ICICI Bank insists on account opening at nearest branch. Help?

[xfactcc]

Dear TFians,

2 weeks ago I visited a ICICI Bank branch where I and my brother have shifted for work to enquire about the famous ICICI Lombard group health insurance policy, for which they said bank account is mandatory.

Now I want to open an account for my brother, but his permanant address is located some 30 kms away. Based on this the BM insists he must open account at the nearest branch because physical verification of address is mandatory and it will be difficult for them to do that due to distance.

My brother doesn't go home and only gets sundays off making is difficult for him to visit nearest branch for account opening. These days banks allow account opening anywhere, but ICICI Bank is saying as per 'new guidelines' branch nearest to pincode must open account as per their level 1 customer care.

I have reached till level 1 customer care and they are sticking by it. Is it valid or am I being hoodwinked?

 

[Tejo]

Dear TFians,

2 weeks ago I visited a ICICI Bank branch where I and my brother have shifted for work to enquire about the famous ICICI Lombard group health insurance policy, for which they said bank account is mandatory.

Now I want to open an account for my brother, but his permanant address is located some 30 kms away. Based on this the BM insists he must open account at the nearest branch because physical verification of address is mandatory and it will be difficult for them to do that due to distance.

My brother doesn't go home and only gets sundays off making is difficult for him to visit nearest branch for account opening. These days banks allow account opening anywhere, but ICICI Bank is saying as per 'new guidelines' branch nearest to pincode must open account as per their level 1 customer care.

I have reached till level 1 customer care and they are sticking by it. Is it valid or am I being hoodwinked?

Might it due to bank policy.

You can open nearest branch located to your work place, you might need atleast id card.

As you are taking Lombard insurance, they will make you take mab requirement ac, further you might get pre-approved loans/cc. So they are doing pre-verification of physical address.

You can complete vkyc with an half an hour, if you do an initial funding of 1lakh you will get zero balance account else 10k mab ac.

 

[xfactcc]

Might it due to bank policy.

I will see to it if is in violation of RBI's master direction on KYC

You can open nearest branch located to your work place, you might need atleast id card.

BM did not offer that option, said account opening will have be at the nearest branch of address

As you are taking Lombard insurance, they will make you take mab requirement ac, further you might get pre-approved loans/cc. So they are doing pre-verification of physical address.

Not necessarily, it mandatory because first premium must be deducted from savings account thereafter from any payment method as per them, even BSBDA will work as I have confirmed.

You can complete vkyc with an half an hour, if you do an initial funding of 1lakh you will get zero balance account else 10k mab ac.

Online account opening is not working since this morning, see screenshot.

 

[Tejo]

I will see to it if is in violation of RBI's master direction on KYC


BM did not offer that option, said account opening will have be at the nearest branch of address


Not necessarily, it mandatory because first premium must be deducted from savings account thereafter from any payment method as per them, even BSBDA will work as I have confirmed.


Online account opening is not working since this morning, see screenshot.

Just go to another branch and say they are taking ac opening application or not.

Any bm will advise to open in our branch only saying blah. ......

 

[aayusharyan]

Dear TFians,

2 weeks ago I visited a ICICI Bank branch where I and my brother have shifted for work to enquire about the famous ICICI Lombard group health insurance policy, for which they said bank account is mandatory.

Now I want to open an account for my brother, but his permanant address is located some 30 kms away. Based on this the BM insists he must open account at the nearest branch because physical verification of address is mandatory and it will be difficult for them to do that due to distance.

My brother doesn't go home and only gets sundays off making is difficult for him to visit nearest branch for account opening. These days banks allow account opening anywhere, but ICICI Bank is saying as per 'new guidelines' branch nearest to pincode must open account as per their level 1 customer care.

I have reached till level 1 customer care and they are sticking by it. Is it valid or am I being hoodwinked?

If you open the account, I think later you can switch branch. Not sure, but I think can be a way. Others can confirm this approach if it works or not.

 

[Baki]

Any way to open account online?

 

[quino]

I will see to it if is in violation of RBI's master direction on KYC


BM did not offer that option, said account opening will have be at the nearest branch of address


Not necessarily, it mandatory because first premium must be deducted from savings account thereafter from any payment method as per them, even BSBDA will work as I have confirmed.


Online account opening is not working since this morning, see screenshot.

i don't understand how cool ppl are about this. just take the policy online. no need to open shitty bank acc. branch ppl are scamming you, they get bonus on each account opening. all banks are becoming sales companies now-a-days. very sad to see.

 

[xfactcc]

i don't understand how cool ppl are about this. just take the policy online. no need to open shitty bank acc. branch ppl are scamming you, they get bonus on each account opening. all banks are becoming sales companies now-a-days. very sad to see.

I wanted to open a basic savings account, I think that got him to avoid it. The surprising fact is that even level 1 customer care is also parotting the same 'new guidelines'. I guess escalations will be required. 😩

 

[xfactcc]

Any way to open account online?

Apparently not right now

 

[xfactcc]

Update:

• Raised it to their Twitter, got a call back them saying there is no such policy and one can open account anywhere in India
• Revisited branch BM, but he stuck to his position and asked me to visit nearest branch to given address
• Surprisingly received email from care@icicibank.com: "We inform you that, as per the revert received from Branch Manager Mr. XXX Das, that as per the new guidelines during account sourcing at different PIN codes system is blocking the process at approval level by nearest branch manager." basically.
• Forwarded it to customercare@icicibank.com asking for justification, received a call where the rep again towed the line and confirmed the BM's stance
• I immediately replied to the same email and asked them to give this in writing
• Then momentarily I forgot about it
• Then I received a call 10 days later from the DBM of the branch and he said account will be opened, no problem; and requested me to withdraw the complaint
• Today I received an email from headservicequality that the account will be opened as DBM has informed

It started 31 October, ended Dec 16. It was lengthy but their BS finally stopped.

Lesson: If you think something is wrong, escalate through proper channels or social media, it may take time, but you will get your way.

 

[raghu.rokda]

There is one more method..
You can go through my all icici account opening part…