Feb 28, 2015 11:51 PM
23181 Views
(Updated Feb 28, 2015 11:54 PM)
My LIC policy(722998842) matured this February, and along with it I intended to surrender another unit linked policy(722998577) as well to gain from the bullish market. I have enquired LIC officials both online and by visiting the main branch in Bangalore. From both places, the answer was to submit the original bonds along with set of forms to the branch that the policy was bought.
As the KR Pet(Karnataka - 072D) branch office is around 200 Kms from Bengaluru where I stay, I had no time to visit that branch. I have gathered the telephone numbers of the branch and tried to reach out but there was no reply to my calls for more than 3-4 days. I had to register complaint in Mysore divisional office from where I got the mobile numbers of the Manager and Administrative Officer of the branch. I had spoken to AO on the process and informed him my inability to visit the branch and requested him to process my claims over postal submission.
On 21st February, with duly filled forms(Claim form. 2 Discharge forms, NEFT form, Cancelled check leaf) and along with original bonds, registered post was sent to the KR pet branch addressing to AO of the branch. 24th February, that is after three days, I have received a phone call from a mobile number. The person calling without introducing himself started asking that the NEFT form is not sent and they have not received original bonds. I was dumb shocked to listen to this and started wondering how the documents can go missing in a registered post. The documents were stapled together along with the two original bonds and there was no way that some papers could go missing in transit unless somebody tear the seal and remove two staple pins. The person also mentioned that he is the one to break the seal of the post cover and that scared hell out of me.
I had to argue with the person strongly and he quickly handed it over to another person when asked some valid questions. Both were keep telling that they have not received all those documents that I have duly furnished. I told them about the photocopies I took, the postal department acknowledgement slip which also mentions the weight of the post, but they were not ready to listen to those evidences.
When I mentioned that I would register a formal complaint in Police, LIC, IRDA, and also in Postal department for missing documents, the person abruptly hung up the call asking me to personally visit the branch. I found foul play for getting call from mobile and not from the official landline, and both refused to disclose their names even when I asked multiple times.
Shocked and dejected, I started thinking over how to approach for getting justice, I got another call from the same number. This second call was made after 8 minutes from the first one. This time the caller mentioned that they have found all my documents and it was some confusion galore there. Somehow I could not trust them and whole episode looked like it was orchestrated to test the waters for misdeed.
After 2 days, the money was credited to my bank account. I strongly feel that these incidents should be handled well by officials to avoid potential corruption in reputed organizations like LIC. Writing this experience not to demand any inquiry or request action against the officials but to bring it to notice of LIC to check on such misdeeds repetitions in future.
High time for LIC to consider allowing claims submissions from any branch near and convenient to customers. When LIC has achieved the online transactions successfully, I strongly feel this is no herculean task for them.
