-term insurance will also continue to remain in effect.
The new portal provides complainants with the following contact points:
- Website: insuranceombudsman.co.za
- Telefax: 086 589 0696
- Email: info@insuranceombudsman.co.za
- Share call number: 0860 103 236