Insurance in overdrive

With the de-tariffing of insurance premia round the corner, insurers have got into a marketing overdrive. They now head the list of pesky marketing callers, hard-selling new schemes or egging customers to switch between schemes. Like the RBI, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) will soon have to think of mandating a No Call Directory to shield those who dont want to be harassed by marketing calls. From the consumer point of view, relief from incessant phone calls may also reduce through privacy protection rules in the proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection Act. The draft amendment says, "There is an increasing trend of violation of the privacy of consumers. Hence it is considered essential to declare the right to privacy as a separate right.'' Service providers who part with customer information can then be hauled before consumer courts.

Confusion confounded

When it comes to property deals, retail investors are not the only ones who are in the soup. In Delhi, Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouse, two among the big four accounting firms find themselves in a property muddle. While the former was the target of last week's sealing drive by the municipal authorities, PriceWaterhouse rushed off to obtain legal opinion on some of its properties and has learnt that there are indeed irregularities in their acquisition.