The Bank of France's Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority (ACPR) published a stocktake of complaint-handling arrangements in the banking and insurance sectors to gauge the effects of its complaint-handling recommendation, finding that processes have generally been simplified and responses are typically issued within two months, but identifying recurring shortcomings in customer-facing information and the quality of annual reporting to governance bodies. The review combined a 2024 questionnaire of thirteen credit institutions and seventeen other entities with 2025 bilateral exchanges and an assessment of the information on major firms’ websites. Most surveyed entities now allow customers to access mediation after the first-level response, and three banks changed their set-up after ACPR engagement to remove a requirement to wait two months before approaching the mediator. While most firms reported replying to at least 70% of complaints within 30 days, ACPR cautioned that reported metrics may be distorted where firms include oral complaints (often resolved immediately) or split one complaint into separate level 1 and level 2 timelines. For payment services complaints subject to the statutory 15-day deadline (extendable to 35 days for complex cases), the survey found only 37% were handled within 15 days and 57% within 15 to 35 days, with firms also applying inconsistent mediation access points that ACPR said must be corrected to comply with the law. The authority also flagged frequent issues with the clarity and completeness of website and letter disclosures (including acknowledgement receipts and identification of the competent mediator), annual governance summaries that focus on overall volumes rather than granular analysis, and, in insurance, insufficient oversight and inconsistent reporting where complaint handling is delegated to third-party administrators. ACPR indicated it will continue to scrutinise improvements to complaint-handling processes and the clarity of information provided to customers, and will check that banks and insurers complete the required upgrades over time.
Bank of France 2026-04-16
Bank of France's Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority reviews banks’ and insurers’ complaint handling and calls for clearer customer information and compliance with payment-service deadlines
The Bank of France’s Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority published a stocktake of complaint-handling in banking and insurance, finding simplified processes and faster responses but recurring shortcomings in customer information and governance reporting. The review highlighted issues with payment services complaint deadlines, inconsistent access to mediation, unclear disclosures, and weak oversight where insurers delegate complaint handling. The authority will monitor improvements and verify that banks and insurers implement required upgrades over time.