15 Dec 2016

Youi fined a further $320k for misleading customers

4:33 pm on 15 December 2016

Insurance company Youi has been fined a further $320,000 for misleading customers over the past two years.

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Youi has now been fined more than $400,000 in total. Photo: Youi

The decision was announced by the Commerce Commission today and follows a $100,000 fine imposed by the Insurance Council in October.

The South African-owned company pleaded guilty to luring customers to give up information, including debit card details, between 2014 and 2016.

Customers trying to find an online quote without speaking to a salesperson were being called by Youi staff, who tried to push through a sale.

In some cases, customers had their bank accounts debited without permission.

The Commission said Youi's offending confused customers about whether they had obtained a quote or agreed to purchase the insurance policy.

After the October fine, Youi chief executive Danie Matthee said the flaws in its customer service procedures were "not acceptable".