Credit card after death

dullnote

My inlaws had a card main holder was father inlaw and mother inlaw had a second card.

He died and mother inlaw over 70 now can not get a card, how is this fair?

Also when talking to the card company was told If she had purchased anything and the company went bust she would not be covered, even when me father inlaw was alive.

Is this right and if so why are the card companies not explaining this.


Dullnote

grumbler

dullnote wrote: »

My inlaws had a card main holder was father inlaw and mother inlaw had a second card.

He died and mother inlaw over 70 now can not get a card, how is this fair?

How is this not fair? In fact her husband just allowed her using his CC account (while taking full responsibility for her transactions), that is now closed.

Nothing stops her from applying for her own CC, but there is no guarantee that she will be accepted.

Also when talking to the card company was told If she had purchased anything and the company went bust she would not be covered, even when me father inlaw was alive.

Is this right and if so why are the card companies not explaining this.

This is right.

Section 75 refunds

dalesrider

A credit card is only in one name. The account holder allows other people to have a card.
Sorry for the loss.
On the up side. Yor Mother in law is not liable to pay any of the outstanding debt on the card, even is she had bought goods etc.

On the if she bought anything, statement that "It would not be covered"... Depends on when it was bought. Pre death. It would be covered, Although in theory, they would need to speak to the main cardholder (very hard) to be able to do anything.
After death. I would guess, that as the main card holder is no longer alive the account would be closed. As such should not be being used.
So she had better not use the card at all now.


TBH. Why does she need a credit card?

Paul_Herring

dullnote wrote: »

My inlaws had a card main holder was father inlaw and mother inlaw had a second card.

He died and mother inlaw over 70 now can not get a card, how is this fair?

Because MiL's use of a credit card was based on FiL's credit record; once he passed away, the account had t to be closed - if MiL wants a CC in her own right, she must now rely on her own credit record. I suspect that her file will be rather thin if all finances were dealt with FiL, which will be why she can't obtain a credit card in her own right.

I might suggest she try, if she hasn't already, asking the bank(s) where she holds her current account if they could provide a card based on her history with them, rather than solely relying on her credit report.

Also when talking to the card company was told If she had purchased anything and the company went bust she would not be covered, even when me father inlaw was alive.

Is this right and if so why are the card companies not explaining this.

Grey area - again, it's based on the fact that she isn't the account holder - the only one who is protected by Section 75; the grey area is if the purchase was for the main holder - S75 may still hold.

grumbler

dullnote wrote: »

... when talking to the card company was told If she had purchased anything and the company went bust she would not be covered, even when me father inlaw was alive. ...

dalesrider wrote: »

... Depends on when it was bought. Pre death. It would be coverd, ...

The company was right. You are wrong.

Paul_Herring

dalesrider wrote: »

On the up side. Yor Mother in law is not liable to pay any of the outstanding debt on the card, even is she had bought goods etc.

However FiL's estate (if any remains) is liable for any outstanding debt.

Meadows

It's very fair as the account belonged to her husband who is now is deceased and your mother in law was a named person allowed to use the account.

I use a card on my husbands account and I am fully aware that should anything happen to him then I should not use the card and the account would be closed.
I am also aware that unless I can provide proof of income that they would accept then I would not get to have an account/card in my own name (regardless of the fact that I manage my husbands account).

dalesrider

grumbler wrote: »

The company was right. You are wrong.

Maybe if you are looking at S75...

But far too many people get hung up on that... Mainly people who have no knowledge of how things are worked in card companies :mad:

Chargeback makes no bones on who made the purchase. Only perviso is that main card holder has to give authority to progress any claim.
Although I know we have taken the executor of the estate authority to take a case forward.

I also know we would still look at S75 in these cases.

thenudeone

I'm not so sure that all rights someone has automatically disappear into thin air upon death.

If the cardholder bought something which badly failed shortly after their death, would the executors or administrators of the estate not be able to take an action against the seller (and / or card company, if relevant)?

What if the cardholder paid for an annual service / maintenance contract - would the rest of the year's benefit simply disappear on their death?

BTW this is a question, not a statement!

jonesMUFCforever

thenudeone wrote: »

I'm not so sure that all rights someone has automatically disappear into thin air upon death.

If the cardholder bought something which badly failed shortly after their death, would the executors or administrators of the estate not be able to take an action against the seller (and / or card company, if relevant)?

What if the cardholder paid for an annual service / maintenance contract - would the rest of the year's benefit simply disappear on their death?

BTW this is a question, not a statement!

The answers of course is no - but OP thinks it unfair that widow can no longer use card or get a card in her own right.

It could be that if she actually spoke to her bank they might actually ask the underwriters if she could have a card herself.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

dullnote wrote: »

He died and mother inlaw over 70 now can not get a card, how is this fair?

A possible workaround could be for you to ask for your mother in law to be made an additional cardholder on your account. It wouldn't solve the immediate problem, of course, but it would give her equivalent facilities to what she had previously.