Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Insurance: Agent Services and Unethical Behaviour

I bought insurance August 2006 under traditional plan. The agent approach me through my freinds (freind-to-freind intro). The agent given me a good impressions that he really doing his excellence services and being young with great achievements. Considered well-trained agent (full-time) and good in convincing skills.It telling me how desperate he need my policy. :P

I bought and pay the policy annual basis which is not cheap.

On the day i signed the forms and also profile survey (required by Bank Negara), I informed him that how long policy contract would be out and when would you be able to pass to me. He said about 2 weeks and pass to me once he got it.

2 weeks past and I called (instead of agent), he said they policy arrived but is in Seberang Prai Office and promised to collect it. Follow-up the called after 1 month..."Where is the policy?" ..he only replied.. I busy this few days, got this and got that, but i will collect it for you. I'm not seeing he is busy when he look for me to persuade me to sign for the plan. I called him again another rounds after few days, then he quite irritated with my closed follow-up. He immediate collect from S.Prai Office and passed to me at night. Then, he told me that I purposely go and collect it for you one and I replied "Thank you, but you're under service line.". This is his commitment to the company when he enroll as agent. Am expecting they delivered what they supposed to delivered and act professionally.

Time past very fast, occasionally I saw him talking to client and persuade client as what he does consistently. Sometimes, he walk over to talk with us and we always said to him, how can you leave your client on other table and seating with us for so long? He replied..."Already sign de"... and we replied "No medication can cure you". Silently in our mind...we shouldnt sign under this agent.

Time fly to Feb/mar 2007, I'm reviewing my policy contract and annual statement for Income tax justification. I just realised, he didn't do accordingly to customer need instead HIS NEEDS...
He bought for me the riders about rm2000 and the rest is investment. About 55% is riders while 45% investment. I thought it was traditional term investment plan? Shouldn't he place higher percentage on my investment versus protection? Speechless..but continue to process my income tax first.

June 2007, I'm reviewing my insurance policy and call him. No answer my call and no return call also. Forget it, I'm busy also to follow-up with him. Mid-July 2007, I went directly to Penang branch office and surrender my policy. A few days later, agent contacted me why do you surrender without discuss with me? I said "you don't pick up my call neither you return. But he said is ok since i already surrender.

August 2007, he called me to re-instate back the policy due to the policy that I bought actually he unable to meet his performance persistency %. I agreed to give him room to speak, so we meet at starbuck E-gate. He convinced me desperately and showing me letter from his company that he lost promotion to next level as unit manager.

I told him I surrendered this policy was because:
- I'm seeing long term benefits in me and it not I'm not able to paid
- I'm prefer others plan.
- I can't invest something that long terms not really fit to my future financial plan.
* Mainly..he not telling many truth during proposal time, irresponsible and unprofessional.

He debate by saying:- Just take the plan continue...
- Willing to return me all the commission as long as i continue
- continue beg me....and he said if I'm not reinstate...he will lost all his whole year plan effort and restart all over again.

after many discussions about 2.5 hrs, end-up there is no conclusion. Finally, he said he willingly to take up the plan, he will pay everything and do re-assignments as long as i willing to sign.. so he still have chance to get promoted. he said this will add another burden to him and I telling him that you wouldn't do something non-beneficial to yourself, you got promoted and can overwrite more from your downline. Aren't you get more than what you paid plus your commission are returned?

We meet up others day to sign for re-instatement and re-assignment forms. He process partially for me. How I know?

Somewhere in Oct/Nov, I received letter from insurance company to collect my policy contract back but due to I'm currently residing outstation, the customer service call me up. I arranged to collect when I return to Penang. Almost every, month when i visit back to my home (Penang), i received notice from the insurance company i'm still have to pay RM900 over PLUS interest due to late payment. 1st time he paid and follow the rest not sure he is paying that is why I continued got the letter. I informed him by phone in Nov, Dec, Jan and even before CNY 2008. Since he always replied, he would settle it and ask me to ignored, I'm continue give him chance to clear out.

Just before CNY, i call him that customer service confirm you do not process any reassignment and he said he would process it. After CNY/Mid feb, I called insurance company to check, not done so! The KL head quaters customer service told me that no impact on my policy or my name and it will lapse when no value accumulate. I told them all what happening, and I mentioned, when agent gave customer to sign something, he/she must process it as agreed. if he not process it, how am i sure if he submit others documents fully or partially in the future?

If i'm agreed at the first place under my name and let policy lapse, i wouldn't make noise. But this is what we signed and process the re-assigment. How can he ignore this?

Today's (and yesterday) I called up the customer service to check-up and request me to send them a letter for investigation. I midst of processed it before I away.

tags: Insurance, Financial, News, Business, Consumer, Penang, Complaint, Consumer Association

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