IC ready to accept online complaints vs insurers

Amid the lockdown due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pande­mic, the Insu­rance Commission (IC) has allowed the online submission of complaints and other grievances against insurers so the regulator can take action.

Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa said in Circular Letter (CL) No. 2020-44 dated April 17 that complaints, statements of claim, other pleadings and/or other motions can be emailed to the IC’s adjudication as well as regulation, enforcement and prosecution divisions via email address [email protected] during the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), which ends on April 30.

Pieces of evidence may be photographed and converted into PDF, although must be authenticated via a certification of the person submitting the evidence that it was a true photo reproduction, the IC said.

Just like normal filings, the IC will start action or suit on the same day it received the electro­nically transmitted initiatory pleading and its complete annexes.

But the IC ordered complainants to pay the corresponding docketing or filing fees within 10 days after the ECQ period ends.

Concerned litigants must also submit the original copies of the documents they earlier emailed to the IC within 10 days upon lifting of the lockdown period.

Also, the IC temporarily waived the required notarization of agents’ license application documents.

Under CL No. 2020-42 dated April 16, the IC acknowledged the difficulty among agents applying for new or renewal of licenses to have their accomplished application forms duly notarized by a notary public given limited mobility allowed during the lockdown.

The IC also allowed the application forms required to be signed both by the applicant and a duly authorized company representative to use electronic signatures since it was difficult for insurers to physically sign them.

However, the IC ordered insurance firms to resubmit applications forms with both the notarization and handwritten/wet ink signatures within 10 working days from the lifting of the ECQ.

Meanwhile, Funa issued CL 2020-43 dated April 17 to extend the filing and submission of certain regulatory documentary requirements among insurers, reinsurers, mutual benefit associations, reinsurance brokers, health maintenance organization, and preneed companies until June 30, in light of the longer quarantine period. —Ben O. de Vera INQ