It had emerged that its actually ZSIC life and not ZSIC general that has mounting complaints which have led to the collapse of its customer service.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) had confirmed last week that it has received 316 complaints from clients who claim they have not received their payout from ZSIC General Insurance.
CCPC Public Relations Officer Rainford Mutabi said these cases are still under active investigations. Mutabi said the commission was able to resolve 323 cases of people claiming not to have received their pay out from ZSIC General Insurance after the maturity of their policies. .
According to information made available to the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Mutabi stated that the commission has continued to promote consumer welfare in Zambia by ensuring that respective insurance companies accord the affected individuals their pay out on time. Mutabi said this happens only after the commission has conducted thorough investigations on the matter that prove that the complainant’s claims are true.
He has advised that whenever consumers face challenges relating to unfair contract terms, the first step one should take is following the normal redress mechanism that requires the complainant to resolve the matter with their respective service provider before reporting to the commission. Mutabi noted that ZISC General Insurance has been very responsive to helping resolve the complaints received.
However, a check by ZBT with the affected policy holders revealed that the actual company facing challenges is ZSIC Life and not ZSIC general as per CCPC confirmations.
In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, one of the affected complainants, Felix Mulenga claimed that he had an investment policy that matured in August 2019 with ZSIC Life but has not received his pay out until now.
Mulenga said he signed up for a 5-year policy in 2014 and described the response he gets from ZSIC Life as pathetic each time he visits their offices to claim for his money which they have not given him until now.
Lundumuna Langson, another complainant told ZBT that he signed up for an endowment policy with ZSIC Life in 2014, which matured in 2019 but has not received his money until now, questioning why ZSIC life is failing to pay out their dues.
And another person who agreed to speak to ZBT among the over 300 unresolved pay outs Mpelepete Merine, also said she had a swift save policy with ZSIC Life and has been making claims since 2017 but has not received her money to-date. She has even stopped pushing for her money as she has simply gotten frustrated.
