OREANDA-NEWS. May 05, 2014. The Commission of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Republic of Tatarstan (Tatarstan OFAS Russia) found that “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. in the person of its branch in the Republic of Tatarstan violated Clause 3 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

Since the end of 2013, Tatarstan OFAS Russia started receiving complaints from physical persons that when they had wished to buy a mandatory third party liability insurance agreement (OSAGO) from “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd., they had been forced to purchase individual accident insurance policies (“Fortuna-Avto”). If a customer did not wish to purchase an additional policy, this customer was unable to conclude an OSAGO agreement.

To resolve the situation promptly, Tatarstan OFAS Russia issued a warning to “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. to stop imposing voluntary accident and illness insurance policies (including, “Fortuna-Avto” insurance policies) when customers buy a mandatory third party liability insurance; do not refuse (avoid) concluding voluntary accident and illness insurance agreements if a consumer disagrees to buy voluntary accident and illness insurance policies (including “Fortuna-Avto”); provide possibility for the clients of “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. to purchase mandatory third party liability insurance policies without imposing other agreements irrelevant to the subject matter of an agreement or disadvantageous for the clients.

According to the response of a branch of “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. in the Republic of Tatarstan to the regional Office of FAS, when clients want to conclude an OSAGO agreement they are offered to purchase a voluntary life and health insurance policy, independently from concluding an OSAGO agreement.

Nevertheless, Tatarstan OFAS Russia continued receiving complaints from citizens that they were forced to buy “Fortuna-Avto” policy to enter into an OSAGO agreement. It constituted the grounds for initiating a case against the insurance company upon signs of violating the antimonopoly law. At the time of making a decision on the case by the Commission of Tatarstan OFAS Russia, there were more than a hundred complaints.

Having investigated the case, the Commission of Tatarstan OFAS Russia issued a determination to “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. Members of staff or agents of “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. must not force physical persons – vehicle owners to buy additional insurance services, in which those physical persons are not interested, and cannot refuse to conclude OSAGO agreements if the insured do not simultaneously buy policies for other insurance services.

The Commission of Tatarstan OFAS Russia issued a determination to transfer the income, obtained as a result of violating the antimonopoly law by “Rosgosstrakh” Ltd. in the person of its branch in the Republic of Tatarstan, - 158,307,370 RUB - to the federal budget.