I recently (7 moths ago) got a credit card from ICICI. After receiving my credit card, these ICICI people constantly called me up and told me that they give health insurance along with the credit card. I politely refused all such deals. But 1 month later, another guy introduced himself from ICICI chennai started calling me and explained me about the ICICI Lombard insurance.
He told me that "I need not pay anything for even fever and small health disorders. The only thing I need to do is sign in the bill the Hospital people show to me (Networke hospitals)". I wasn’t convinced with this and asked him to clarify this (not a single time but every time he called me I asked him to reconfirm this). He confirmed his statement and told me that the conversation will be recorded and verfied my details and my confirmation on this insurance option. He also told me that the insurance amount (12235/-) will be deducted from my credit card and I have to pay the amount every month. I thought they would be having link with the credit card department and said ok for this. They did send me the policy details and card within a couple of weeks.
Recently I went to St. Johns Hospital for a consultation and produced this card before them. They told me that they can use this card only if I’m admittted for a week and is not applicable for out-patients. I was shocked on hearing this. I did argue with them saying that this is ICICI lombard insurance card and they can deduct the amount for consultation also. But they refused to accept that card. I got frustrated and wanted to complain abt St. Johns Hospital to the Lombard people. So I called up ICICI Lombard customer care and explained them about this. To my surprise they told me that what hospital told me correct and its applicable only if you are admitted in the hospital. I was completely shocked and had a fight with them explaining abt what the ICICI sales person told me in the phone conversation but they were adamant in what they were saying. So I had no other option but to accept my being cheated by that sales guy.
But the biggest shock came in the next month’s credit card statement. The statement had 3 components for ICICI Lombard insurance (principal, interest, service tax). These guys have treated this as a loan. This added salt to my wound and I couldn’t control my temper and called up the icici customer care immediately and told them that I wasn’t told abt this loan stuff. The customer care guy told ne that an interest rate of 5.05% needs to be payed as its being treated as a loan. He then diverted the call to Lombard customer care but my question is still unresolved.
Note: I wasn’t even told that the insurance will be treated as loan in my credit card. The guy who called me doesn’t even mentioned the word "interest/loan" during the entire conversation. The proof is the recorded conversation.
All I’m asking for is, I will the entire insurance amount at a go. But I shouldn’t be charged for prepayment for loan and the interest deducted for the first EMI should be returned to me. The fault is absolutely on the ICICI Lombard guy.
I hope that mouthshut will help me resolving this issue
Thanks,
Ganesh
(P.S) People, beware of all such marketing tactics and never ever opt for any service without reading the terms and conditions and most importantly don’t opt for ant new service through phone conversation.