New quality standards for telephone marketing

In future, binding quality standards for all Curafutura (in German) members (Helsana, CSS, Sanitas and KPT) will govern collaboration between health insurance companies and agents. These standards apply to the basic insurance as well as the supplementary insurance and will enter into force on 1 January 2016. By accepting these standards all members undertake to work only with qualified agents who are registered with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, were audited for their suitability and integrity, and provide advice of a good quality. This should ensure that unprofessional and unwelcome marketing calls disappear from the market.

Helsana already introduced this quality strategy on 1 July 2015. In addition to the standards that have already been implemented, such as the advisory protocol accompanied by an up-to-date copy of the policy issued by the previous insurer, Curafutura members no longer make any cold calls (calls without the prior consent of the call recipient).

Regular review of guidelines

A working group known as the Advisory Circle will regularly check that agents follow the new guidelines and that the measures have the desired effect, i.e. to win the trust of the customers. Curafutura invited consumer protection organisations to join the Advisory Circle in an effort to learn more about consumers' view of market problems and to jointly discuss possible future options for improvement.