| Information Centre | Media Release The Insurance Claims Complaints Panel releases
Claim-related Complaints Statistics and Case Review for the Year 2023
The Insurance Claims Complaints Panel (Complaints Panel), established under the Insurance Complaints Bureau (ICB), releases today (22 March 2024, Friday) the statistics and case review of the claim-related complaints for the year 2023.
In 2023, the ICB received 616 complaint cases, representing about 1.5% increase compared to the previous year. Out of the 354 claim-related complaint cases that were closed, 104 complainants received a total claims compensation of HK$12.12 million from insurance companies. Hospitalization/medical and life/critical illness insurance policies were the two largest types of policies involved in claims disputes in 2023.
Mr Michael F S Tsui, MH, Chairman of the Complaints Panel, said, “The Complaints Panel ruled in favour of the complainants in 4 cases and upheld the insurer’s decision in 42 cases. Among these 42 cases, the Complaints Panel recommended ex-gratia payment in two cases and the recommendations were readily accepted by the insurers concerned. The highest single case award reached approximately HK$780,000.”
The ICB is chaired by an independent Chairman, Dr Pamela Chan Wong Shui, BBS, JP and its board of directors comprises eight other members including four non-industry professionals and four industry representatives. It provides consumers with a free, convenient and efficient one-stop avenue to help resolve insurance disputes arising from personal insurance contracts. The Complaints Panel, appointed by the ICB, has the objective of providing independent and impartial adjudication of claims complaints between insurers and policyholders or their beneficiaries. The decisions made by the Complaints Panel are binding on all ICB Member Insurers. However, if the complainants disagree with the decision, they retain the right to pursue legal action, and their legal rights remain unaffected by the decision of the Complaints Panel.
The Complaints Panel is composed of five members, with the majority of them come from non-insurance industry. This composition ensures the independence and credibility of this alternate dispute resolution mechanism. Members of the Complaints Panel serve on a voluntary basis and consisted of:
| Chairman | |
| Mr Michael F S Tsui, MH | Barrister-at-law |
| Members | |
| Ms Vanessa C W Lau | Nominee of the Consumer Council |
| Ms Orchis T L Li | Representative of the Life Insurance Council of the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers (HKFI) |
| Mr Lars Nielsen | Nominee of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants |
| Mr Jonathan C H Yau | Representative of the General Insurance Council of the HKFI |
Chairman of The Insurance Claims Complaints Panel Mr Michael Tsui, MH (middle), together with his fellow members (from left), Mr Lars Nielsen, Ms Vanessa Lau, Ms Orchis Li and Mr Jonathan Yau announced the annual claims complaints statistics for 2023.
