The 25th session of the Insurance Industry Think Tank, organized by the Legal Desk of the IRC, brought together legal scholars and insurance law experts to assess the foundations, scope, and application of limitation period rules in insurance-related disputes.

According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Office of the IRC, the session took place on Monday, January 5, 2026 (15 Dey 1404), at the IRC premises. Discussions centered on the evolving legal position of limitation periods following legislative changes in Iran’s procedural law.

At the beginning of the meeting, participants referred to the removal of the chapter on limitation periods from the new Code of Civil Procedure. Despite this development, it was noted that limitation periods continue to apply under specific statutes, including the Commercial Code and the Insurance Act. This duality, speakers explained, has resulted in differing judicial interpretations. While some courts continue to apply limitation periods based on existing statutory provisions, others maintain that insurers’ obligations remain enforceable even after the expiration of such periods.

The session also included a detailed examination of Articles 15, 16, and 36 of the Insurance Act, which explicitly address limitation periods in insurance claims. In addition, several executive by-laws and regulatory instruments were reviewed, including By-law No. 71, By-law No. 53 on motor hull insurance, and regulations governing engineering and all-risk insurance. In certain cases, these instruments allow for the extension or interruption of limitation periods through the formal service of legal notices.

Participants highlighted legislative ambiguities and interpretive gaps in the current regulatory framework. They emphasized the need to revise insurance-related regulations to ensure greater clarity and uniformity in judicial practice. In particular, the speakers called for more precise legal definitions of key concepts such as “legal action,” “origin of loss,” and “events interrupting limitation periods,” in order to reduce inconsistency in court rulings and enhance legal certainty in the insurance sector.