Q. An insurance salesman had the following question. His business requires offering insurance packages to customers. Often times the customers have previous insurance policies in place, and he is merely trying to convince them to replace their preexisting policies with a new policy from him. If he knows the customer previously bought a insurance policy from a frum yid, and he would technically by causing the first yid a loss if he is indeed successful in convincing the customer to cancel the first insurance package and buy a new one from him, is it still acceptable to try selling to that customer? The same may be asked for CPA’s trying to convince clients to switch over to them. What must be considered?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that if the client approaches the insurance agent or the prospective CPA, they are allowed to offer their services at a better rate and conditions than the existing ones.
At the time of the renewal of the insurance policies or the CPA’s contract, they may also be permitted to approach a prospective client to provide and offer their services at a better terms and conditions. However, since there may be other considerations involved, a competent Rabbi familiar with the conditions and terms of the case, should be consulted.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a