Mis-selling in Insurance: Buy With Care

We buy life insurance to provide financial security to us (at the time of maturity) and to our family in case something happens to us (as a death benefit). It is worth being extra careful while buying one so as to avoid mis-selling in insurance. There are fraudulent people who act as government officials or employees of insurance companies and mis-sell life insurance by misrepresenting the policy.

To avoid mis-selling in insurance, IRDAI has directed life insurance companies to give a verification call. The life insurers make a verification call either before or after delivery of the policy document to check whether the policyholder has understood all the terms and conditions of the policy purchased.

How Can You Prevent Yourself from Falling into the Trap of Mis-selling in Insurance?

Remember to carefully read the policy document and then answer the verification call. Do not reply based on the promises made by the agent.

Make Sure You Understood:

1. Whether the policy is a single-pay premium or you have to pay a regular premium.
2. The policy term and premium term. Remember the term for policy and premium can differ.
3. Coverages and exclusions of the policy
4. Surrender value, returns, and bonuses

When You Receive the Life Insurance Policy Document:

1. Check whether it matches the terms agreed upon by you.
2. If the terms do not match, you can opt for policy cancellation within the free-look period (usually 15 days). In the case of electronic policy/purchased through distance mode, 30 days will be given to cancel the policy.
3. Premium will be refunded with certain deductions in case of free-look cancellation.

Read how Chandan, a School Teacher was Misled into Buying a Wrong Insurance Policy:

Chandan is a 45-year-old government school teacher. One day a camp was organized in the village in the name of a bank.

Narayan visited Chandan’s school, portraying to be a bank employee. They talked about several topics and in the end, Narayan suggests him to buy an insurance policy from XYZ insurance company. Read their conversation:

Narayan: Chandan Ji, do you have a life insurance policy?

Chandan: No. I don’t have one. I am thinking to buy a whole life insurance policy, but I need time to research which company’s policy will be suitable for me.

Narayan: I can suggest you a whole life insurance policy. So, XYZ insurance company provides a whole life policy that provides a lot of benefits. For this policy, you need to pay a premium of Rs. 50,000 for 7 years. And the policy will mature after 10 years, post which you will get maturity benefits along with interest and a bonus.

Chandan: This sounds good. And I have heard a lot about ABC insurance company. I would love to buy this policy.

Narayan: Great Decision. Chandan Ji, I am here for only 2 days, if you want, I can help you to buy this policy in your village itself. You won’t be needing to physically visit the insurance company.

Chandan: Won’t need to visit the company? That’s amazing. Narayan JI, please help me out.

Narayan: You have to issue a cheque in favour of ABC insurance company and after a few days, you will get an e-insurance policy as insurance companies are shifting from physical mode to electronic one.

Chandan: Ok. I will give you a cheque tomorrow.

Narayan: Great!

Chandan issues a cheque in favor of ABC insurance company and gave it to Narayan.

Later, he received the policy document. He read the policy document carefully and was shocked to know that according to the policy document, he is required to pay premium for 10 years and the maturity benefit will be paid after 26 years which is not what was told to him.

Chandan called Narayan and questioned him about his fraudulent act and also ordered him to cancel his policy. Narayan promised him that he will cancel the policy and the amount paid, will be refunded within 2 months.

He waited for 2 months but never received his money back. He tried calling Narayan, but he avoid his calls. Chandan approach ABC insurance company but was unable to explain that he was mis-sold a policy and became a victim of mis-selling in insurance.

Thereafter, he came to know about Insurance Samadhan. He approached us with his case. We investigated his case and came to the conclusion that it was a case of mis-selling. The policy terms and conditions were misrepresented to him. We took his case and within a month, the policy was cancelled and Chandan received his money back.

If you are also a victim of mis-selling in insurance, you must immediately contact your insurance company. If you need help, you can contact Insurance Samadhan.*

We have resolved 14,500+ insurance-related complaints. These insurance complaints include claim rejection, delay in claim settlement, fraud and mis-selling in insurance.

Contact us to get samadhan for your insurance-related issues, we’ll be happy to help you.

*Insurance Samadhan is a private organization and has no association with IRDA or any Government body.

Click on the below links to read some cases resolved by Insurance Samadhan:

Child health insurance claim rejection

Dengue claim rejection