How to raise a consumer complaint against an insurance company in the UAE

Dubai: If you think your insurance claim was rejected unfairly, you can register a complaint with the Sanadak platform, which resolves consumer complaints against registered financial institutions and insurance companies, free of charge.

Last month, the UAE Central Bank issued a notice to all banks and insurance companies in the country to allow the deferral of repayment of instalments of personal and car loans for customers affected by the repercussions of the weather condition for a period of six months.

It also advised customers that the damages to vehicles and homes resulting from the heavy rains during the weather condition the country witnessed last month are covered by insurance if they had comprehensive insurance cover, which protects the policy holder against loss and damage of the item that is insured, whether it is a vehicle or your home.

The Central Bank confirmed that if customers have a complaint or dispute with the insurance company, they can raise it with Sanadak, which is an independent financial unit, established by the Central Bank for this purpose.

So, how do you file a complaint through the platform? Here is a step-by-step guide.

When can I file a complaint through Sanadak?

Before you begin the complaints process, it is important to note what the eligibility criteria are to submit your complaint through Sanadak. These are the cases in which you can file a complaint through the platform:

• failure by the Licensed Financial Institution (LFI) or the insurance company to provide a particular service or product due to discrimination based on family or socio-economic status, gender, or minority group membership
• alleged financial loss or harm through any deceptive, misleading, fraudulent, or unfair conduct by or on behalf of an LFI or insurance company.

However, you need to make sure you:

• First raise the complaint with the relevant insurance company, before approaching Sanadak.
• Wait for a period of 30 calendar days after lodging the complaint with the company.
• Do not have an ongoing litigation in a court of law related to the complaint.
• Do not file a complaint related to a case that falls outside the regulatory mandate of the Central Bank of the UAE.
• Do not raise a complaint when the complaint has already reached a resolution between you and the company.

In all such cases listed above, Sanadak may reject your complaint application.

How to file the complaint

• Visit the website sanadak.gov.ae and click on ‘Submit a complaint’ in the top menu.
• Next, click on the option ‘Submit a complaint related to an insurance company’.
• Fill out the form, which ensures that you are eligible to raise the complaint. This includes questions related to the criteria listed above. Once you check all the boxes, you will be informed whether you are eligible to submit a complaint. If you are, you will be asked who you wish to complain against: A licenced financial institution or an insurance company. Select the relevant option.
• You will then be asked to sign in using your UAE Pass.
• After that, you will be asked if you have an online account with Sanadak. Select ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
• If you don’t sign up for an account by clicking on ‘sign up’. Your details will already be filled in because you have signed in using your UAE Pass.
• Next, click on ‘log a complaint’.
• Next, read the consent form and accept the terms and conditions listed.

You will then be asked to submit the dispute information, including the response that you have received from the insurance company. Once you submit the complaint with Sanadak, you will have to wait for the response from the Sanadak team. The team will investigate the complaint by communicating with the concerned company and provide you with an update.

You can follow up on your complaint through the hotline – 800 SANADAK (800 72 623 25), or by sending an email to info@sanadak.gov.ae.