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4 Disclose benefits partially without disclosing the corre- licensed intermediary, responsibility of compliance with ad-
sponding limitations/ conditions/ implications. vertisement regulations and the related circulars/guidelines
vests with the insurer/intermediary that has outsourced this
4 Indicate that acceptance of risk and/or settlement of claims activity.
are liberal and generous without an intent to do so.
The telephone caller shall take necessary steps to ensure
4 Use ambiguous words or phrases which are likely to that they do not intrude into the privacy of the receiver.
exaggerate the underlying benefits of the policies or They should disclose their identity and proceed to converse
plans and/or capable of limiting the actual exclusions only after permission.
or the limitations of the underlying benefits of the plan.
A reference on the access to full information about the avail-
4 Denigrate or Damage the reputation of the competi- able products and the importance of financial need analysis
tor or the industry. along with the contact phone numbers which can provide
such information shall be placed before closing the call.
Mandatory disclosure in 'Invitation to Inquire': Every adver-
tisement in the nature of 'invitation to inquire' should dis- Every insurer shall facilitate an access to 'do not call regis-
close the following statement "For more details on risk fac- try' with the contact numbers of the persons who wish not
tors, terms and conditions please read sales brochure care- to be contacted, which should be referred to, before every
fully before concluding a sale". call.
Advertising through the Internet and other Electronic Me- Joint Sale Advertisements (JS): Any insurance adver-
dia: Provisions applicable to published advertisements ap-
ply equally to advertising through electronic media i.e., tisement brought out jointly by an insurer either with its cor-
advertisements through a telephonic interactive mode or porate agent or with a micro-insurance agent would fall un-
on the internet. der this category. These could relate to promotional activi-
ties where the logo/trademark/trade names of the partici-
Internet: pating parties are displayed jointly.
4 Joint sale advertisements in the nature of insurance ad-
4 In case of communications on/through internet an in-
surer should ensure that the recipients/viewers have the vertisements (as defined in para 2.2 above) can be re-
opportunity to view the full text of the relevant key fea- leased without prior approval of the Authority in accor-
tures; terms and conditions; any other applicable risk dance to the applicable regulations / circular provisions
information required by these guidelines and they shall in vogue and file the same.
not be hidden away in the body of the text. It shall be
easily obtained, before any application form is offered. 4 All the joint Sale Advertisements released shall be filed
In case of e-mail communications there should be a separately specifically mentioning therein that the Ad-
provision to unsubscribe from the mailing list. vertisements filed are 'Joint Sale Advertisements' along
with a certificate from the Appointed Actuary that it
4 Text, graphics, hyperlinks and sound should be entirely presents the same features of the product as cleared
consistent with all the requirements specified herein. under File and Use.
4 Insurers should take an undertaking from the prospec- 4 The contents of these provisions will apply in mutatis
tive policyholders that they have read the entire text, mutandis to all the JS advertisements, as applicable.
features, disclosures, terms and conditions, etc., while
applying for insurance on-line. Branding with Third parties: (Third parties for this pur-
4 Mandatory provision of a helpline or help number to fur- pose shall mean any individual/association/entity other than
ther provide all information that a policyholder would insurance intermediary)
reasonably expect. 4 Can be used on any advertisement of insurer/ interme-
4 Insurers should provide hard copy of the necessary in- diary only when it does not urge the prospect or a poli-
formation on request. cyholder to purchase, renew, increase, retain or modify
a policy of insurance.
Telephonic Interactive Mode:
4 An exemption is however, given to insurance schemes
Promotional activities through Cold-calls shall be preferably sponsored/subsidized by Central/State government (s)
by a licensed intermediary. In case it is done by other than in which case branding is permissible in any category of
advertisements.
52 The Insurance Times, September 2015
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