At Prudential, our clients are at the heart of all we do. We have helped make it easy for millions of Malaysians to enjoy lifestyle security and achieve greater financial freedom.

The Customer Service Charter (“Charter”) was set up in year 2011 with the intention to outline key commitments and service standards for all insurers when providing service to customers.

The Charter reiterates our commitment to:

  • Treat customers fairly, openly and honestly
  • Provide and promote a range of products and services that meet customer needs, are easy to understand and that deliver real value
  • Maintain the confidentiality of our customer information (except where the law requires disclosure)
  • Provide and promote high standards of customer service and monitor these standards rigorously
  • Ensure that our complaints processes provide an effective and fair means of balancing the interests of the Group and customers

We continuously work towards ongoing improvements, and any relevant enhancements to our processes and procedures will be incorporated into our Charter accordingly.

While we strive to uphold the standards outlined in this Charter, this Charter is not intended to, and does not create any legally binding rights or obligations.

Service standards
 

Pillar

Description

Expected Outcome

Insurance Made Accessible

Offer an active engagement model wherein the customer is aware of:
  • Multi-channel options and accessibility for making purchases and enquiries.
  • Where and how to provide feedback, suggestions and complaints.

Better Engagement and Improved Services

Know Your Customer

To understand the customer profile adequately which enable us to:

  • Know and anticipate the customer’s needs and preference.
  • Ask for requisite information and documents to best advice the customer.
  • Offer suitable products and services.

Build Trust

Timely, Transparent and Efficient Services

Deliver a seamless service wherein customers are aware of:

  • Our responsibilities towards customers.
  • Expected service standard and time taken to deliver these services e.g. time taken to answer enquiries/resolve complaints

Customer satisfaction

Fairly, Timely and Transparent Claims Settlement

Deliver a seamless claims processing and settlement experience wherein customers are aware of:

  • Procedures, documentation and steps including various option (if any) for first notification of loss in an event of a claim.
  • Expected service standard for claims processing and specific time taken for each step within the claims processing stages.
  • Various redress mechanisms for unsatisfactory claims payment.

Provide Peace of mind to Customers

Four pillars of the charter’s service standards

Commitment

Service Level

We will make insurance products easily accessible via various channels, physically and virtually, to obtain information, purchase or make enquiries.

  1. We offer an active engagement model wherein customers are aware of:
    • Multi-channel options and accessibility for making purchases and enquiries.
    • Where and how to provide feedback, suggestions and complaints.
       
  2. We reinforce that insurance is easily accessible via various channels, physically and virtually:

 

Note: Channel availability may vary from time to time, and customers will be informed accordingly.

We will actively seek feedback, suggestions or complaints on how we can serve customers better.

  1. Customers are provided with available channels to provide feedback and suggestions via:
  2. We will conduct periodic customer satisfaction feedback/surveys to ensure that customer’s needs are fulfilled.

 Commitment

Service Level

We will strive to help customers find the right product to suit their needs.

  1. Knowledgeable and ethical employees and intermediaries are available to serve customers.

  2. Training:
    • Ensure employees and intermediaries are properly trained on products and services offered.
    • Training must be provided any time a new product is launched and regularly as refresher courses on existing products.
    • In order to understand our customers’ profile adequately, we including our intermediaries shall:
      • Listen attentively to customers.
      • Acknowledge and properly understand the customers’ needs and preferences.
      • Ask for requisite information and documents to advise the customers accordingly and in accordance with the Industry’s Code of Practice on the Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
      • Offer options of suitable products and services to meet the customers’ needs and wants.
         

  1. Understanding Customers’ Needs
     

  2. Any options provided to customers shall be explained and on an “opt-in-basis”, e.g. riders, sharing/using customer information for marketing and research purposes.

Note: Handling of customer information is governed by Bank Negara Malaysia’s Policy Document on Management of Customer Information and Permitted Disclosures and insurers shall operate accordingly.

Service Level Target

80% of customers are being served within the expected service level and timelines.

 Commitment

Service Level

We will set clear responsibilities towards customers and uphold it.

A standard commitment on clear responsibilities to be a mandatory write up on all client charters should cover the following guiding principles:-
 

  1. A clear and concise objective of the Charter

  2. Values to be provided to the customer, e.g. fairness, transparency, integrity, ethics, professionalism, timeliness.

  3. Efficient/effective communication channels.

We will set clear expectation on time taken for various services.

  1. Delivery of Services:
    • Information on turnaround time on delivery of services is made through various channels
    • (Head office/branches/brochures/call centre/corporate website).
       
  2. Standards to be adopted:
    • Serve Walk-in Customer promptly: 
      • Customer Waiting Time: Within 10 minutes

We will ensure efficient policy servicing and providing relevant documentation in a timely manner.


  1. Customers shall be informed of each step and documentation required to alter, renew, surrender or cancel a policy, e.g. what happens when there are changes to the policy, notice on renewal, etc. as well as consequence arising from any of these actions.

  2. Customers are to be reminded in the renewal notice to inform the insurance company of any changes in the risk before renewal.

  3. The standard operating procedure on dealings with customers must be clearly complied with.

We will ensure efficient policy servicing and provide relevant documentation in a timely manner

(Life & Health)

Life & Health

  1. Policy Processing Turnaround Time (from receipt of full documentation, information and payment of premium):-
    • New Policy Issuance (upon acceptance in the policy system)
      • Standard cases – within 5 working days
      • Additional information required / pre-existing medical condition / complex cases – within 10 working days
         
  2. Change of Policy Details (Endorsement):
    • Policy Changes (Financial):
      • Standard cases - within 5 working days
      • Non-Standard cases – within 10 working days
         
  3. Policy Servicing Request:
    • Updating Personal Details: within 3 working days
    • Other Policy Servicing Request:
      • Standard cases - within 5 working days
      • Non-Standard cases - within 10 working days
         
  4. Revival: within 10 working days (with payment and complete documentation)

  5. Renewal notice issuance:
    • Premium due notice will be issued not less than 3 weeks before the next premium due date. (exclude recurring credit/debit card and auto debit payments; and monthly modes)
    • Notification of Revised Premium to renewable basic term policy / term rider will be issued not less than 3 weeks before the expiry of existing policy / rider.
       
  6. Cancellation / Surrendering of policy: 10 working days upon receipt of full documents (include processing of refund premium)
    .
  7. Issuance of Policy Alteration Sustainability Statement (PASS)
    • Standard cases - within 3 working days.
    • Non-standard cases or system issues encountered - within 10 working days. 

Note: The timelines above do not take into account on boarding process – insurers have their own on boarding process/introduction to its products and services.

We will be open and transparent in our dealings.

The following information shall be easily accessible and made available through the various channels of communication such as branch/brochures/call centre/corporate website:

  1. Product related details (i.e. product features, product disclosure sheets, terms and conditions, key facts, exclusions) will be shared at the point of sale.

  2. Fees, charges (i.e. any fees and charges other than the premium) and interest (if any) as well as obligations in the use of a product or service (e.g. when premium needs to be paid and explaining payment before cover warranty).

  3. Anti-fraud statement and key points to remember, i.e. confidentiality of customer information, free look period of 15 days and our right to reject or accept applications.

  4. All the above information shall be explained and stated using simple words and in an easy to understand manner.

We will follow through and provide the requisite answers / updates to customers’ queries and complaints promptly.

  1. Phone:
    • Where no follow up is required – Immediate, such as first call resolution.

    • Where follow up is required – Within 3 working days from date of first call.
       
  2. Written (social media)
    • For Social media:
    • Provide acknowledgement response within 1 working day.
    • Acknowledgement to include expected timeline and any other relevant information.
    • Non-complex enquiry – respond within 3 working days from date of receipt.
       
  3. Counter/Branches:
    • Where no follow up is required, we will endeavour to provide first contact resolution.
    • Where follow up is required – within 3 working days from date of first visit.
Note: Where the enquiry is complex, we will provide a reasonable timeframe and keep customers updated accordingly.

We will ensure consistent and thorough complaints handling.

  1. Customers shall be informed of the various options for submitting a complaint through available channels, depending on channel presence and whichever applicable i.e. provide complaints unit contact details (telephone number, email and address), website, etc.

  2. A verification process has to be performed on the policyholder.

  3. Communicate clearly on the issue and gather adequate information for an informed resolution.

  4. Address the issue an equitable, objective and timely manner by informing the complainant on our decision no later than 5 working days for simple cases and 20 working days for complex cases from the date of the receipt of the complaint.

  5. If the case is complicated or requires further investigation, we shall inform the customer of this and send a progress update every 10 working days.

  6. Keep customers updated if unable to address issues within the stipulated timeframe.

  7. Provide information on escalation to higher alternative avenues if the resolved complaint is not to the customer’s satisfaction. For further information, please refer to here
Note: Complaints management and timeline is governed by the guidelines spelt out by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and insurers will operate accordingly.

Commitment

Service Level

We will set clear timeline for claims settlement process and strive to settle claims within these prescribed timeline and in a transparent manner.

To set clear timeline for claims settlement process and strive to settle claims within these prescribed timelines and in a transparent manner by adopting the following procedures:
 

  1. Customers will be informed of the estimated time taken for claims settlement process and expected service standard. This information shall be made available through various channels (i.e. branches/brochures/ call centre/website).

  2. Customers shall be informed on the acknowledgment of their claim within 7 working days from receipt of claims notification.

  3. If documentation/information is incomplete, customers shall be informed within 14 working days from acknowledgement of the claim by the Claims Department.

  4. To state key claims procedures and assign timelines to it, i.e. appointment of adjuster, claims assessment, etc.

  5. Customers will be updated on the progress / decision every 14 working days.

  6. In the event of a catastrophe / disaster, e.g. large number of claims may be received, as such meeting timelines stipulated may not be possible, the insurers will strive to update every 20 working days on the progress.

We will inform customer of the next level of escalation if the claims settlement / rejection is not to his/her satisfaction.

To keep the customer informed of the next level of escalation if the claims settlement /repudiation is not to his / her satisfaction.
 

  1. Customers shall be provided with available channels to appeal on a decision / raise disputes (i.e. branches/brochures/call centre/website).

  2. Any letter of rejection/repudiation of any element of a claim and dispute on quantum which is within the purview of the Financial Ombudsman Scheme must contain the following statement prominently:
     

If you are not satisfied with our response or decision, and if your complaint involves a sum of up to RM250,000, you may lodge your dispute to the Financial Markets Ombudsman Services (FMOS), within 6 months from the date of our final decision or after 60 calendar days from the date of your dispute was first referred to us of which no response has been received from us, at the following address:
 

Financial Markets Ombudsman Service

 

(Formerly known as Ombudsman for Financial Services)

 

Company No: 200401025885

 

Level 14, Main Block, Menara Takaful Malaysia

 

No. 4 Jalan Sultan Sulaiman

 

50000 Kuala Lumpur

 

Tel: 1-300-88-5465

 

Website: www.fmos.org.my

 

Or

 

If your complaint does not fall within the purview of the FMOS, you may refer your complaint to the Laman Informasi Nasihat dan Khidmat (LINK) of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) at the following address:

 

BNMLINK

 

Jabatan LINK & Pejabat Wilayah BNM

 

4th Floor, Podium Bangunan AICB

 

No. 10, Jalan Dato’ Onn

 

50480 Kuala Lumpur

 

Tel: 1-300-88-5465

 

Web form: https://www.bnm.gov.my/BNMLINK