Code of Conduct

Every Surveyor and Loss Assessor shall:

• Behave ethically and with integrity in the professional pursuits. Integrity implies not merely honesty but fair dealings and truthfulness;


• Strive for objectivity in professional and business judgment;


• Act impartially, when acting on instructions from an insurer in relation to a policy holder’s claim under a policy issued by that insurer;


• Conduct himself with courtesy and consideration to all people with whom he comes into contact during the course of his work;


• Not accept or perform survey works in areas for which he does not hold a licence;


• Not accept or perform work which he is not competent to undertake, unless he obtains some advice and assistance, as will enable him to carry out the work competently;


• Carry out his professional work with due diligence, care and skill and with proper regard to technical and professional standards expected of him;


• Keep himself updated with all developments relevant to his professional practice;


• At all times maintain proper record for work done by him and comply with all relevant laws;


• Assist and encourage his colleagues to obtain professional qualifications, and, in this behalf, provide free articleship and/or practical training for a period of twelve months;


• Maintain a register of survey work, containing the relevant information, in FORM-IRDA-11 as given in the Schedule to these regulations, and shall keep important records of the survey reports, photographs and other important documents for a period three years and furnish the same and such other specified returns, as and when called for by the Authority or by any investigating authority or the insurer;


• Disclose to all parties concerned his appointment, where the acceptance or continuance of such an engagement may materially prejudice, or could be seen to materially affect the interests of any interested party. As soon as a conflict of interest is foreseen, every surveyor and loss assessor shall notify all interested parties immediately and seek instructions for his continuance;


• Not disclose any information, pertaining to a client or employer or policy holder acquired in the course of his professional work, to any third party, except, where consent has been obtained from the interested party, or where there is a legal right or duty enjoined upon him to disclose;


• Neither use nor appear to use, any confidential information acquired or received by him in the course of his professional work, to his personal advantage or for the advantage of a third party.

The categorisation shall be done and reviewed from time to time on the basis of a point system evolved by the Authority in consultation with the Committee referred to in Chapter III of these regulations.

The categorisation shall consist of allocation of one or more specified departments of insurance business, based on the factors mentioned above and shall include categorisation of the surveyors and loss assessors into three categories, viz., Category A, Category B and Category C.

Every surveyor and loss assessor, whether a company or firm or an individual, shall be eligible to carry on the work as a surveyor or loss assessor, as per the categorisation specified in the license.