(Photo: Daniel Tepper/BB)
Wells Fargo's bank insurance sales problems may have led to more than 1,000 questionable sales of simplified term life policies between Oct. 15, 2009, and Dec. 12, 2016, according to the settlement document released last week in California.
The California Department of Insurance identified possible problems with 205 simplified term life sales in early December 2017, when it announced that it had started to consider whether to revoke Wells Fargo ability to sell insurance in California.
Concerns about Wells Fargo insurance sales first drew national attention in December 2016, when three former Prudential employees talked raised questions about the term life program in a lawsuit. Prudential and Great-West ended their insurance sales relationships with Wells Fargo after allegations of problems surfaced.
Officials in California announced last week that they have negotiated a $575 million settlement with Wells Fargo on behalf of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The settlement covers problems with mortgage rate-lock fees and auto loan add-on products as well as problems related to the sale of term life insurance, renters insurance and other products.
Wells Fargo put too much pressure on branch employees to meet overly aggressive sales goals, officials allege in pleadings filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Regulators have accused Wells Fargo of opening more than 3.5 million unauthorized accounts.
