IRDAI has issued guidelines (Circular No. IRDAI/NL/GDL/98(01)/07/2026 dated July 31, 2026) directing all life, general and health insurers to immediately mobilise resources for quick registration and settlement of claims from the floods that began on July 19 in four Assam districts declared a natural disaster — Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat.
Insurers must deploy surveyors, loss assessors and investigators immediately, appoint senior Nodal Officers for claims (communicated to the Chief Secretary), and designate District Claims Service Heads for districts with large claim volumes. The regulator also requires activation of 24x7 helplines, publicising of district contact details, and awareness campaigns.
Under the circular, insurers must set up empowered district claims desks, conduct immediate surveys, make on-account interim payments to help families restore property and business, and encourage electronic communication and digital claims. Documentation is to be limited to what is necessary to substantiate claim quantum. Where death certificates cannot be obtained because bodies have not been recovered, claims may be considered if the insured's details match government-published lists.
All insurers must submit weekly claims data to IRDAI in the prescribed format.
Sources: IRDAI Circular, The Hindu BusinessLine, Economic Times (August 4, 2026)