A deceptive and unethical practice in the insurance industry involves inducing a policyholder to cancel an existing insurance policy and purchase a new one, often from the same agent or company, without a genuine benefit to the client. This action typically aims to generate new commissions for the agent, rather than serve the best interests of the policyholder. For example, an agent might convince someone to surrender a life insurance policy with accumulated cash value to buy a new policy with higher premiums, despite the original policy still meeting the client’s needs.
Such conduct undermines trust in the insurance sector and can result in financial harm to policyholders. Historically, regulatory bodies have enacted laws and regulations to prevent this manipulation and protect consumers. The significance lies in ensuring fair dealings and ethical behavior within the insurance marketplace, safeguarding individuals from unnecessary financial losses.