Buying a ticket is forced to buy quarantine insurance, and you may encounter these routines if you are in a hurry...

Per reporter: Yuan Yuan Per editor: Duan Lian, Liao Dan, Yi Qijiang

"I have ordered cancellation, but I was automatically insured when I purchased the ticket." When Mr. Wang, who recently traveled, purchased a ticket through the ticketing platform, he was forced to sell an epidemic isolation allowance insurance, and the two tickets he bought were bundled to sell this product, "A total of only 100 yuan, to say that it is not much, but I have obviously cancelled the purchase of insurance, and when I paid, I was bundled to buy this insurance product, and this operation of the platform made me very unhappy." ”

Mr. Wang's experience is not an isolated case, open the black cat complaint platform, there are dozens of complaints about being forced to purchase epidemic isolation allowance insurance by default, although the amount involved is not much, but the experience to consumers is very poor.

Seeing this, do some consumers think: Is this kind of bundling behavior related to the epidemic? Bundling products only have covid-19 allowance insurance? Of course not, forced bundling is not a new thing, and the bundled insurance products have also changed from the initial accident insurance and aviation extension insurance to the current epidemic isolation insurance. The compulsory bundling is only the tip of the iceberg of insurance marketing routines, and marketing methods such as "1 yuan in the first month", "free collection", "speculation and suspension of sale" and other routine marketing methods emerge in an endless stream.

On the occasion of the "3.15" consumer rights protection day, the reporter of the Daily Economic News sorted out the common insurance marketing routines at present and warned consumers.

Bundle sales, beware of the trap of impatience

According to Mr. Wang, when he buys a train ticket on the travel platform, selecting the passenger page and going to the payment page will directly appear a piece of content about the epidemic allowance insurance, which is divided into different categories such as no guarantee, upgrade protection, supreme protection and standard protection, and the prices are also 0 yuan, 50 yuan / person, 60 yuan / person, 40 yuan / person, if checked, the premium will be directly deducted when paying the ticket.

According to Mr. Wang, the content of this epidemic allowance insurance sold by the travel platform is very comprehensive, including not only the centralized isolation allowance for taking the same operating vehicle as the confirmed case, the first infection with the new crown insurance premium and other protection related to the new crown, but also the protection of death and disability caused by aircraft accidents, train accidents, and car accidents.

"The coverage is really good, but it's a bit uncomfortable to be forced to buy without knowing it."

A lawyer told reporters that in the sales process of Internet products, the platform should display the sales of related products in a conspicuous way, if the use of technical means does not give users the right to choose independently, it is harmful to the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and the corresponding contract is invalid.

The "Daily Economic News" reporter experienced a ticket purchase process according to the content reflected by Mr. Wang, but there was no situation in which Mr. Wang said that he would default to the purchase of epidemic allowance insurance. However, the reporter found that in the epidemic allowance insurance bar box on the platform, the uninsured option is very low-key and inconspicuous compared to other categories, and if you do not carefully read and identify its checked options, it is easy to be confused by the relatively conspicuous protection options. If consumers are pressed for time and are eager to buy tickets to travel, it is easy to accidentally buy protection products, which has become one of the main factors for many consumers to buy insurance inexplicably.

In fact, not only travel platforms, banks, online lending platforms, etc. often let consumers buy insurance through forced tying.

"In May 2020, affected by the epidemic, I needed capital turnover, so I applied for a loan on the online loan platform, and the principal amount borrowed was about 4,000 yuan, and the contract given by the platform was very long at that time, and there was no special additional cost." In his complaint, Mr. Li said that it was not until much later that he found himself purchased a product called "Personal Loan Guarantee Insurance", which made Mr. Li very angry.

In addition to the travel platform and the online loan platform, banks, as financial institutions, also have the routine of bundling and tying. According to the "Bank Card Opening Consumption Survey Report" released by the Consumer Protection Commission of Jiangsu Province, 41.72% of consumers said that they had been bundled (such as purchasing financial products such as insurance or other services).

0 yuan insurance policy, free to receive

Want to take advantage of yours may have been pitted

In addition to bundled sales and default tying insurance, the marketing methods of "0 yuan in the first month", "1 yuan in the first month" and "free collection" also make consumers very headaches.

On the complaint platform, many consumer complaints reflect that they have encountered the marketing inducement means of "first month 0 yuan", "first month 1 yuan" and "free collection", they are attracted by advertising, without knowing or carefully reviewing the page for insurance, and opened the automatic deduction function, because the means are more hidden, often in the after-the-fact audit to know that they inadvertently purchased insurance products.

According to the complaint information, some people said that they did not know how to buy insurance, and some people mistakenly clicked ads on various apps or web pages such as travel, payment, short videos, etc., such as filling out questionnaires, online shopping, etc. There are also many people who complain that the elderly in the family are insured without understanding the product situation, and then they are automatically deducted without realizing it. In various complaints, words such as "inducement" and "unawareness" appear frequently, and from the perspective of the amount of deduction, it is as little as hundreds of yuan and as much as more than two thousand yuan.

Wang Jing (pseudonym), a second-year graduate student at a university in Hebei, said that his father mistakenly bought insurance on an intermediary platform in August 2021, deducted 1 yuan in the first month, and then deducted more than 220 yuan per month. After inquiry and verification, Wang Jing knew that this was a "6 million medical insurance" advertised by the platform, when her father thought that 1 yuan could buy an insurance, he clicked to see the content, but he did not expect to become a long-term authorized payment, and when he found it, Wang Jing's father's deduction had reached more than 1100 yuan.

In essence, in insurance marketing, in addition to the misleading insurance "routine insurance" behavior with "first month 0 yuan" and "free protection" as gimmicks, the behavior of premium payment before and after heavy, layer by layer, etc., is also induced in the name of "preferential", giving people the illusion of preferential treatment with "zero down payment" and other routines, in fact, the premium is apportioned to the later stage, and consumers do not really enjoy premium discounts.

Limited sale, limited time, limited quantity

"Hurry up and get in the car" will only make you hit the jackpot

If the above two insurance marketing routines still belong to consumers who have been purchased insurance products without their knowledge, then this marketing routine is to create anxiety and let consumers take the initiative to buy.

In recent years, individual insurance agents have published false and misleading information in the circle of friends due to performance pressure, lack of professional knowledge and information asymmetry of ordinary consumers, especially with the development of self-media, this trend has intensified:

"Fist products are out of sale, new products are going to increase in price, come and buy."

"The incidence of critical illness has increased significantly, the company's profit margin has become very small, and each company has decided to stop selling participating critical illness insurance."

"Channel exclusive, limited time sales, under the guarantee, not cap ..."

Such words often burst the circle of friends, but in different periods, they advertise products that are going to be discontinued. Many consumers will be anxious because they see this information, afraid that if they do not rush to buy such products, they may "miss a hundred million". As everyone knows, when consumers think like this, they have already entered the trap of insurance marketers.

For this kind of marketing means, Beijing post-90s white-collar muzi has a deep feeling, and the sensational description of "taking down tonight" and "the best time to buy" in the circle of friends is always impossible to ignore.

"The insurance agency broadcasts in almost real time what products have been removed from the shelves, which makes me feel as if I have missed a lot of insurance products that should be bought without paying attention." Muzi told the "Daily Economic News" reporter that after he purchased this product, he found that similar products were actually still selling, not as the insurance marketer said, it was an out-of-print product.

An insurance agent told the "Daily Economic News" reporter that the reason why some business personnel tirelessly released "stop selling" insurance products in the circle of friends is because "this trick to promote products is quite effective", and many business personnel have previously taken advantage of the "No. 134 document" and the new Internet regulations to speculate and stop selling. "The news of the suspension of sales will also stimulate the market to some extent," consumers will hold a 'pit' mentality to buy." ”

Regulation strikes hard

"Penalty + risk warning" is a two-pronged approach

These situations reflected by consumers have long been noted by the regulator.

For example, in January 2022, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued a risk reminder on the misleading "routine insurance" behavior of "0 yuan in the first month" and "free protection", pointing out that in insurance marketing, the "routine insurance" behaviors such as "routine insurance" such as "preferential treatment" such as heavy premium payment before and after premium payment are also induced in the name of "preferential". For example, one-sided promotion of "first month 0 yuan", "first month 1 yuan" and "free collection", with "zero down payment" and other routines to give people the illusion of preferential treatment, in fact, the premium is apportioned to the later stage, consumers have not really enjoyed the premium discount.

In addition, there are misleading sales behaviors such as speculating about "limited sales, limited time, and limited quantity", not truthfully and inaccurately introducing product liabilities, functions and insurance periods, or advertising the sale of insurance products in the name of bank deposits, wealth management products and other financial products. Some consumers have been misled into insuring insurance products that they do not need or even do not understand because of the so-called "free" and "limited time" routines.

The CBRC reminds consumers to be vigilant against disguised risks and interest fees in marketing, and not to rashly purchase ununderstood and unnecessary financial products just because of marketing publicity routines such as "free", "zero down payment" and "limited time".

In addition to issuing risk warnings, the regulator also orders insurance institutions and intermediaries to regulate marketing behavior through the means of penalties.

In November last year, the regulatory authorities named the WaterDrop Insurance Broker for collecting the first premium according to the "first month 0 yuan" and "first month 3 yuan" in the sales, which was a failure to use the approved or filed insurance terms and insurance rates in accordance with the regulations, and the Waterdrop Insurance Broker and the relevant responsible person were fined 1.2 million yuan for this.

Don't be greedy, identify routines

Treat sales recommendations rationally

As a consumer, while always paying attention to regulatory risk tips, we must also establish a correct concept of consumption and treat sales recommendation rationally.

An insurance industry insider suggested that consumers must believe that "there is no free lunch in the world", not greedy for small profits, do not fall into the trap of false propaganda because of small losses, rationally look at advertising slogans, see the product rate before purchasing insurance products, understand how much premiums need to be paid every month for each age group, and then apply for insurance in a targeted manner on the basis of understanding and acceptance.

"Consumers should not be induced by high interest rates, treat sales recommendation rationally, establish a scientific concept of insurance consumption, and carefully understand the terms of insurance contracts." The above-mentioned insurance industry insiders pointed out that some salespeople put their own self-interest first, and when selling new life insurance products, there are misleading sales behaviors such as disclosing at a historically higher rate of return and promising to guarantee returns. "Sales problems are more likely to lead to insurance disputes, and consumers should purchase products within the economic affordability range and take into account their own circumstances."

Some lawyers also make suggestions to consumers: First of all, consumers should purchase financial products according to their own needs, and carefully read the relevant terms of the products, understand the rights and obligations therein, prudently sign insurance contracts, and decide whether to buy financial products in combination with their own economic capabilities and actual needs, and do not be easily induced.

Second, we must protect personal information and refuse to force bundled consumption. Strengthen awareness of personal information protection, keep well information such as identity documents, bank card numbers, mobile payment codes, insurance contracts, and online banking verification codes, and beware of lawbreakers using personal information to engage in illegal and criminal activities.

If consumers have fallen under the umbrella of insurance marketing, how can they protect their rights? If consumers encounter financial institutions' forced buying and selling behavior, consumers can report and complain through channels such as the consumer complaint hotline within the lending institution and insurance institution, the local financial supervision bureau, the Internet financial reporting information platform, the consumer association, etc., and can also apply for mediation through the local mediation organization and protect their legal rights through litigation.

Reporter | Yuan Yuan

Edited | Duan Lian Liao Dan Yi Qijiang Du Hengfeng

Proofreading | He Xiaotao

| the original article of the daily economic news nbdnews |

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