Verify an Insurance Agent in Nepal Before Paying

Updated August 2026. Verification links below are Nepal Insurance Authority e-services. Note that nia.gov.np currently serves a broken TLS certificate chain, so some browsers show a security warning on the regulator’s own site — that is a site defect, not a sign the link is fake.

Someone offers you a policy, takes your premium in cash, and hands you a receipt. Months later there is no policy. Nepal has a licence register that would have caught it in two minutes — and almost nobody uses it.

Check the Agent Before You Pay

⭐ The agent licence lookup is at irmis.nia.gov.np — the Authority’s licensing system, which handles agent licence issuance and renewal. There is a matching lookup for surveyors, and agent examination results are published separately. This is a live per-agent register, not a static list.

Know what an agent legally is, because it explains a great deal:

The Authority’s own definition: an अभिकर्ता (agent) is a licensed, commission-based representative of an insurer — explicitly not a salaried employee of the company. So the person advising you is paid by the insurer, per sale. That is not misconduct; it is the job description. But it is why “which policy is best for me” and “which policy pays my agent best” are different questions — see term life vs endowment.

Five Checks, in Order

Ask for the licence number and check it on the Authority’s system. A genuine agent will not be offended; an impostor will deflect.
Confirm the insurer is licensed. The Authority licenses insurers, and has publicly warned that any business of an insurance nature must be registered with it — which is the hook for “insurance-like” schemes that are not insurance at all.
Never pay premium in cash to an individual. Pay the insurer, through a traceable channel.
Demand the official receipt in the insurer’s name — not a handwritten slip, not a personal bank transfer confirmation.
Wait for the actual policy document and check the policy number, sum assured, term and nominee against what you were promised. If it does not arrive, call the insurer directly on a number you looked up yourself.

⚠ The premium-pocketing risk, stated honestly. The obvious fraud is an agent collecting cash and never remitting it, leaving you uninsured while believing you are covered. We looked for documented Nepali cases of this and did not find one — so we present it as a precaution the payment rules protect against, not as a reported pattern. The precaution costs nothing either way: pay the insurer, keep the receipt, verify the policy arrived.

Frauds That Are Documented

Fake rescue and evacuation claims

A helicopter-evacuation insurance racket led to prosecution being recommended against 33 people in March 2026 — reported as exposing a substantial fraud network.

Staged-accident death claims

A reported case involved a claim of around Rs 7.5 crore on a staged accidental death, allegedly involving family and professionals.

Fake motor insurance documents

Investigations found photoshopped insurance documents shown as phone-screen images being accepted at transport offices — see vehicle insurance in Nepal.

Unregistered “insurance-like” schemes

Arrangements that promise protection without being registered insurance. The Authority has issued a public notice on exactly this.

The buyer-side lesson from the fraud cases is uncomfortable but important: most of them required a policyholder or claimant to participate. If someone suggests adjusting a date, a cause or a document to make a claim succeed, they are not helping you — they are recruiting you into an offence that carries far worse consequences than a rejected claim.

🤝 Not sure if the person selling you a policy is genuine?

Send us the agent’s name, licence number and the insurer they claim to represent, and Digital Solution will help you verify before you pay anything. We sell no insurance and take no commission.

📲 WhatsApp: +977 9766597181 Our Services →

How Many Insurers Are There?

Widely reported figures after the merger-driven consolidation are roughly 14 life insurers, 14 non-life insurers, 2 reinsurers and 7 micro-insurers.

Treat that count as approximate. It comes from aggregator sites rather than the regulator — the Authority’s own insurer roster page did not render its list for us. The number changes with every merger. If you need certainty that a specific company is licensed today, verify it directly with the Authority rather than counting from any article.

How to Report a Problem

The Nepal Insurance Authority accepts complaints at its central office and at province offices in Koshi, Madhesh, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim. It publicly invited claim-payment complaints in a notice dated July 2026.

Include in your complaint
Your name, address and contact number
The insurer’s name
A clear description of the problem
The claim number and policy number
Supporting evidence — documents, photographs, correspondence

Contact: info@nia.gov.np · +977-1-5421079 / 5428604

Set expectations honestly. The Authority resolved under 29% of its live complaint caseload in the first ten months of FY 2082/83, and Nepal has no insurance ombudsman and no dedicated insurance tribunal. Complain in writing, keep copies, and be prepared for it to take time — see the full escalation guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if an insurance agent is licensed in Nepal?

Through the Nepal Insurance Authority’s licensing system at irmis.nia.gov.np, which handles agent licence issuance and renewal. Ask the agent for their licence number first.

Is my insurance agent an employee of the company?

No. The Authority defines an agent as a licensed, commission-based representative — explicitly not a salaried employee.

Should I pay premium in cash to an agent?

No. Pay the insurer through a traceable channel and insist on the official receipt in the insurer’s name.

Why does the Authority’s website show a security warning?

Its TLS certificate chain is misconfigured. That is a defect on their side, not an indication that the address is fake.

How many insurers are licensed in Nepal?

Reported as roughly 14 life, 14 non-life, 2 reinsurers and 7 micro-insurers, but this comes from secondary sources and changes with mergers. Verify a specific company directly.

Where do I report a fake agent?

To the Nepal Insurance Authority, centrally or at a province office, with as much documentary evidence as you can provide.

What if a scheme is not registered as insurance at all?

The Authority has warned that any business of an insurance nature must be registered with it. An unregistered protection scheme is a warning sign in itself.

Is there an insurance ombudsman?

No. Escalation runs through the Authority and then the courts.

Sources

Nepal Insurance Authority e-services for agent and surveyor licence verification, and its published FAQ defining an insurance agent.
NIA public notices — the complaint invitation of July 2026, and the notice that any insurance-nature business must be registered.
Reported fraud cases: the helicopter-evacuation racket prosecution recommendation, a staged-accident death claim, and fake motor insurance documents at transport offices.
Reported NIA complaint caseload and resolution rate for FY 2082/83.

Is Your Insurance Agent Licensed? How to Verify Before You Pay