Insurance Agent Scam In Phuket

[Phuketshrew]

I would like to warn readers of the potential risk of buying car insurance through company agents.

When buying a new car last year comprehensive car insurance for one year was included. However, last month we decided to return to our original insurers, AIG, through the AIG agent that had previously handled our insurance. Unknown to us the agent decided to keep our money (apparently to fuel his gambling addiction) and we were left driving around with no insurance (we were led to believe that we were covered and that a policy would be issued).

On visiting the AIG office we were informed that AIG will not be held responsible for the actions of their agents. The AIG documentation that you and the AIG agent sign is an agreement between you and the agent and not AIG – If you buy your car insurance through an AIG Agent you do so at your own risk.

AIG acknowledged that the problem of rogue agents is widespread – We were shown a list of 11 such agents that had recently been 'terminated'. However, AIG have no procedures in place to inform their clients (either by directly contacting clients or by notification in the local press) so there is no way of knowing whether the agent that you are dealing with is genuine.

AIG also informed us that vetting and background checks were not conducted when they recruited AIG agents - Apparently all that is required is a guarantor. Unsurprising then that AIG are experiencing such problems with rogue agents – but that wouldn't be the responsibility of AIG would it?

I just learned last weekend that a friend and ex colleague has had the same thing happen to him.

Beware when dealing with agents for your insurance - I will always go directly to the compnay offices from now on.

[ThaivisaInsurance]

Unfortunately this can happen when dealing with Agents, anywhere that is.

This is why 'we' at Thai Visa always suggest the best and saftest course of action is to go through a licensed Broker. There is always a paper trail if dealing with a legitimate Broker and should the untowards happen then you are covered..

Do not be afraid of asking to see (and checking) on the Brokers license. Please note we are talking of a full 'company' Broker here not an individual who may have a license.

If in doubt then, as members of Thai Visa, the safest and (in the long run) usually cheaper way to buy insurance is via the members Broker.

For more information please go Here

[nakachalet]

not intend to offend any one or any entity....

from my personal experiences.... the prices of airline tix and insurance premium... being offered by thaivisa advertisers.... are usually higher than what i can personally secure from elsewhere....

i very much would like to supporter advertisers of thaivisa.... but their prices must be reasonable and competitive....

attempting to sell airline tix at retail prices to members of thaivisa.... should also receive serious reconsideration by those responsible....

members of thaivisa are a bunch of quite smart individuals who are capable of searching the internet for lowest and most reasonable price on their own.... don't you agree?

[waza]

not intend to offend any one or any entity....

from my personal experiences.... the prices of airline tix and insurance premium... being offered by thaivisa advertisers.... are usually higher than what i can personally secure from elsewhere....

i very much would like to supporter advertisers of thaivisa.... but their prices must be reasonable and competitive....

attempting to sell airline tix at retail prices to members of thaivisa.... should also receive serious reconsideration by those responsible....

members of thaivisa are a bunch of quite smart individuals who are capable of searching the internet for lowest and most reasonable price on their own.... don't you agree?

I agree, I have looked at the airfare prices on Thaivisa, but I can always find them cheaper and more user friendly on the airline company web sites.

[JUDAS]

not intend to offend any one or any entity....

from my personal experiences.... the prices of airline tix and insurance premium... being offered by thaivisa advertisers.... are usually higher than what i can personally secure from elsewhere....

i very much would like to supporter advertisers of thaivisa.... but their prices must be reasonable and competitive....

attempting to sell airline tix at retail prices to members of thaivisa.... should also receive serious reconsideration by those responsible....

members of thaivisa are a bunch of quite smart individuals who are capable of searching the internet for lowest and most reasonable price on their own.... don't you agree?

My experience with TV insurance is somewhat different. I did a lot of research for my medical insurance and found TVI to be competitive in their pricing for the level of cover I required, the same can be said for my car insurance which I also have through them. Cannot comment on airline ticket prices with them though. As with any insurance, it obviously makes sense to shop around for a product you feel happy with.

[ThaivisaInsurance]

not intend to offend any one or any entity....

from my personal experiences.... the prices of airline tix and insurance premium... being offered by thaivisa advertisers.... are usually higher than what i can personally secure from elsewhere....

i very much would like to supporter advertisers of thaivisa.... but their prices must be reasonable and competitive....

attempting to sell airline tix at retail prices to members of thaivisa.... should also receive serious reconsideration by those responsible....

members of thaivisa are a bunch of quite smart individuals who are capable of searching the internet for lowest and most reasonable price on their own.... don't you agree?

Interesting on how the topic of rogue Insurance Agents can swap to airline tickets ...................

Back on topic - we shall repeat again, by using the services of (any) Insurance Broker you will pay no more than going direct or anywhere else for that matter - the Brokers 'fee' is paid for by the insurance company.

[jazzbo]

The nameless ThaiVisaInsurance responder is correct: You will pay no more by buying health insurance through a broker and will receive many services courtesy of that broker. On the other hand, if one so chooses, most all the major insurers will deal directly with the individual purchaser. Over 6 years now I have gotten to know the BUPA persons in customer service on the phone, via email, and even visited several times at their HQ in BKK.

I have given them input on several aspects of their policies, provided information on how similar measures are handled in the USA (in particular policies for cancer screenings), and even helped them de-bug part of their on line policy purchase system... if ever I need help on a claim they now know me at BUPA personally, not just as a customer of one of their brokers. e.g.

Dear Mr. (Jazzbo) Thank you so much for your nice feedback and good coordinate to Bupa... Kuhn (Ms.) M., Business Development Executive, via bupa.co.th

[Graham101]

not intend to offend any one or any entity....

from my personal experiences.... the prices of airline tix and insurance premium... being offered by thaivisa advertisers.... are usually higher than what i can personally secure from elsewhere....

i very much would like to supporter advertisers of thaivisa.... but their prices must be reasonable and competitive....

attempting to sell airline tix at retail prices to members of thaivisa.... should also receive serious reconsideration by those responsible....

members of thaivisa are a bunch of quite smart individuals who are capable of searching the internet for lowest and most reasonable price on their own.... don't you agree?

I agree. Both with regard to airline tickets and insurance.

And getting detailed information on the insurance options and what was covered was painful and resulted in snide and sarcastic responses. In the end I went direct with Thailand's largest broker TQM Insurance.

[neverdie]

And getting detailed information on the insurance options and what was covered was painful and resulted in snide and sarcastic responses. In the end I went direct with Thailand's largest broker TQM Insurance.

What comments like this one,

"Interesting on how the topic of rogue Insurance Agents can swap to airline tickets ...................

Back on topic - we shall repeat again......"

[torrenova]

You can't compare airline tickets and insurance. TV for air tickets is very poor price wise but the company behind TV Insurance is fine.

[jazzbo]

ThaiVisa is getting to be such an extended brand that it reminds me of the ACME COMPANY in the RoadRunner cartoons:

[junkofdavid2]

One good thing about dealing with Thaivisa Insurance, I would presume, is that they'd have to give you good service because they're on the Thaivisa blog; and so (hypothetically) if they give bad service or bad prices, Thaivisa members would know about it.

In other words, the "transparency" of of the Thaivisa Blog helps create a more consumer-oriented broker. For this reason, I'd be inclined to patronize Thaivisa Insurance over other brokers.

.

Edited November 28, 2009 by junkofdavid2

[jazzbo]

While I have had my criticisms of ThaiVisa Insurance both online and PM to those in charge, IMHO the best thing they have going is that they allow some of the younger TV members to get a 'starter' health insurance policy for themselves or maybe themselves and their young families with low levels of coverage and therefore low annual cost... and the coverage thus provided at a young age and in good health is more than adequate.

One only has to read elsewhere in this forum topic to see the problems that can and do arise when one waits until advanced age or the onset of illness to decide that now is the time to start to purchase health insurance here in Thailand (as opposed to what you might have in your home country) if you do in fact plan to live in Thailand for years to come.