What’s up with SM Advantage’s automatic personal accident coverage? I’ve seen this circulating in emails, but saw the advertisement in newspapers only today.
There’s something that doesn’t smell right. SM Advantage and Philam Insurance automatically deducts 20 points from a cardholder’s rewards card to pay for a P100,000 personal accident insurance.
Granted the insurance will provide a 24-hour coverage worldwide, accidental death benefit, disability benefit etc. etc., but the issue is there’s something really funny about being enrolled unless proven unwilling.
The company didn’t even so much as send an official email to cardholders informing them of the deal. If you don’t know about it, don’t read the newspapers and don’t get to see the ad, you’d never know you’re covered. And guess who is going to claim benefits if you had no idea you have a personal accident insurance!
For those who think they would rather use 20 points to buy a tube of toothpaste or something, you need to fax an accomplished form in the ad you might never see, or submit the same form to a Customer Service counter at any SM Department store or branch. Talk about making it easy for unwitting SM Advantage cardholders to opt out!
If by October 31 you haven’t sent that form yet to the company, sorry na lang???
It’s not the measly 20 points that’s driving me up the wall. It’s the principle that any consumer deserves to be given a real choice before actually being charged!
63 Responses to “The SM Advantage rip-off”
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Pages: [13] 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 … 1 » Show All
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:56 pm
[...] card’s accident insurance automatic enrollment? Read about it in the Money Smarts archives here). Customers also don’t like it when it takes so long for points to be earned and [...]
March 7th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
True Story: BEWARE!!
“Hay nako. ugali talaga siguro ng SM ang mang rip-off, hindi lang sa advantage card!. Nag-grocery kami sa Hypermart non sa SM Meycauayan, and hindi same yung price sa shelf-tag and price sa receipt. Nireklamo namin, sabi nila kesyo promo price daw yung nasa shelf tag (red tag kasi), kesyo tapos na raw yung promo at hindi natanggal yung discounted price, kesyo kesyo….
Then just after around two weeks, grocery ulit kme dun, bili ulit kami nung same product. GANUN PA RIN YUNG PRICE, PERO HINDI NA RED YUNG TAG!! Pina-check namin sa counter, MAS MAHAL yung price na nasa computer kesa nakalagay sa shelf tag. Imagine, nireklamo mo na, kulay lang ng tag yung naiba. Cguro, maliit nga na halaga yung Php 3.50 na difference, pero kung iisipin, ilang items ang may discrepancy sa price sa shelf tag kesa sa price na binabayaran ng costumer?? Sa dami ng tinda nila, magkano kaya nadudugas nila sa isang araw?? Hindi naman lahat ay nagchecheck ng receipt. Hmm….. Ingat ingat lang.”
November 26th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
why havent i got my pin nos,when i signed up to be amamber?
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:53 am
@ freddie….. sure ka ba sa sinulat about the conversion factor sa sm advantage card? e ano conversion rate sa sm appliance center? last time i use the sm card… around 900pts meron…. used more than half to buy snacks and sodas….. but i am sure di ganun kalaki nagastos ko sa sm
October 21st, 2008 at 11:58 am
SM Advantage has been ripping off customers about this insurance policy since several months ago.
Pinoymoneytalk wrote about this before and I think they already filed a complaint with DTI but I don’t know about the updates.
http://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/2008/06/04/unamusing-sm-advantage-card-tricks/
http://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/2008/05/27/sm-advantage-card-insurance/