By law, a general insurance claim in Bangladesh should be settled within 90 days of you submitting all the required documents. In real life, the time depends on the type of claim, how fast the surveyor reports, and how well your insurer handles claims. Some claims are paid in a few weeks. Others drag on for months.
If you are waiting on a claim, or buying a policy and wondering what happens when you need it, this guide is for you. It is written for individuals and business owners alike, whether you are insuring a car, a shop, a factory or a cargo shipment. Here is what the law says, what usually happens, and what you can do to get paid sooner.
One number is worth knowing upfront. According to Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) data, general insurers settled only Tk 372 crore of the Tk 3,971 crore in claims filed between October and December 2025. That is about 9.37%. Many of those claims were still in process, but it shows why understanding your rights matters.
The Insurance Act 2010 sets the rule. Under Section 72, insurers must settle general (non-life) insurance claims within 90 days of receiving all the necessary documents.
Two details matter here.
The clock starts when your file is complete. It does not start on the day of the accident, fire or theft. It starts when the insurer has everything it needs from you. If you send papers in pieces over several weeks, the 90 days begin only after the last required document arrives. This is why a complete file is your best tool.
The 90 days is a legal limit, not a promise of speed. Many straightforward claims should be settled well before day 90. But the law only sets the latest date. It does not guarantee a quick payment.
If an insurer pays late, the law adds extra interest for the delay. Reports describe it as 5% on top of the bank rate for the extra period. Check the exact wording in the Act or with IDRA before you rely on this figure.
So what counts as general insurance? In simple terms, it is every kind of insurance that is not life insurance. That includes motor, fire, marine cargo, engineering and other property cover.
There is no single answer, because a small motor claim and a factory fire are very different jobs. The table below shows what usually decides the speed of each type.
| Type of claim | What usually slows it down | Usual speed |
| Motor (own damage) | Garage estimates, police report, repair approval | Often the quicker end |
| Motor (third party) | Injury or damage assessment, legal papers, other party’s documents | Often slower |
| Fire and property | Cause of fire investigation, loss assessment, proof of stock and value | Medium to slow |
| Marine cargo | Surveyor reports, port and shipping papers, foreign surveyors, sometimes General Average | Often slow |
| Engineering (machinery, construction) | Technical inspection, repair or replacement quotes | Medium to slow |
| Business packages (shop, SME) | Many items to count and value, accounts and records | Depends on how well records are kept |
The actual number of days depends on your own file and your insurer, so ask your insurer or advisor what to expect before you buy.
Motor insurance claims are usually the simplest. The car can be inspected quickly, and repair costs are easy to check. Delays tend to come from missing police papers or disagreements over repair costs.
Fire and property claims take longer. The insurer wants to know what caused the fire, what was lost and what it was worth. If you cannot show stock records or invoices, expect questions.
Marine cargo insurance claims often involve several parties: the shipper, the carrier, the port and surveyors in more than one country. In some cases a General Average assessment is needed, which can add a lot of time.
Small claim versus large claim. Big claims usually take longer. They often need more than one survey, a closer look at the paperwork and approval from reinsurers, the companies that share the insurer’s risk. If you are a business with high-value assets, plan for this.
Here is the path most claims follow. Knowing it helps you spot where time is being lost.
For each step, ask your insurer for a rough timeframe. Having it in writing helps if the claim runs late.
Delays rarely have one cause. These are the most common ones.
Missing or mismatched documents. Insurers often point to this. A name spelled differently on two papers, or a missing invoice, can pause the whole file.
A slow survey process. Industry voices have said that unless the survey system becomes faster and more efficient, settlement problems will continue.
Money and culture problems at some insurers. IDRA’s own numbers show how uneven things have been. In late 2021, general insurers settled only 38.47% of claims in one quarter, and IDRA asked all insurers to push their settlement rate towards 100%. Settlement was also very low in the last quarter of 2025. Some insurers are slower than others, which is why it pays to check before you buy.
Disputes over the policy itself. A claim may be slowed or questioned if the insurer believes the asset was under-insured, a condition was not met, or the loss was reported late.
Reinsurance on big risks. Large claims often need approval from reinsurers, which adds time.
None of this means your claim will be delayed. It means preparation matters.
You cannot control the insurer, but you can control your side. These habits make the biggest difference.
Build a claim file from day one. Keep these ready:
Keep a record of every contact. Write down the date, the person and what was said. After any phone call, send a short email confirming it. If the claim runs late, this record becomes your proof.
Name one person to deal with. Ask your insurer or broker for a single contact and give them yours. Fewer hands means fewer lost messages.
Do not repair or throw away anything too early. Unless your policy says otherwise, wait for the surveyor. Repairing first can create arguments about what was damaged.
Business owners, keep your records tidy. Updated stock registers, asset lists and accounts make it much easier to prove your loss. A shop owner who can show last month’s stock sheet is paid faster than one who cannot.
A late claim is frustrating, but you have options. Work through them in order.
New rule to know about. In October 2026, IDRA issued a directive that links slow settlement to new business. If an insurer pays after 90 days but within the next 30, it cannot issue another policy to that customer for 30 days from the payment date. If settlement takes 120 days or more, that ban extends to 180 days.
When to see a lawyer. If the claim is large, if the insurer rejects it without a clear reason, or if the delay is hurting your business, speak to a lawyer who knows insurance law. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
The best time to think about claim speed is before you buy, not after the loss.
For more on picking the right coverage and provider, explore our insurance guides and resources or learn more about Green Delta Insurance.
The law says 90 days from a complete claim file. In practice, motor claims are often quicker, while fire, marine and large business claims can take much longer. You can speed things up with a complete file, written follow-ups and one clear contact. If the insurer misses the deadline, escalate step by step, from a written reminder to IDRA.
Not sure if your current policy is claim-ready? Contact our team for a free policy and claim-readiness review, with no pressure to buy.
The legal limit is 90 days from submitting all documents. Simple own-damage claims with complete papers are often faster, while third-party claims can take longer because of injury, legal or other-party issues.
It starts when you have given the insurer all the documents it needs, not on the day of the loss. If the insurer asks for more papers later, the clock can restart from the date you send them.
Missing the deadline is a breach of the law, but it does not automatically mean the claim must be paid in full. The insurer must still have a valid reason to reject it. If you think the reason is unfair, complain to IDRA.
The law provides for extra interest when payment is made after 90 days. Reports describe it as 5% above the bank rate. Ask IDRA or your advisor to confirm the current rate.
Start with a written complaint to your insurer. If that fails, complain to IDRA. Keep copies of your claim form, documents, emails and reminders.
The Insurance Act 2010 does not separate conventional and Islamic insurance, so the same 90-day rule applies. Check your policy for any extra terms.
Feedback
Download
Subsidiaries
SDG