Photo: Mike Rosenberg (Flickr), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0How to complain about an insurer in Zambia (PIA)
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Step by step
- Lodge the complaint with the insurance company. All insurers must have an in-house complaints process, and the PIA asks you to exhaust it first. Keep copies; if you only spoke to someone, note their name, title and the date (PIA complaints procedure).
- Write to the Registrar by letter or e-mail, or fill in the insurance complaint form.
- Give your full name, NRC number, contact details, the date and nature of the complaint and the insurer's name, plus what you have already done.
- Attach copies of letters and e-mails with the insurer and other documents, and say what redress you are seeking.
- The PIA acknowledges receipt, may ask for more information, and starts once it has all the documents. If it cannot take your case, it tells you in writing.
Contact: Pensions and Insurance Authority, Stand No. 4618, Lubwa Road, Rhodespark, Lusaka · +260 211 251401 / 251405 / 251489 · pia@pia.org.zm (PIA).
What the PIA handles, and what it does not
| The PIA handles | The PIA does not investigate |
|---|---|
| Unfair practices by an insurer or another licensed entity | Complaints about individual employees of insurers |
| Disagreements about liability under a policy, or the amount offered | Disputes already in court |
| Delays in settling a payable claim | Complaints from lawyers, unless a judgment has been passed against a licensed entity |
| Service-level disputes between insurers and intermediaries |
What the Insurance Act says
- The PIA may investigate on its own initiative or on a complaint, including an anonymous one or one made by an association for its members (section 156).
- It will not investigate a complaint made more than one year after you exhausted your rights, and must give you written reasons within 14 days if it refuses or stops an investigation (section 157).
- It can issue an enforcement notice to an insurer, reinsurer or intermediary (section 161).
- You may always enforce your rights under the policy in court; an arbitration clause in the policy is applied by the court (section 30).
- An insurer that accepts a claim must settle it within the prescribed period, and must give written reasons if it rejects it (section 28).
Text: Insurance Act No. 38 of 2021. NHIMA complaints go to NHIMA, not to the PIA: see NHIMA benefits and complaints.
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Next step
Frequently asked questions
How do I complain to the PIA in Zambia?
After the insurer's own process, write to the Registrar (pia@pia.org.zm, Stand No. 4618, Lubwa Road, Rhodespark, Lusaka) or use the complaint form on pia.org.zm, with your NRC, the insurer's name, copies of correspondence and the redress you want.
Is there a time limit to complain to the PIA?
Yes: the PIA does not investigate a complaint made more than one year after you exhausted your rights with the insurer (Insurance Act 2021, section 157(2)).
Can the PIA force an insurer to pay?
The PIA can issue an enforcement notice directing an insurer to act (section 161). For money owed under the policy you can also go to court (section 30).
What is the PIA phone number?
+260 211 251401, 251405 or 251489; mobile 0950136662/3; e-mail pia@pia.org.zm.