MP calls ematology Ward for life insurance inquiry amid M.E.N.campaign

MOTION LAUNCHED IN PARLIAMENT OVER CASES OF TERMINAL ILLNESS

- HELENA VESTY

A MOTION has been launched in Parliament calling for an inquiry after the Manchester Evening News started a powerful campaign for change for terminally ill people.

The M.E.N.'s health reporter, Helena Vesty, carried out a shocking investigation into the cases of two men, Shaun Pinkney from Salford and Mark Brookes from the West Midlands who are dying from horrific cancers.

Both have fallen foul of the same small print, which states the terminally ill can only make a claim for an early life insurance payment if they have 18 months or more left on their policy.

Neither Shaun nor Mark had even started suffering from cancer symptoms before the 18-month deadline.

In 2013, Aviva stopped selling these types of policies where there is a cutoff for claiming for terminal illnesses at 18 months prior to the expiry of the rest of the policy. Yet neither cancer patient was ever told about that change to Aviva's policies, nor warned at the 18-month mark that a key part of their policy was about to time-out.

The M.E.N. urged the MPs of the two men to take action. Our health reporter worked with the office of Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, sharing the findings of our investigation into these life insurance policies.

This week, the Salford MP has brought an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for an inquiry across the insurance industry about these 'pernicious' policies.

Inquiry called for in Parliament as policies are 'unfair, impractical, and not fit for purpose' In May and June, Ms Long-Bailey wrote letters to the insurance company urging its bosses to reconsider their decision to not pay out in cases like this.