15 February 2017
Buying Insurance Over The Phone
Ever received a call from a telemarketer trying to sell you an insurance policy? You’re interested but unsure whether you should really buy a plan over the phone?
Before you make that decision, here’s what you need to know:
Your phone rings. It’s an unidentified caller. You pick it up and the person introduces himself and speaks about an insurance policy.
You have been thinking of buying an insurance plan but have never really gone pass browsing the web.
So when you receive a call promoting an insurance plan that meets your needs, you think,
It is convenient to buy it right there and then, but of course you are a little worried on whether the product being promoted over the phone can be trusted and is the real thing.
At this point, you recall stories of unpleasant experiences that other people have shared. You begin to wonder if you should go ahead with the purchase…
Not all calls are fake and there are ways you can protect yourself while considering long-term purchases like insurance over the phone. The most important thing is to be well-informed on what to look out for that can help you stay protected.
How do I know if I can trust the call made by a telemarketer and that it is not a scam?
AIA has ongoing partnerships with both Public Bank and Citibank, and you may receive a call from either one of these representatives.
The telemarketer will identify themselves and introduce an insurance policy or product offer.
How did they get my contact number?
The partnerships with both banks enable us to extend unique, value-added products to their eligible and selected customers.
You have earlier provided consent to our bank partners, and were selected by our partners to receive the special offer. These offers are only available via telemarketing and you do not require a health check to receive these offers.
Do the telemarketers have access to my credit and banking information?
Our trained telemarketing team have only been provided with these information.
Your name
Your contact number
1. Explain product benefits
2. Ask simple health questions [only required for certain products]
Examples include “Have you been advised by a doctor to go through further checkups or have you ever been hospitalized for 5 consecutive days within the last 5 years?”
3. Request for personal details to complete the purchase
IC number
Date of birth
Home address
Payment details
Don't worry..
Your personal information provided to AIA Bhd. is only used for processing your insurance purchase application, data matching and claims investigation. AIA does not and will not release personal data to unauthorized third parties without your consent.
Will I be charged on my card without my permission?
No. The telemarketer will have to request for your debit or credit card numbers or request for your explicit consent to authorize our bank partners to charge the respective card or savings account accordingly. If you believe you have been charged wrongly, contact us immediately via our customer care lines with the details of your call.
When will I receive my policy contract?
The policy will be delivered within 30 days after the first premium has been charged to your card or savings account.
What do I do if I change my mind and I don’t want the insurance coverage anymore?
If you have not received your policy contract and you change your mind:
Call our Care Line to inform us of your decision or email my.customer@aia.com and your cancellation request will be attended to.
Life insurance plans can be cancelled within 15 days after you receive the contract with full refund of the premium charged.
Other things to take note of:
Our telemarketers are fully trained and are multi-lingual. That means they can speak in the language that you are comfortable with.
All calls are recorded for quality monitoring purposes.
request for the full name of the telemarketer and call our customer care lines to verify their identity and product offered.
Our customer care lines are:
The above articles are intended for informational purposes only. AIA accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
Life is full of uncertainties. To safeguard you and your loved ones’ future, planning for adequate protection should be one of your top priorities.
Life is full of risks but your healthcare shouldn’t be one of them. Today, with longer life expectancy and the ever-increasing cost of medical treatments, you need to ensure you have sufficient medical coverage.
