Insurance doesn’t always get a good Press and those of us inside the industry would be quick to leap to its defense in most cases. However, where do you stand on the idea of a widower’s car insurance premium doubling after his wife’s death?
For that is the issue that has made national headlines on the back of intrepid fundraiser Rex Rowe suffering a serious car insurance hike after his wife Sandra passed away.
Originally reported in the
Nottingham Post, Sandra, who ran sandwich shops and bakeries, passed away on August 04, aged 70, following a second stroke having battled a heart condition since childhood.
Shortly after the news of her death, Mr Rowe received an annual premium increase from Marks & Spencer that took his car insurance costs up from £186.84 to £465. He described the hike as “insult to injury” and “immoral”.
Rowe feels especially wronged as he was told last year that adding his wife to the policy would make things “a bit cheaper” even though the insurer knew she was ill. He states that he has never made a claim in more than 60 years of driving.
However, for Marks & Spencer the equation was simple – Mr Rowe was replacing Mrs Rowe as the main driver and this resulted in the increase.
So while the story grabs headlines and once again puts the insurance industry under a negative spotlight, where do you stand on the issue? Was the premium hike deserved no matter what the unfortunate circumstances were? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
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