PHICHIT – Anger has erupted in Phichit after a fake insurance agent was found selling group policies to parents of young children in local schools and nurseries. The case came to light when a three-year-old was badly burned after falling into a charcoal furnace.
After nearly 50 days in the hospital and losing three toes, her parents tried to claim on the insurance they had bought, only to find out the policy was worthless.
The scam began when someone posed as an agent for a well-known insurance company at a parent meeting. They convinced parents to take out group insurance for their children, promising compensation for accidents or serious injuries. Each policy cost 200 baht per child, and 25 parents paid the fee through the nursery staff.
The only evidence of the purchase was a receipt for 5,000 baht. No one received an actual policy or had a chance to read any terms and conditions. Parents believed the agent had been checked and approved by the nursery or local authorities.
Insurance Policy Wasn’t Valid
When the little girl suffered her accident and her parents tried to make a claim, they realized they had been tricked. The agent later offered them part of the hospital costs and even tried to settle the matter with a 50,000 baht payment.
However, the parents refused and filed a complaint. Local authorities and the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) in Phichit are now treating the case as criminal fraud.
Savitree Sroyuta, district chief of Wang Sai Phun, confirmed that this unlicensed agent had been selling similar group policies in several schools and nurseries in the area for years. Only now, after a serious incident, has it become clear that the agent had no links to any insurance company.
The provincial governor has directed departments to give full support to the affected family. The girl will be sent to Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok for further care. The local council has set aside funds for travel costs, and social services will help with accommodation for the family during treatment.
Investigations also found that another 93 children and their families at a nearby primary school lost money in the same scam. The district office has called an urgent meeting with the heads of 18 local schools to check if other parents and students have been affected.
Anek Thanomjit, a local prosecutor, said investigators must confirm if the alleged agent was ever authorized and look into who else knew about or benefited from selling these fake policies. The accused faces charges of fraud, along with breaking laws covering the insurance business.
If found guilty, sentences include two to five years in prison, fines of 200,000 to 500,000 baht, or both. Daily fines may also apply until the offence stops. The case is ongoing, and local authorities are urging parents to check the credentials of anyone selling insurance to protect themselves and their children from similar scams.
