Covid-19 Emergency - Reintroduction of the normal time limits for handling complaints and resumption of the ordinary postal services

Category
Undertakings, Intermediaries
Description

By notices published in its website on 23 March and 3 April 2020 the Institute temporarily granted insurance companies and intermediaries concerned an extension to the deadlines established by Regulations no. 24/2008 and no. 41/2018 to reply to the complaints and inquiries by policyholders and parties entitled to insurance benefits.
The extension was a response to the operational difficulties arising from the COVID-19 epidemiological emergency.
Given the sensitivity of this issue, which has a direct impact on the rights and interests of consumers, and in light of the end of the most acute phase of the operational emergency for undertakings and intermediaries - which justified the temporary extension of the response times - the Institute orders the reintroduction of the normal time limits for the management of complaints and for the inquiries that the undertakings will receive starting from 1 July.

During the critical phase of the Covid-19 emergency, the postal sector, particularly exposed to the risk of contagion due to the high concentration of the labour force and to the direct contact with end customers, was concerned by the adoption of some extraordinary measures aimed to contain the risk, while guaranteeing the provision of the essential postal services.
In response to a specific request for intervention by the AGCOM which highlighted operational and management problems for the postal service, on 3 April 2020 IVASS required undertakings to give preference to electronic mails and electronic channels when sending communications to clients, limiting the use of the postal service only to those cases where it was strictly necessary.
AGCOM (the Italian Communications Authority) has recently informed that the reported critical situation has passed and that postal services are back to normal.
Since this critical situation in communications has ended, undertakings are invited to ensure the quality of services, offering users the choice of the communication methods that best suit their interests.

issue date
30 June 2020