The Insurance Ombudsman (AAS)

From 15 January 2026, the Insurance Ombudsman (AAS) is operational - a new tool designed to protect consumers and businesses in their dealings with the insurance sector.

What is the Insurance Ombudsman?

The Insurance Ombudsman is an independent and impartial body, supported in its operations by IVASS, the Authority responsible for supervising insurance companies. It is part of the system of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms - tools that offer an alternative to going to court, allowing people to assert their rights in a simple, quick and cost‑effective way.

As already happens with the Banking and Financial Ombudsman (ABF) and the Securities and Financial Ombudsman (ACF), the Insurance Ombudsman also enables disputes to be resolved without going before a judge and without the assistance of a solicitor.

Who can apply to the Insurance Ombudsman?

Several types of people can submit a complaint to the AAS:

• the policyholder, the person who takes out the insurance policy and pays the premium;
• the insured person, the individual who bears the risk and is covered by the policy;
• the beneficiary, the person entitled to receive the payment envisaged by the contract in the event of a claim;
• the injured party, someone who has suffered damage and is entitled to claim directly from their own insurance company — for example, when their car is damaged through someone else's fault.

For which disputes can you apply?

The Insurance Ombudsman can resolve disputes involving:

• insurance companies, that is, the firms with which you have taken out a policy;
• insurance intermediaries, such as agents, brokers or others who have sold you the policy or provided advice.

You can contact the Insurance Ombudsman if the company or intermediary (agent, broker etc.) involved in your dispute operates in Italy. In practice, the Ombudsman can act when:

• the company or intermediary is based in Italy;
• they are based in another European country (or a non-European one, in the case of insurers) but have a stable presence in Italy (such as a branch or office);
• they are insurance companies headquartered in another European country that sell policies in Italy even without a physical presence, provided they do not belong to a similar ombudsman system operating in their home country.

Before submitting a claim: the complaint

Before contacting the Insurance Ombudsman, you must always submit a written complaint to the insurance company or intermediary.

You may apply to the Ombudsman if, after submitting your complaint:

• you do not receive a response within 45 days, or
• you are not satisfied with the reply you receive.

How to submit a claim

You can submit your claim online through the Insurance Ombudsman's website.

The guided procedure allows you to:

• describe the problem;
• upload all required documents;
• track the progress of your case at any time.

Submitting a claim to the Insurance Ombudsman costs 20 euros. This amount is refunded to the customer by the insurance company or intermediary if the claim is upheld, even partially.

The Ombudsman's decision

Your claim is examined by a Panel composed of five independent experts. As for the procedure timelines:

• 90 days are needed to compile the case file, including the exchange of documents between the parties (claim, counterarguments, replies and further statements);
• 90 days from notification of the completed file are needed for the Panel's decision (this period may be extended once, by up to a further 90 days, for complex cases).

In general, the procedure should conclude within 180 days, plus a possible additional 90 days for more difficult cases.

The Ombudsman's decision is not a court judgment and is not legally binding.

If the insurance company or intermediary does not comply with the decision:

• the information is published on the Ombudsman's website for five years;
• the company or intermediary must publish the same information prominently on their own website for six months. 

When you cannot apply to the Ombudsman

You cannot apply to the Insurance Ombudsman, for example, if:

• the insurance contract has not yet been signed;
• the dispute concerns cases handled by the Road Victims Guarantee Fund - Italian only (e.g. accidents caused by uninsured or unidentified vehicles) or the Hunting Victims Guarantee Fund - Italian only (e.g. damage caused by gunshots or other hunting-related activity);
• the matter concerns Consap - Italian only (for example, disputes over the conduct of insurance assessors);
• court proceedings, mediation or assisted negotiation have already begun;
• the Ombudsman has already issued a decision on the same dispute;
• you have not first submitted a formal complaint to the insurance company or intermediary, or more than one year has passed since you submitted it.

Information and assistance

For support, you can contact the IVASS Consumer Contact Centre:

• from Italy: 800 486661, Monday to Friday, 8:30-14:30;
• from abroad: +39 06 9435 8604.

Alternatively, you can request assistance online through the portal's Reserved Area.