Allianz保險公司為年金銷售作賠償

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Allianz保險公司為年金銷售作賠償


零八年二月十五日星島日報與三藩市紀事報報導﹕



被控欺騙顧客 安聯人壽願賠錢和解

(星報日報記者時晨光屋崙報道 )　



　　加州保險局長龐斯納(Steve Poizner)昨日在屋崙宣布一項與安聯人壽保險公司(Allianz)的1000萬元和解協議，因為該公司被指控以不當手法，欺騙數以千計耆英購買不適當的固定年金(Fixed Annuities)計劃。保險局長稱這項和解協議意義重大，一方面能終止多年來針對年長者的高壓和誤導性推銷圖謀，並逼促大保險公司承擔責任，更審慎核批固定年金計劃，防止老人受騙。



　　按照和解協議，在2004年1月至2005年7月之間，約288名被不當推銷延期年金 (Deferred Annuity)產品的長者，將能夠取消其合約。另外，估計約有1萬名同期購買延期年金產品的長者，如果能證實被不當推銷買入產品，亦可以取消其合約。查詢或投訴有關問題，可以電加州保險局熱線電話1800-927-4357，當局指有多語言的翻譯服務提供。



　　調查亦發現有126名年齡介乎84至85歲的老人，被安聯人壽以有誤導性的廣告誘導，買下不合適的固定年金計劃去取締其舊有的計劃。龐斯納指，和解協議中亦要求安聯人壽設立保護消費者的機制去防止問題再發生。安聯人壽將會複核和評估任何65歲以上購買固定年金產品的個案，確保產品適合購物人需要。龐斯納稱，這項要求將用作監督業界出售固定年金產品的標準。



　　所謂固定年金(Fixed Annuities) ，是保險公司發售的一種退休儲蓄的財務工具，消費者購買計劃旨在為退休生活提供保障，增加穩定收入來源。通常消費者會存錢入年金帳戶獲取利息，並在退休後從帳戶中領取金錢。



　　安聯人壽保險公司就是加州最大的固定年金產品銷售者，去年10月，安聯人壽亦與基地所在地的明尼蘇達州檢察長辦公室，達成類似的和解協議。

Company settles deceptive sales complaint for $10 million

Thursday, February 14, 2008

San Francisco Chronicle

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/02/14/financial/f142018S15.DTL

(02-14) 14:20 PST Oakland, Calif. (AP) --

Allianz Life Insurance Company has settled a $10 million complaint that it sold deceptive annuities to thousands of seniors, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said Thursday.

The settlement brings to a close findings by the California Department of Insurance that Allianz, the state's largest seller of annuities, had persuaded seniors to buy confusing insurance policies that didn't fit their needs.

"The fact that Allianz used deceptive practices and high-pressure sales tactics to lure and cajole seniors into buying unsuitable policies is appalling," Poizner said in a statement.

Annuities are popular tax deferred savings tool for many Americans who typically give a life insurance company a lump sum of money. In return, the insurer makes period payments to the policyholder at some future date.

The state's review in 2006 showed that Minneapolis-based Allianz advertised immediate and upfront bonuses to consumers who purchased their annuities, however they were later denied cash payments for at least five years.

When the company replaced 126 existing annuities for seniors between 84 and 85 years old, 97 percent of the policies were financially unsuitable, the analysis found.

Gary Bhojwani, president and chief executive officer of Allianz Life, said the settlement would allow the company to focus on providing first-class products to its consumers instead of litigation. The company did not acknowledge any wrongdoing in the settlement.

"With a complaint rate of less than one percent, it is clear that our sales force does an excellent job explaining our products and that the consumer safeguards and disclosures we have put in place over the years have been effective," Bhojwani said in a statement.

As part of the settlement, Allianz said it would take extra steps to ensure applicants 65 and older are sold more appropriate annuities.

Seniors who were sold unsuitable annuities also will be allowed to cancel their policies, according to Poizner's office.