MP hits back at Aviva's lack of 'human approach' after they refuse to pay out dying man's life insurance

An MP has hit back at a life insurance company’s ‘lack of ‘human approach’ towards a dying cancer patient.

The Manchester Evening Newshas told the stories of two terminally ill men who have been refused pay-out from their life insurance policies. Shaun Pinkney, from Salford, and Mark Brookes, from Walsall in the West Midlands, have both been told that they are unable to claim any money from Aviva because they do not have long enough left on their life insurance policy plans before the expiry dates.

The two men, who have been contributing money towards their life insurance policies for 15 years each, have also been told by Aviva that they cannot have another life insurance policy because of their terminal status.

Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey is pursuing Shaun’s case as part of her ‘urgent’ work, which continues even during a general election campaign after the dissolution of Parliament. Ms Long-Bailey has slammed Aviva for the second time, calling the company’s response to her concerns about Shaun ‘disappointing’, as she says it shows ‘little consideration for the situation that faces’ him.

READ MORE: 'It's immoral': Man, 63, REFUSED life insurance pay-out by Aviva after he's told he's dying

The two men say they 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.

In 2013, Aviva stopped selling these types of policies where there is a cut-off for claiming for terminal illnesses 18 months prior to the expiry of the rest of the policy.

Shaun Pinkney was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April 2023 and received a reminder letter from Aviva around a year later, which urged him