I paid 319 yuan, but the insurance policy showed that the premium was only 138 yuan
Recently, Wang Xinxin (a pseudonym), who lives in Shunyi, Beijing, complained to reporters of the Beijing Business Daily about his unpleasant experience of buying insurance on the Maverick electric app "butter insurance".
Pay 319 yuan to buy insurance, but find the policy difficult to accept, the premium is only 138? Where did the remaining money go? What are the other tricks in "Niuyou Bao"?
According to Wang Xinxin's transaction, Beijing Business Daily reporters conducted a series of investigations
Is there a price difference in insurance?
Electric bicycles, which are lighter than motorcycles and lighter than bicycles, have become a common choice for many people when traveling. However, with the increase in the number of electric bicycles in China, vehicle loss, theft, traffic accidents, and subsequent claims have caused many troubles for users.
Therefore, purchasing insurance when purchasing electric vehicles has become a choice for many consumers, and some electric vehicle manufacturers have also found opportunities to introduce insurance products into their own app sales. Jiangsu Xiaoniu Electric Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Xiaoniu Electric") is like this, and the "Niu You Bao" in the Xiaoniu Electric App has also become one of the characteristic services of Xiaoniu Electric. However, behind seemingly convenient services, there are actually hidden tricks.
Wang Xinxin, who lives in Shunyi, Beijing, once held a grudge for not being able to retrieve her electric car due to theft. When she re purchased an electric car, she deliberately chose to buy a Xiaoniu electric car that could also purchase insurance. When purchasing an electric vehicle, the salesperson of Xiaoniu Electric also detailed the insurance coverage to Wang Xinxin.
This insurance can provide dual protection for both people and vehicles. If stolen in the first year, the insurance will pay full compensation, 70% in the second year, and 50% in the third year. If you or your family experience an accident while cycling, the insurance can also compensate
Under the recommendation and introduction of the salesperson, Wang Xinxin purchased an insurance policy from the "Niuyou Insurance" in the Xiaoniu Electric App and paid a premium of 319 yuan.
According to the payment voucher provided by Wang Xinxin, a reporter from Beijing Business Daily found that the premium was indeed 319 yuan, with the payee being "Jiangsu Xiaoniu Electric Technology Co., Ltd." and the product description being "Niuyou Baomen Store Sharing Version * 1".
What does an electric vehicle insurance policy look like? What's the difference between an electric vehicle insurance policy and an automobile insurance policy? "With curiosity, Wang Xinxin found the policy issued by the insurance company through its WeChat mini program. However, this investigation also revealed that Wang Xinxin found that the insurance price was only 138 yuan.
Payment records and policies obtained by Wang Xinxin for purchasing insurance
In fact, such cases are not rare. A reporter from Beijing Business Daily found through the Black Cat Complaint Platform that more than 20 consumers have complained about the issue of the "butter insurance" insurance price on the Black Cat Complaint Platform, and the complaint content is basically the same.
For example, in March, a consumer complained that they purchased the "Niuyoubao" product sold by Xiaoniu Electric through the mobile app "Xiaoniu Electric", with a payment amount of 349 yuan. The actual policy price found on the insurance official website was 178 yuan, and Xiaoniu Electric charged a price difference of 171 yuan, far exceeding the actual policy price. The store staff used vocabulary such as "internal insurance" and "external insurance" to deceive consumers in the insurance industry. In June, some consumers also complained on Black Cat that the price of the "Bull Oil Protection" premium PLUS guided by the Xiaoniu electric physical store was 538 yuan, while the policy price was only 238 yuan. The content of the two policies is completely consistent, with a huge price difference. It is suspected of price fraud and requires a refund of the difference of 300 yuan.
Regarding the inconsistency between the premium paid by consumers and the policy price obtained, Li Wenzhong, Deputy Director of the Rural Insurance Research Institute at Capital University of Economics and Trade, believes that Xiaoniu Electric mainly infringes on consumers' right to know. Consumers do not know the true price for purchasing insurance products and the price for purchasing insurance services provided by relevant enterprises. Li Chao, an insurance lawyer at Beijing Shaohe Mingdi Law Firm, also stated that Xiaoniu Electric infringes on consumers' rights to information and fair dealing.
Beijing Business Daily reporters have also sent multiple letters and phone calls to Xiaoniu Electric regarding related issues, but as of the time of publication, no response has been received.
Inconsistent customer service statements
I paid 319 yuan to buy insurance but only received 138 yuan of insurance, which is clearly unacceptable to Wang Xinxin. When Wang Xinxin asked the customer service staff of Xiaoniu Electric why there was a price difference due to inconsistent premiums, The customer service personnel of Xiaoniu Electric explained, "When a collective policy is split into individual policies, the price displayed on the policy is the system's random (lowest) display price, which cannot represent the original value of this premium. It only represents the true validity of the policy, and there is no actual price difference
Group policy? Personal policy? The price displayed on the policy does not represent the original value of this policy? Wang Xinxin was not satisfied with the explanation that was not relevant to the Feng Ma Niu. On October 24th, he called the customer service hotline of the underwriting insurance company, and the customer service personnel of the insurance company clearly informed him that the price of this insurance was the 138 yuan indicated in the policy. Currently, only the 138 yuan policy can be found, and he stated that he did not find that Wang Xinxin had purchased other policies at the same time.
After a reporter from Beijing Business Daily sent a letter to Xiaoniu Electric for an interview, Wang Xinxin asked the insurance company's customer service again about the premium situation, and the customer service provided a different explanation.
According to the call recording provided by Wang Xinxin, the customer service of the insurance company explained over the phone that due to the policy's coverage period of three years, the annual premium of the policy is 138 yuan, and with the discount of the premium, the total amount is about 318 yuan.
It is worth mentioning that just after Wang Xinxin contacted the customer service of the insurance company, the customer service personnel of the insurance company applied for Wang Xinxin's WeChat account and once again expressed through WeChat, "There should be financial issues that have caused inconvenience to you. Please understand, I have applied for a coffee card as a gift from the company.
Why did you say that you could only find 138 yuan a few days ago, but now you have changed your account? Moreover, the policy also states that the coverage period is from October 24, 2023 to October 24, 2026, with a total premium of 138 yuan. How did it become a one-year premium again? "Regarding the inconsistent statement from customer service, Wang Xinxin cannot accept it.
The insurance policy provided by Wang Xinxin to the Beijing Business Daily reporter also shows that the total three-year premium is 138 yuan.
How much is the insurance premium? Should the policy prevail or the customer service representative's description prevail? Li Chao analyzed from an industry perspective and stated that based on industry experience, the premiums listed on the policy are the actual premiums collected by the insurance company. If it is a product that has been paid for many years, the policy will also specify the payment frequency and annual payment period. Li Wenzhong also believes that from the policy issued by the insurance company, the 138 yuan premium is the three-year premium, which should also be the actual premium charged by the insurance company.
Senior actuary Xu Yuchen told reporters that the basis for premium should be based on the stamped contract issued by the insurance company. If Wang Xinxin has not obtained any other policies, the premium data on this policy should be the actual premium.
Who bought the insurance
Not only is my premium unclear, but even the money I spent on insurance is not from myself, "said Wang Xinxin, puzzled by the name of the policyholder on the policy.
Through the policy provided by Wang Xinxin, a reporter from Beijing Business Daily found that the policyholder stated on the policy is not Wang Xinxin himself, but "Jiangsu Xiaoniu Electric Technology Co., Ltd.".
Wang Xinxin's policy shows that the policyholder is Xiaoniu Electric
I spend my own money to buy insurance, why isn't the policyholder me? "Wang Xinxin raised her doubts to a reporter from Beijing Business Daily.
In fact, as for who can become the policyholder, the Insurance Law clearly stipulates that the policyholder of personal insurance should have an insurable interest in the insured when the insurance contract is concluded. For "insurable interest", the Insurance Law stipulates that the policyholder has an insurable interest in: (1) the applicant; （2） Spouse, children, parents; （3） Other family members or close relatives who have a relationship of upbringing, support or support with the policyholder other than those mentioned in the preceding paragraph; （4） Workers who have a labor relationship with the policyholder. Except as provided in the preceding paragraph, if the insured agrees to enter into a contract with the policyholder, it shall be deemed that the policyholder has an insurable interest in the insured.
Obviously, Wang Xinxin and Xiaoniu Electric have no direct interest in insurance. The Beijing Business Daily reporter traced the insurance process of Wang Xinxin and found that during the payment insurance process, Wang Xinxin was not informed that the policyholder was Xiaoniu Electric. It wasn't until the policy came into effect that Wang Xinxin discovered the "secret" in the specific policy content. For consumers at this time, there is clearly no opportunity to retract.
According to insurance experts, from the screenshot, the policyholder is Xiaoniu Electric, and the insured is the individual owner. The screenshot policy includes property insurance services such as non motor vehicle theft and loss insurance, as well as personal insurance services such as transportation accident insurance. However, the policyholder, Xiaoniu Electric, clearly has no insurance interest in the insured's individual electric vehicle owners. Therefore, the personal insurance business portion of this policy may have no legal effect due to its lack of insurance benefits.
Li Wenzhong told reporters that consumers are not aware of the mode of purchasing insurance through relevant enterprises, and in such a mode, consumers may lose their identity as policyholders, thus also losing the relevant rights owned by policyholders.
On the one hand, relevant enterprises may have the relevant rights of policyholders after packaging themselves as policyholders, such as the right to terminate insurance contracts arbitrarily, which will harm the rights and interests of consumers once exercised. On the other hand, regulation has strict requirements and norms for the qualifications and market behavior of insurance brokerage institutions, but packaging themselves as policyholders by relevant enterprises will evade regulation, making it difficult to protect consumers' rights after their interests are damaged Li Wenzhong further analyzed to reporters.
Doubts about insurance sales qualification
In addition to inconsistent premiums and issues with policyholder qualifications, Wang Xinxin also raised questions about the insurance business qualifications of Xiaoniu Electric.
As is well known, insurance is a financial business that requires licensed operations. If Xiaoniu Electric does not have insurance brokerage, insurance agency, or insurance part-time agency licenses, it does not have insurance sales qualifications, nor does it have the qualification to collect premiums.
A reporter from Beijing Business Daily found through the national enterprise credit information disclosure system that Xiaoniu Electric has not obtained insurance sales qualifications. From the payment records provided by Wang Xinxin, it can be seen that Wang Xinxin did indeed pay the premium to Xiaoniu Electric.
Regarding the transaction process, Li Wenzhong stated that from the form of the contract, Xiaoniu Electric is not an insurance intermediary, but a party to the insurance contract, the policyholder. However, from the essence of related transaction behavior, the behavior of Xiaoniu Electric purchasing insurance for consumers is essentially an insurance brokerage behavior. According to the provisions of the Insurance Law, insurance brokerage business is a national franchise business that cannot be operated without the approval of the insurance regulatory agency. Therefore, this behavior is suspected of being illegal.
Previously, regulations have also strengthened the principle of licensed operations for internet insurance business. Article 23 of the Measures for the Supervision of Internet Insurance Business stipulates that non insurance institutions shall not engage in internet insurance business, including but not limited to the following commercial activities: providing insurance product consulting services; Comparing insurance products, premium trial calculations, and pricing comparisons; Design insurance plans for policyholders; Handling insurance procedures on behalf of others; Collect premiums on behalf of others.
The insurance experts mentioned above believe that from the current situation, the Xiaoniu Electric App has promoted insurance products in text form through internet applications; And consumers can purchase insurance products through the Xiaoniu Electric App, which violates the relevant provisions of the "Internet Insurance Business Supervision Measures" by the operating agency of Xiaoniu Electric.
Withholding premiums, claims disputes, and other "endless consequences"
Behind the licensed operation of insurance, it is because financial products such as insurance are relatively complex and high-risk products. If not regulated, market manipulation, fraud, and other behaviors are highly likely to occur, damaging market fairness and stability, harming consumer interests, and even triggering financial risks and endangering social stability.
At the operational level, it is illegal to engage in such activities without sales qualifications, which can also bring a series of hidden dangers. Li Chao stated that the hidden dangers are multifaceted. From the perspective of consumers, such as whether the premiums collected are paid to the insurance company in a timely manner, whether there is a risk of withholding premiums, whether real-time orders can be issued. If the consumers fail to issue the orders in a timely manner and risk accidents occur, claims disputes may arise.
In the case of Xiaoniu Electric, insurance experts believe that institutions that do not obtain insurance business licenses to sell insurance products are first engaged in illegal operations, and then have three hidden dangers: firstly, they can easily mislead consumers. Institutions without insurance operating licenses may not have sufficient insurance knowledge and professional skills, professional staff, and may not be able to provide consumers with correct insurance advice and guidance, and may even mislead consumers, leading to consumers purchasing insurance products that are not suitable for them. Secondly, it is easy to harm consumer rights. Enterprises without insurance business licenses may not have sufficient strength and reputation to protect consumers' rights and interests. Once disputes and problems arise, consumers may face losses and difficulties in safeguarding their rights. Thirdly, it may disrupt market order. Institutions without insurance business licenses selling insurance may disrupt market order, affect the business and operations of legitimate insurance companies, and lead to unfair competition in the market.
Li Chao finally emphasized that selling insurance products beyond the reach of insurance regulation will seriously disrupt the order of the financial market, and may lead to issues such as delayed insurance coverage and insurance disputes. In severe cases, there may be chaos such as fake policies, withholding premiums, illegal fundraising, and insurance fraud.
Beijing Business Daily Financial Investigation Team