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Anger at insurance refusal for navy man

12:49pm Wednesday 7th March 2007

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A NAVAL officer was refused car insurance when he was classed as high risk' because of his job - despite having never made a claim.

Peter Evans from Droitwich says he is disgusted by the way an insurance company has treated his son, a petty officer in the Royal Navy with a distinguished 12 year service record.

Mr Evans tried to get his 29-year-old son James insured with First Direct as the named driver so he could buy him a new car on his return from Gibraltar next month.

He phoned the company on Monday morning and was then called back five minutes later only to be told that his son was too high risk' to be insured because he was in the Royal Navy.

Mr Evans had already bought his son a car - a Peugeot Mardi Gras - as a home-coming present.

He phoned around seven other insurance companies, all of which provided quotes and he managed to get his son insured with Liverpool Victoria the same day he was turned down by First Direct.

Mr Evans, aged 66, from Grafson Place, Droitwich, said his family had a long tradition of military service - his father received the Burma Star fighting the Japanese in World War Two while he was a petty officer in the Royal Navy, like his son.

He added: "They just kept on saying he's really high risk because of his occupation. He's not going to have the car very long - he's going to Iraq in September. It's appalling. We have one of the finest armies in the world and the navy is classed as even more capable. It's disgraceful to treat a man like that."

Mr Evans who has never made an insurance claim himself since he began driving since 1957 and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists was shocked by the decision not to give insurance to his son.

First Direct press office declined to comment when contacted by the Worcester News.

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Your Say YourWorcester News

carolfarrell, worcestershire says...
1:09pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Name and shame! Our forces are prepared to loose their lives for us and when they come home on leave, this happens.

List the Insurance companies and their quotes for us to decide who to avoid in future.

Report this post »

carolfarrell, worcestershire says...
1:09pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Name and shame! Our forces are prepared to loose their lives for us and when they come home on leave, this happens.

List the Insurance companies and their quotes for us to decide who to avoid in future.

Report this post »

Disbelief, says...
1:15pm Wed 7 Mar 07

'Man refused car insurance'. What a newsworthy item that is....what a scoop!!
The life of a journalist must be mind numbing. Whatever next?? 'Grass grows in park'

Report this post »

Disbelief, says...
1:15pm Wed 7 Mar 07

'Man refused car insurance'. What a newsworthy item that is....what a scoop!!
The life of a journalist must be mind numbing. Whatever next?? 'Grass grows in park'

Report this post »

bb, says...
1:22pm Wed 7 Mar 07

oh 4 goodness sake. why is this country all money money money. my friend is a proffessional driver, another friend is a driving instructor, their premiums arnt any lower even though they have additional traning etc, so why does it make a difference with this guy. I bet police officers private car insurance changes just because they are coopers and they are supposed to abide by the law - thats a laugh. why does youyr job makr a difference in some circumstance but not in others. come on all you insurance companies lets have some consistancy!!!

Report this post »

bb, says...
1:22pm Wed 7 Mar 07

oh 4 goodness sake. why is this country all money money money. my friend is a proffessional driver, another friend is a driving instructor, their premiums arnt any lower even though they have additional traning etc, so why does it make a difference with this guy. I bet police officers private car insurance changes just because they are coopers and they are supposed to abide by the law - thats a laugh. why does youyr job makr a difference in some circumstance but not in others. come on all you insurance companies lets have some consistancy!!!

Report this post »

Confused of Matalan, Droitwich says...
3:43pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Did he try Admiral?

Oh man, that was good! Come on, try and do better then!!

Report this post »

Confused of Matalan, Droitwich says...
3:43pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Did he try Admiral?

Oh man, that was good! Come on, try and do better then!!

Report this post »

Silas, says...
4:40pm Wed 7 Mar 07

It is so unfair. Just wait until the Jack Tar comes back to Civvy Street. He will have to put up with prejudice like this for life. Honestly, do they think he is drinking tots of rum and rubbing his wooden leg whilst singing Yo Ho Ho? They probably think he has been going to Gobbler's Gultch all these years, whereas he has been serving Queen and Country with pride.

Where is the respect for our Senior Service?

Report this post »

Silas, says...
4:40pm Wed 7 Mar 07

It is so unfair. Just wait until the Jack Tar comes back to Civvy Street. He will have to put up with prejudice like this for life. Honestly, do they think he is drinking tots of rum and rubbing his wooden leg whilst singing Yo Ho Ho? They probably think he has been going to Gobbler's Gultch all these years, whereas he has been serving Queen and Country with pride.

Where is the respect for our Senior Service?

Report this post »

Reg Hemp, says...
4:45pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Just to say to Silas (who is spot on by the by) that Tommy Atkins doesn't get it any easier from the insurance companies. One of my lads was charged a fortune for insurance on a pukka Ford Focus, would you believe. Why, because he had been out of the country on service for some time, and had ceased his policy.

Report this post »

Reg Hemp, says...
4:45pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Just to say to Silas (who is spot on by the by) that Tommy Atkins doesn't get it any easier from the insurance companies. One of my lads was charged a fortune for insurance on a pukka Ford Focus, would you believe. Why, because he had been out of the country on service for some time, and had ceased his policy.

Report this post »

Disgusted, Worcester says...
5:32pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Terrible,name the insurance company please.Even gippos are allowed to drive or are they really???

Report this post »

Disgusted, Worcester says...
5:32pm Wed 7 Mar 07

Terrible,name the insurance company please.Even gippos are allowed to drive or are they really???

Report this post »

Laughing, worcester says...
1:07pm Thu 8 Mar 07

Disgusted wrote:
Terrible,name the insurance company please.Even gippos are allowed to drive or are they really???
Well done for reading the article thoroughly (sarcasm), if you had, you would know that the insurance company was first direct!!

Report this post »

Laughing, worcester says...
1:07pm Thu 8 Mar 07

Disgusted wrote:
Terrible,name the insurance company please.Even gippos are allowed to drive or are they really???
Well done for reading the article thoroughly (sarcasm), if you had, you would know that the insurance company was first direct!!

Report this post »

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