IRDA Told To Provide Insurance Policy Terms In Vernacular Languages: Ernakulam Commission

The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to ensure that insurance policy terms and conditions are made available in vernacular languages.

The directive arose from a complaint against Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance, where the complainant, unable to read English, was misled into believing that the premium would be refunded at the end of the policy term.

The Commission emphasised that policy contracts, product details, and crucial clauses relating to lapses, revival, and surrender must be presented in the proposer’s preferred language to ensure fairness, transparency, and informed consent.

[Name Withheld v Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance]