[THE INVESTOR] Customer complaints against insurance companies fell 7.7 percent in the first half of 2016 from a year earlier, industry data showed on Aug. 8.

The country’s 24 life insurance companies and 16 nonlife insurers received a combined 33,343 consumer complaints in the January-June period.

Complaints against life insurers sank 13.3 percent on-year in the first half, with those against nonlife insurance companies decreasing 2.3 percent.

Despite the overall decline, complaints related to insurance payments increased 7.3 percent from a year earlier to 15,221 cases in the six-month period.

Industry watchers blamed the increase on worsening economic conditions, which usually results in more disputes over payment between insurers and customers.

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