It was worth it: Steffi Jobst got back from Barmenia 633 euros overpaid closing costs for her Riester pension insurance. Riester saver Christine Kiesenbauer was credited 665 euros by the Volkswohl Bund. For the Lehrke couple, it was a total of 610 euros for their two Riester contracts with Allianz Lebensversicherung. Bernhard Manthey also got back overpaid expenses of 124 euros for his contract with Allianz. Lars Beengaard received 315 euros back from his insurer Proxalto. For Proxalto customer Uwe Kleinert it was even just under 1,337 euros. And 219 euros from Thomas Meentzen, who has a Riester contract with Generali insurer.
Too high acquisition and distribution costs
what happened there? The insurers of these Riester customers had collected too much acquisition and sales costs, which they later had to credit the contract again. But none of the companies did it of their own accord. Jobst, Kiesenbauer, Manthey and the Lehrke couple received the reimbursement only after they had asked the insurer. Beengaard and Kleinert complained to the insurance ombudsman (see box). Meentzen was right after a lawsuit before the Syke district court. His lawyer Harald Weymann from Twistringen in Lower Saxony enforced an acknowledgment there (Az. 25 C 830/18). Generali had dismissed this judgment as an “individual case”. As our list at the beginning shows, not only individual customers are affected.
Free help
If the insurer reacts negatively or not at all to a complaint, a complaint to the insurance ombudsman can help. His service is free of charge, but you can still take legal action later. Information on the complaint procedure can be found at versicherungsombudsmann.de. If the amount in dispute is up to EUR 10,000, the insurer is bound by the decision of the ombudsman. The state supervision receives information on violations of the regulations by the insurer (bafin.de). She can help too.
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Riester providers have cashed several times
For Riester pension policies, insurers are not allowed to collect multiple acquisition and distribution costs if, for example, customers reduce their own amount and then increase it again. Because a Riester contract should adapt to life: A saver starts her Riester contract as a young professional and pays in according to her income. As a young mother, she reduces her own contribution because child allowances are now included in the contract so that she has to pay less herself. If she no longer receives child benefit for the children, she pays a higher contribution again, as before. Riester providers have used this normal case to even cash in three times. Once upon conclusion of the contract, the second time there are costs for the new allowance and the third time when the contributions are increased again.
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Customers have to take action themselves
The Ministry of Finance and the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bafin) have banned this practice. But the insurers do not have to compensate those affected without being asked. And on the basis of the contract documents, it is often not clear whether the insured person has been asked to pay more than once.
Tip: Ask your insurer to review the acquisition and distribution costs charged. The following reasons can be an indication of overpaid costs.
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Disadvantaged for mothers
Steffi Jobst reduced her contribution during her parental leave and then increased it again. Barmenia used this to re-charge her closing costs. When she complained, the insurer re-credited the excess money. “I find it extremely annoying that you have to actively write to the insurance company,” she says. “Here it is speculated that only a fraction of those affected will report and that the insurers will simply be able to reap unjustified amounts”, adds the air traffic controller.
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More to ask than previously announced
It is also annoying when insurers charge more than previously stated. In the stand notifications from Generali, which it sent out in the first few years after the start of the contract, it says: “The acquisition and distribution costs are generally waived after 10 years at the latest. The same applies to the costs of all additional increases due to special payments … the costs (remain) unchanged until they finally cease to exist. “After the ten years, Generali changed this wording in the messages that were then sent:” The acquisition costs of your insurance generally no longer apply at the latest 10 years from the commencement of insurance … In the event of increases due to supplements or our own special payments, we retain one-off acquisition costs. ”There is no longer any question of costs that“ ultimately do not apply ”.
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Lawsuits are still possible
However, Bafin attaches importance to the fact that stand notifications are “free of contradictions”, so the information must not contradict one another. Customers who receive similar letters therefore have a chance of a refund. However, a complaint to the supervisory authority or the insurance ombudsman is no guarantee that costs will be reimbursed. Customers who are unsuccessful with a complaint can still sue.
Leseraufruf. Have you complained about the high costs of your Riester pension insurance? How did the insurer react? Write us an email [email protected].
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