Roles, Duties and Responsibilities of Surveyors
It shall be the duty of every Licensed Surveyor and Loss Assessor to investigate, manage, quantify, validate and deal with losses (whether insured or not) arising from any contingency, and report thereon to the insurer or insured, as the case may be. All Licensed Surveyors and Loss Assessors shall carry out the said work with competence, objectivity and professional integrity and strictly adhere to the code of conduct as stipulated in Regulations.
The following, shall, inter alia, be the duties and responsibilities of a Surveyor and Loss Assessor:
1. Inspect, Investigate and Assess:
a) Conduct preliminary, final and /or reinspection of the property in question suffering a loss, as and when necessary.
b) Examine, inquire, investigate, verify and check upon the causes and the circumstances of the loss in question including extent of loss, nature of ownership and insurable interest;
c) Measure, estimate and determine the quantum and description of the subject under loss.
d) Provide opinion on the admissibility of the loss and the observance of warranty conditions under the policy contract.
e) Assess liability under the contract of insurance.
f) Recommend applicability of depreciation, percentage and quantum of depreciation.
g) Address franchise, excess/under insurance and any other related matter.
h) Address queries of the insured/insurer and of persons connected thereto in respect of the claim/loss.
i) Provide opinion on salvage and its appropriate disposal as needed.
j) Seek expert’s advice, wherever necessary.
k) Point out discrepancy, if any, in the policy wordings.
l) Provide reasons for repudiation of claim, in case the claim is not covered by policy terms and conditions.
m) Where documents are available in public domain or with a public authority, prioritize obtaining them from these channels.
2. Confidentiality / Neutrality
Maintain confidentiality and neutrality, ensuring that neither the insurer’s liability nor the insured’s claim is compromised.
3. Disclose Conflict of Interest
Declare any personal interest in the subject-matter in question or whether it pertains to any of his relatives, business partners or through material shareholding.
4. Advice on Loss Minimisation
Advise the insurer and the insured about loss minimisation, loss control, security and safety measures, wherever appropriate, to avoid further losses.
5. Adhere to Timelines
i. A surveyor or loss assessor, shall submit his report to the insurer as expeditiously as possible but not later than 15 days in case of Retail claims and 30 days in case of Commercial claims of his appointment, with a copy of the report to the insured giving his comments on the insured’s consent or otherwise on the assessment of loss.
ii. In cases, where special circumstances arise due to the complexity or unique nature of the situation, the surveyor may, with prior notification to the insured, request an extension from the insurer for submitting the report, provided that the extension does not exceed six months.
iii. In cases where the Survey report is pending due to non-completion of documents, the surveyor shall issue the final survey report independently based on the available documents on record by giving minimum three reminders in writing to the insured.
iv. If an insurer, on the receipt of a survey report, finds that it is incomplete in any respect, he shall require the surveyor under intimation to the insured, to furnish an additional report on such incomplete issues. Such a request may be made by the insurer within 7 days in case of retail claims and 15 days in commercial claims after the date of receipt of the original survey report. Provided that the facility of calling for an additional report by the insurer shall not be resorted to more than once in the case of a claim.
v. The surveyor on receipt of this communication shall furnish an additional report within 7 days in case of retail claims and 21 days in commercial claims after the date of receipt of communication from the insurer.
