Complaint Review: Affinion Group/Affinion Benefits Group

I wish I'd seen this site before I considered taking insurance with Affinion. After carefully reviewing the supplemental policy, I decided this wasn't the type of insurance I wanted. The next business day, I called to cancel my policy. Not no time did the person I spoke to state the premium would still be deducted, or that I would have to officially make a refund request. It wasn't until a couple of days later, when I noticed a deduction from my account, did I learn a valuable lesson.

I immediately called (4 Mar 09) to request the premium be returned to my account. I was told they didn't have my premium and once it's posted, I need to call back after the 10th to request a refund. I told the representative I spoke to that they did have my premium and asked why should I have to call back when you already know I want a refund? The representative emphactically declared they didn't have my premium. Not satisfied with his response, I then phone my bank to see what they could do about reversing the transaction. I was told they couldn't because Affinion (despite the representative's insistance) had received the premium. Now I'm really annoyed and again called Affinion. This time I was told I'd they do have my premium, but I'd have to call back on the 10th to request a refund. Mind you, this is still on 4 Mar 09.

Still dissatisfied, I requested to speak to a supervisor, who at this time told me I still had to wait for my refund and a note on my previous call stated I was told I'd receive refund request papers in 5 - 10 business days. I then told him, if that were the case I wouldn't have called again and then asked why do I need to fill-out a formal request when you already know you need to return my premium. I told them their entire process stinks and I would never do any kind of future transactions with them.

A couple of days later, I received a letter stating my insurance would be cancelled effective 1 Jun 09, not the date of my request 2 Mar 09. Again I called to verify my insurance was cancelled effective the day of my initial call 2 Mar 09. I was told it was and I should receive refund request documents within the next few days. I completed and returned the request documents. I'm awaiting my refund which can now take an additional 2-4 weeks from receipt by Affinion. WHAT A RIP-OFF!

Gina k.
Belleville, Illinois
U.S.A.