Debeka life insurance sued: cancellation deduction clause under the microscope

Debeka life insurance sued: cancellation deduction clause under the microscope

According to a report by www.versicherungsbote.de, the Hamburg consumer advice center has sued Debeka life insurance. The reason for this is the non-transparent and unreasonable cancellation clause in the contracts, which burdens customers if they leave early. The consumer advocates accuse Debeka of discriminating against consumers and violating the Insurance Contract Act.

The cancellation clause in Debeka life insurance contracts has caused a lot of unpleasant mail. The Hamburg consumer advice center has sued the Koblenz insurer over the said clause because it does not meet the legal requirements regarding transparency and appropriateness. According to the consumer advice center, cancellation costs should be communicated transparently before the contract is concluded so that customers can estimate what costs will be incurred in the event of a cancellation. However, Debeka refers to varying and unknown interest rates that are neither known nor understandable by customers. This means that customers have to calculate the amount of deductions themselves using a complicated procedure, which is non-transparent from the consumer advice center's point of view.

This lawsuit could have far-reaching effects on the insurance market, as other insurers could also receive warnings and lawsuits from the Hamburg consumer advice center in the future. The consumer advice center is currently checking whether customers of other insurance companies are also affected by illegal cancellation deduction clauses. If customers with other insurers have to accept similarly high or undefined cancellation deductions, further lawsuits could follow. This could lead to a rethink among insurers regarding their cancellation clauses and ultimately lead to greater transparency and consumer protection.