[sorry to post this both in Asia and Australia but it is relevant to both]

In a cheap and thoroughly disrespectful way of making money from their customers, AIG Insurance with the obvious blessing of Tiger Airways has commenced fooling people into taking out insurance that they may not want.

Here's how it works: contrary to expected practice, best practice, fair trading practice and the law as it relates to insurance, the Tiger Airways site requires you to actively opt-out of the insurance option. So if you miss clicking the button which says "No, I don't want insurance" then you pay. What a sad little scheme this is. Having missed (as I think many will) the necessity to click the button and having realised that I had purchased something that I did not want, I immediately contacted Tiger Airways and AIG. This was a mammoth effort in itself as they seem to be intentionally hiding their contact details. And don't just try replying to their confirmation e-mail. It bounces.

Once you locate an email address, do not expect anything close to reasonable service or response. I have asked them to forward the letter to the AIG and Tiger Airways Boards but they refuse to confirm that they have done this despite 5 requests. One can only assume that they have not forwarded my complaint.

On the substantive issue of tricking people into insurance, their eventual response denying my right to cancel the unwanted policy included the utterly disingenuous "The insurance option check box is pre-checked in order to maximize convenience for our customers". It is only really convenient for the companies involved. I am having difficulty in establishing where I experienced the "convenience" in all of this.

I, personally, won't be booking any more flights with Tiger Airways until they and AIG insurance change their internet sales practices. Additionally, I am pursuing the matter with regulatory authorities in Singapore and Australia.

You have been warned.