The number of complaints to the Financial Services Ombudsman rose by almost 30% in the past 12 months.
The figures are contained in a half yearly report to June 2007 published today by Ombudsman Joe Meade.
The report reveals a number of cases of questionable practice among insurance companies here.
In one case, a rugby player was awarded over €200,000 after an insurance company refused to pay out on a policy that covered the ending of his career through injury.
The player sustained a knee injury in 2000 and was unable to continue his professional career.
The insurance company had originally refused to pay out on a policy held by the IRFU, claiming the man had continued to play amateur rugby and had failed to notify the company of the injury for four years.
The Ombudsman also instructed an insurance company to pay a €165,000 claim on a health insurance policy after a man died from a heart attack.
The company had disputed that the man died from a heart attack under the terms of a specified illness cover policy.
The parents of a deceased tourist received €4,000 after an Irish based travel insurance company refused to pay for the cost of repatriating the body.
The company said it was not responsible for any claims that were related to being 'under the influence of alcohol'.
The Ombudsman found the company had acted incorrectly and its handling of the claim was highly insensitive.
The Ombudsman also instructed three mortgage brokers to pay out a total of €61,000 after giving poor investment advice to clients.
More than 8500 complaints have been received by the office since it was set up two years ago. On average 60% of those are upheld.
