Sunlife Pension Policy

upsetwidow

I took out a policy for my partner three years ago.  We had paid for our funerals but i needed this.
 extra policy (for £4000) to cover all the extra costs, etc. After 2 years my partner of 23 years died

I rang Sunlife after a few months as I had heard nothing from them. 

To cut a long and painful story short, I was told that I couldn't claim anything because we were not married, our 23 years together didn't count.

She did say that if we hadn't paid for the funeral, they would have paid for it.

I am still paying bills that have come in from the nursing home, etc that this pension would have covered.

This cannot be right, surely.

At no time was i told any of these restrictions, so was this miss sold.

I over paid £50 as they didn't have the Death Certificate in time, but they sent me £50 compensation because they didn't return my paperwork on time. Since then I have heard nothing.

All I do hear every day are their adverts stating they pay every claim. Isn't this false advertising?

I have been astounded by the amount of stories I've been told by so many people who have been scammed by this company.  Bartering with the bereaved at their lowest ebb.

BJV

Firstly so sorry for your loss.

Ok, so you need to make an official complaint. They should of pointed out any major terms and conditions when you buy the policy. E.g so sorry this will not pay out because you are not married. So this policy is something you can not benefit from.

Once you have done that if they still have not seen sense they will send you a full and final response. once you have that then you can refer the matter to the ombudsman. 
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/how-to-complainhttps://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/how-to-complain

Good luck and again so sorry for your loss.

Sleepysophie

I would agree with everything @BJV has advised you do here. 
The wording on their advert is something like "we pay out on 100% of all "valid" claims" I am not sure they use the word valid but its something of that nature....They would say your claim was not "valid" due to it not being a fit with their criteria of having to be married. Which of course you didn't know. However, I just wanted to point this out because I can imagine how frustrating this is for you. 
Sorry for your loss. I hope the claim to the Ombudsman is successful!

DullGreyGuy

Did you buy direct from SunLife or via a broker/advisor? 

If it was direct then almost certainly it would be a non-advised sale in which case they just give you the terms/product features and you have to determine if it's appropriate or not for your needs. Have you read the policy wording to see what it says about spouses/partners?

Unfortunately in the UK there is no actual concept of "common law wife/husband" despite many thinking there is and have known several to marry after 20+ years together because they realise nearing retirement that as an unmarried couple their partner won't get their pension and could be hit by inheritance taxes 

dunstonh

The wording on their advert is something like "we pay out on 100% of all "valid" claims" I am not sure they use the word valid but its something of that nature.

Plus, the advert is for their over 50s life insurance plan.  That wouldn't apply to pensions.

Did you buy direct from SunLife or via a broker/advisor? 

The sunlife products are not available via advisers.  They are direct to consumer only. 

To cut a long and painful story short, I was told that I couldn't claim anything because we were not married, our 23 years together didn't count.

Marriage and civil partnership are what matters.   Everything else has virtually no legal standing.    

I am still paying bills that have come in from the nursing home, etc that this pension would have covered.

Are you sure its a pension?  Defined contribution pensions not yet commenced would pay death benefits to an unmarried partner (unless there are children).   However, Sun Life haven't been active in selling pensions for a very very long time.   

Is it an over 50s life insurance plan?
That has a funeral benefit option but, from memory , if you select the funeral benefit option, this is in place of the life insurance sum insured.     That sounds closer to what has happened here.   However, if the executor of the estate chooses not to use Dignity and arrange an independent funeral, the executor can request to have the the policy changed to pay out the sum insured instead (as long as Dignity never started the process)

I have been astounded by the amount of stories I've been told by so many people who have been scammed by this company.  Bartering with the bereaved at their lowest ebb.

It won't be a scam.  It appears to be some misunderstanding and a misconception.

At no time was i told any of these restrictions, so was this miss sold.

These policies were not sold.  They were bought.   They are not available via advisers.   They were typically adverts in papers, internet and tv that a consumer would respond to.   

sheramber

What does the policy/ pension  document say?

Are you named  as the beneficiary ?