A chance for all bankrupts to change your life - Your help needed!

4$£&*(£$&*(!

16 minutes later, this reply came. Obviously well-researched and time-considered (sic). Anyone have tips where to go from here? -

Thank you for your email.

The ABI is a trade association and lobbying organisation for insurance companies. We are not involved in the setting of questions by insurance companies on their proposal forms and therefore do not have the information you are seeking or can take the action you ask of us. It is entirely a matter for individual insurance companies.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

I read this - http://www.abi.org.uk/About_The_ABI/43793.pdf - then got quite annoyed at the ABI's response to me. As a result, I penned this reply -

I am confused by your response, given your current organisational objectives include:

Improving outcomes for consumers: ABI members want to increase confidence and trust in the industry and stimulate demand for products. To do this, the industry needs to improve outcomes for customers by dealing with areas of detriment that can be addressed through collective action.

As part of the strategic focus, I have highlighted an area of detriment, pointed to the evidence this focus needs to be implemented, and I fundamentally believe this also feeds into your objectives on regulation and market confidence.

If I have misunderstood your objectives, I very much appreciate you clarifying what exactly are the aims of your objectives. To clarify the final point of your email, you are advising me you have absolutely no interest in seeking your members are steered away from a matter which risk has not been proven, and this is your final position on this? I need to be absolutely clear on this point you feel it is not your position to steer your members in this format, so I can put these points to the Regulator and the Principal SoS for BIS.

fiveyearplan

roger196 wrote: »

There must be research at university level on evaluating risk in terms of bankruptcy. Have you done a search on the PhD database ( both UK and USA)? As I am retired I no longer have ready access to this. Always worth checking who is sponsoring the student though.
The other research hypothesis is how the elapse of time from bankruptcy relates to risk (at a guess negative exponential).
Could the voiding term be challenged under the consumer unfair terms legislation. Suggest you have a word with trading standards/ someone who teaches in this area.

The only problem with this is any statistics can be skewed to provide an outcome that the originator wants it to provide.

wayforward_2

Another good MEP response

"I can more than empathise with your deep frustrations, if not outright anger, at the callous way in which the EU affects the lives of law abiding citizens. While I cannot comment on the particulars of your own case, I can understand how coming into contact with the unrepresentative and impersonal nature of the modern European Union can be an infuriating experience for any rational person.
I am pleased to say that some MEP's are already taking action. This is exactly why the Conservative Party left the EPP and established the Conservative and Reformists Grouping in the European Parliament; the first
time the parliament has had an opposition. No longer bound by the
federalist ideology of the EPP we are free to scrutinise every piece of legislation and every inch of overregulation. My colleagues and I are constantly working to make the EU more accountable to the individual. It is our hope that frustrations such as yours will become a thing of the past.
I will of course keep you and all my constituents up to date with our efforts. In the meantime, if I can be of any assistance to you in the future please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Regards,

Nirj Deva MEP"

4$£&*(£$&*(!

wayforward wrote: »

Another good MEP response

"I can more than empathise with your deep frustrations, if not outright anger, at the callous way in which the EU affects the lives of law abiding citizens. While I cannot comment on the particulars of your own case, I can understand how coming into contact with the unrepresentative and impersonal nature of the modern European Union can be an infuriating experience for any rational person.
I am pleased to say that some MEP's are already taking action. This is exactly why the Conservative Party left the EPP and established the Conservative and Reformists Grouping in the European Parliament; the first
time the parliament has had an opposition. No longer bound by the
federalist ideology of the EPP we are free to scrutinise every piece of legislation and every inch of overregulation. My colleagues and I are constantly working to make the EU more accountable to the individual. It is our hope that frustrations such as yours will become a thing of the past.
I will of course keep you and all my constituents up to date with our efforts. In the meantime, if I can be of any assistance to you in the future please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Regards,

Nirj Deva MEP"

I hate to sound negative about that, but Nirj's email to you sounds as they have just decided the EU is to blame for all problems and they're trying to withdraw from much of the European constitution. As a result, I think you've got a generic email from Nirj which is probably sent to anyone who raises a problem.

I'd ask for specifics how you can be helped to resolve this problem from them, given I think we can now be considered as a pretty powerful lobbying group and some action needs to be taken.

Reminder to all - Parliament sits from this coming Wednesday, an ideal time to remind your MP you need answers from them.

fiveyearplan

There was an article in Metro (London free newspaper) today about how unfair it is for people with criminal records (and their families!) to have to declare to insurance companies. I left the newspaper at my desk but will try and post more of the article tomorrow - it might be worth jumping on their bandwagon!

Scotston

Thankyou for posting this.

My partner is going BR, and although it is a hard choice, atleast it is making him sleep again at night knowing that he is no longer going to be chased and threatened, and that it is a slow climb out of being in debt

Its thanks to threads like this that tell us both that there is life afterwards

property.advert

fiveyearplan wrote: »

There was an article in Metro (London free newspaper) today about how unfair it is for people with criminal records (and their families!) to have to declare to insurance companies. I left the newspaper at my desk but will try and post more of the article tomorrow - it might be worth jumping on their bandwagon!

There are statutes which can lead to criminal sentences becoming "spent" to the extent that the conviction can normally be ignored. These provisions fall under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. An example is here http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/rehabact.htm

I also question the need for institutions to retain a whole of life list of ex BRs and penalise them for what amounts to crimes for which the law in general has handed out its punishment and the time has been spent.

I agree that after 6 years, as that is the number currently used in these circumstances, the record should be clean, reflecting only those last 6 years.

About_Time_3

Unfortunately I don't believe anything will change until this directly affects someone in politics, related to a politician, or someone with financial influence over the politician.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

Here's another suggestion then. This will take quite a bit of work, but everyone can join in.

Check with your insurer if they need to know if you, or anyone else living at the address, has ever been bankrupt.

If they don't need to know, ask them why not.

If they do need to know, write a letter of complaint and request evidence why bankruptcy should cause a higher premium.

I have taken the liberty to compose a draft letter, which the last sentence intimates you will take their response to the Ombudsman if they don't co-operate. My insurance company does not take bankruptcy into account, so I have written to them asking why not, and stating I am trying to shame the big players into action.

DRAFT LETTER TO SEND IF YOUR INSURER REQUIRES YOU TO INFORM THEM OF A BANKRUPTCY:

Dear xxxxx,

I am aware your company requires me to inform you if I/anyone living at my address (delete as appropriate) have ever been declared bankrupt.

I believe this is unfair discrimination as the terms of your insurance requires me to declare this throughout the entire life of a bankrupt person [residing with me](delete as appropriate), no matter how many years ago the bankruptcy took place. I believe, at the very most, a bankruptcy cannot be considered beyond six years as this is the period of time the Credit Reference Agencies discount such markers for financial purposes.

Would you therefore provide me with evidential details why you consider it appropriate for your customers to declare a bankrupt person lives at the address where cover is to be held at, and what evidence you have to support asking this question for the entire lifetime of a bankrupt.

If you do not wish to provide me with the evidence I request, please provide a full and final letter of deadlock.


Yours sincerely,

Mr and Mrs Getting their own back