---
title: "Insurance companies and agents: your rights and how to complain"
description: "Policy data leaks, mis-selling calls and claim problems: the IRDAI route. Plain steps, helplines and templates."
url: "https://dpdpr.in/rights/insurance/"
canonical: "https://dpdpr.in/rights/insurance/"
site: "dpdpr.in"
updated: "2026-11-02"
disclaimer: "Independent reference, not legal advice. Not affiliated with the Government of India or MeitY."
---

# Insurance companies and agents: your rights and how to complain

Plain-language help for ordinary people. General information, not legal advice. Helplines, portals and screen names were checked against official Government and regulator pages on 1 November 2026. Portals change: if a screen looks different, follow the words on the screen and the official guide linked in each step.

## What data they hold

- Health records, medical history and claim documents.
- Policy, nominee and bank details.
- KYC and income details.

## Your rights under current law

- IRDAI's route: complain to the insurer's Grievance Redressal Officer, wait up to 15 days, then go to Bima Bharosa or call 155255.
- Unsolicited insurance calls are also spam under TRAI's rules (category: Banking/insurance/financial products).

## Your DPDP rights once in force

Sections 11 to 14 of the DPDP Act (your rights) and the duties of companies in sections 4 to 10 start on **13 May 2027** (G.S.R. 843(E)). Until then, use the sector rules on this page. After that date you can use both.

Health and policy data is personal data. From 13 May 2027 you can ask the insurer what it holds and who it shared it with, including agents and brokers.

- Access: a summary of your data and who it was shared with ([section 11](https://dpdpr.in/act/section-11/)).
- Correction, completion, updating and erasure ([section 12](https://dpdpr.in/act/section-12/)).
- Grievance redressal by the company, before going to the Board ([section 13](https://dpdpr.in/act/section-13/)).
- Nominate someone to act after your death or incapacity ([section 14](https://dpdpr.in/act/section-14/)).
- Withdraw consent, as easily as you gave it ([section 6(4)](https://dpdpr.in/act/section-6/)).

## Common problems

- A caller who knows your policy number and renewal date but is not your insurer.
- Health details shared with agents.
- Mis-selling and pressure calls.
- Claim delays.

## Evidence to keep

- Call log and recording, if you have one.
- Policy document and number.
- The details the caller knew, written down at once.
- Your complaint and the insurer's acknowledgement.

See the full [evidence checklist](https://dpdpr.in/rights/evidence-checklist/).

## How to approach, step by step

Go in this order. Start with the company. Move to the next step only when the time limit has passed or the reply is not good enough. If money was lost or you were threatened, go to 1930 or the police first.

### Complain to the insurer, then IRDAI Bima Bharosa

IRDAI is the insurance regulator. Its route is: the insurer's Grievance Redressal Officer, then IRDAI's Bima Bharosa system, and the Insurance Ombudsman.

**Keep this ready before you start:**

- Policy number.
- Claim number, if any.
- Your written complaint to the insurer and its reply.
- Proof of what the agent or caller knew or said.

1. Write to the insurer's Grievance Redressal Officer, or walk into any office of the insurer. IRDAI lists every insurer's officer at irdai.gov.in/list-of-gros.
2. Get a written, dated acknowledgement.
3. The insurer should resolve it within 15 days (two weeks).
4. If not, open [bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in](https://bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in), create a profile and register your complaint.
5. Save the **Token Number** you get by email or SMS. Use it to track.
6. Or call IRDAI's call centre on **155255** or **1800 4254 732** (8 AM to 8 PM, Monday to Saturday), or email complaints@irdai.gov.in.
7. If the insurer's answer is still not acceptable, the Insurance Ombudsman is listed at [cioins.co.in](https://www.cioins.co.in/Ombudsman). Check its time limits there before filing.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: [IRDAI Bima Bharosa: FAQ and complaint route](https://bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in/Home/FAQ), [IRDAI grievance call centre](https://irdai.gov.in/web/policy-holder/irda-grievance-call-centre).

### Report a fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp on Chakshu (Sanchar Saathi)

Chakshu is run by the Department of Telecommunications. Use it for calls or messages that try to cheat you, such as fake KYC, fake police, fake customer care, job or loan offers and sextortion. It is for numbers that tried to cheat you. If you already lost money, call 1930 first.

**Keep this ready before you start:**

- A screenshot of the call log or message. The form asks for one.
- The number or SMS header that contacted you.
- Date and time (within the last 30 days).
- Any phone numbers or links mentioned in the message.
- Your own mobile number, to get an OTP.

1. Open [sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/), or open the **Sanchar Saathi** app (Google Play or App Store).
2. On the website, under **Citizen Centric Services**, choose **Chakshu - Report Suspected Fraud Communication**.
3. Under **Report Suspected Fraud**, click **Proceed**.
4. Choose how it came: call, SMS or WhatsApp.
5. Choose the category. The list includes: KYC and Payment related to Bank / Electricity / Gas / Insurance; Impersonation as Police, CBI, Customs, Aadhaar, RBI; Fake Customer Care Helpline; Online job / lottery / gifts / loan offers; Sextortion; IVR / Robo Calls; Malicious link / website; Investment, Stock Market and Trading; Impersonation as DoT / TRAI; Impersonation as a relative / friend; Any Other Suspected Fraud.
6. Attach the screenshot. The portal may fill some details from the image. Check them.
7. Type the number it came from. For an SMS with a name instead of a number, choose **With header** and type the header.
8. Enter the date and the time in HH:MM AM/PM format.
9. In **complaint details**, write at least 30 characters. Say what they asked for and what they claimed.
10. Add any phone numbers and links that were in the message.
11. Enter the mobile number on which you got the call or message.
12. Type the captcha. Click **Verify Mobile via OTP**. Enter the OTP. Click **Verify OTP**.
13. Tick the declaration. Click **Preview**. Check it. Click **Submit**.
14. Take a screenshot of the thank you message. The Department says it will not send you individual results, for privacy reasons.
15. If it came on WhatsApp, also report the chat inside WhatsApp. The portal asks you to do this.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: [Chakshu: report suspected fraud or spam (Sanchar Saathi)](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/), [Sanchar Saathi portal and FAQ (Department of Telecommunications)](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/).

### Use your DPDP rights (from 13 May 2027)

The rights in sections 11 to 14 of the DPDP Act, and the duties of companies that go with them, start on 13 May 2027 (G.S.R. 843(E)). Until then you can still write to a company and ask. Many will answer. But they are not yet bound by these sections.

**Keep this ready before you start:**

- The company's published method for rights requests. Rule 14 says companies must show it on their website or app.
- The identifier they ask for, such as your username, customer ID or registered mobile number.

1. Find the company's rights or grievance page, or its Data Protection Officer contact.
2. Send a written request using the method they publish. Use our [request letter template](https://dpdpr.in/rights/rights-request-letter/).
3. Ask for what you need: a summary of your data and how it is used, and the names of everyone it was shared with (section 11); correction, completion, updating or erasure (section 12); or a fix for a grievance (section 13). You can also nominate someone to act for you after death or incapacity (section 14), and withdraw consent (section 6(4)).
4. Save the acknowledgement or ticket number.
5. Wait for the time they publish. Rule 14(3) says it cannot be more than 90 days.
6. If they refuse or do not answer, you can complain to the Data Protection Board of India. You must use the company's grievance route first (section 13(3)).
7. The Board works as a digital office. Use the method it publishes on its website and app (rule 19). We will add the link when the Board publishes it.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: [Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (MeitY copy of the Gazette)](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/02/Digital-Personal-Data-Protection-Act-2023.pdf), [Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 (G.S.R. 846(E))](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/11/53450e6e5dc0bfa85ebd78686cadad39.pdf), [G.S.R. 843(E): start dates for the Act](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/11/c56ceae6c383460ca69577428d36828b.pdf).

## Ready-to-use complaint

Copy, fill the brackets, and send it through the company's official channel. Keep a copy.

To: Grievance Redressal Officer, \[insurer\] Subject: My policy details given to an unknown caller, policy \[number\] On \[date and time\] a caller from \[number\] knew my policy number, renewal date and \[other details\]. I never shared these with them. Please tell me who had access to my policy data, whether it was shared with any agent or partner, and what you are doing to stop this. Reply within 15 days. \[Name\], \[mobile\], \[date\]

## Time limits

- Insurer reply: within 15 days.
- Then Bima Bharosa or 155255.
- Insurance Ombudsman: check the time limit on cioins.co.in.

## If this happened to you

- [\*\*An insurance agent knows my policy details and keeps calling\*\*An agent or 'advisor' knows your policy, sum assured or renewal date.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/insurance-agent-knows/)
- [\*\*Someone called with personal details I never shared with them\*\*A caller knew your name, address, purchases or family details, and named a company.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/caller-knew-my-details/)
- [\*\*Before my car insurance renewal, dozens of agents call and WhatsApp me\*\*Weeks before your motor policy expires, agents from many companies call with your car and policy details.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/car-insurance-renewal-calls/)
- [\*\*Agents from other insurers know my health policy and push me to port\*\*Callers know your health insurer, sum insured and renewal date, and push you to switch.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/agents-know-health-policy/)
- [\*\*My insurer passed my details to an aggregator or partner\*\*You bought from an insurer, and an aggregator or partner you never used now contacts you.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/insurer-shared-with-aggregator/)
- [\*\*I took one quote on an insurance aggregator and the calls never stop\*\*After one online quote, calls from the aggregator and insurers continue for months.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/insurance-aggregator-calls/)
- [\*\*A caller from 'IRDAI' or the Insurance Ombudsman said I can get a refund on my old policy\*\*Someone claiming to be from IRDAI or an ombudsman promised a refund or bonus for a fee.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/fake-irdai-refund-call/)
- [\*\*An agent forged my signature and bought a policy using my KYC\*\*A policy you never agreed to was issued using your documents, and premiums are being demanded or debited.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/agent-forged-policy/)
- [\*\*Can my employer see my health claims through the group policy?\*\*You are worried HR can see your diagnosis through the company health cover.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/employer-sees-health-claims/)
- [\*\*The lab sent my test results to my employer's insurer or someone else\*\*Your results reached someone you did not authorise.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/lab-sent-results-to-others/)

## Official sources

- [IRDAI Bima Bharosa: FAQ and complaint route](https://bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in/Home/FAQ)
- [IRDAI grievance call centre](https://irdai.gov.in/web/policy-holder/irda-grievance-call-centre)
- [Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (MeitY copy of the Gazette)](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/02/Digital-Personal-Data-Protection-Act-2023.pdf)
- [G.S.R. 843(E): start dates for the Act](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/11/c56ceae6c383460ca69577428d36828b.pdf)