IRDAI publishes complaints data annually alongside claim settlement ratios. Most buyers focus only on CSR and ignore complaints data — which is a mistake. An insurer with 99% CSR but 40 complaints per 10,000 policies is likely settling claims only after prolonged disputes. Here's how to read the data correctly.
What 'Complaints Per 10,000 Policies' Means
IRDAI measures grievances received per 10,000 lives insured (for health) or per 10,000 policies in-force (for life and motor). A ratio of 5 means 5 out of every 10,000 policyholders filed a formal grievance with IRDAI's Integrated Grievance Management System (IGMS). A ratio above 15–20 for a large insurer is a warning sign. A ratio below 5 indicates customers rarely need to escalate beyond the insurer's internal resolution.
Grievance Disposal Rate — The Other Number
Grievance disposal rate is the percentage of complaints that were resolved within the reporting year. A disposal rate of 95%+ is standard for well-managed insurers. Below 90% means complaints are piling up. Look for both numbers together: low complaints per 10,000 + high disposal rate = insurer that resolves problems before customers escalate. High complaints + low disposal rate = insurer to avoid.
How These Numbers Are Gamed
Some insurers have low complaint numbers because their policy base is small (fewer absolute complaints even at a high per-policy rate). IRDAI normalises by policies-in-force, but churning policyholders (many new policies, many lapses) can distort the denominator. Additionally, complaints filed directly with the insurer's internal ombudsman don't appear in IRDAI's IGMS count. The IRDAI data captures only escalated complaints — actual dissatisfaction is likely 5–10x higher.
Combining CSR and Complaints Data to Pick an Insurer
The ideal insurer has: CSR above 95% (life/health) + complaints per 10,000 below 10 + grievance disposal rate above 95%. On ClaimRatio, you can see all three metrics side by side for every insurer, sourced directly from IRDAI annual reports. No insurer self-reports — the numbers come from the regulator's published data, not marketing materials.