HC Deb 07 February 1940 vol 357 cc369-70

10.52 p.m.

Sir R. Acland

I beg to move, in page 5, line 18, after "Act," to insert: the company or society with which the policy was effected shall serve on the holder of the forfeited policy within twenty-eight days of the passing of this Act a statement in the prescribed form similar to that required by Subsection (1) of Section two of this Act, and. I should like to get a reply to the point as to whether, in a case where there has been a forfeiture already, the individual should not have the same right as in a case where there is a cancellation in future. Everybody is supposed to know the law, but this Bill, in regard to cancellation in the future, actually makes provision for a man not knowing the law, and insists that he shall be told what the law is. I have no information on the matter, but I should imagine that during the last six months a very large number of policies have been cancelled on account of non-payment of premiums, that non-payment having been brought about by changes in income due to war circumstances. I cannot imagine that this Bill is going to hit the headlines in the popular Press in the morning, and I cannot envisage how the rights of these people whose policies have been forfeited in the last six months are going to be brought to their notice. Unless there is an obvious answer to this, I should think that it would not constitute an intolerable burden on insurance companies to provide that they should look through their records of the last six months and see what policies have been cancelled, and send the policy-holders notice—which they can do at the cost of a halfpenny stamp—that if the reason for cancellation was alteration of income owing to war circumstances, they have this right.

The Attorney-General

I very much hope that the hon. Baronet will not press this Amendment. It would impose a very considerable burden, and there might be difficulties in making sure that everybody would get notice. The effect of those words would be that it would be a defence if the notice was not sent. We are alive to the great importance of people knowing their rights, and we propose to do what we can to make certain that the rights of people are generally known.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Amendments made:

In page 5, line 25, after the first "it," insert "or serve on the owner of the policy a notice."

In page 6, line 16, after "policy," insert "or serve on the applicant a further notice."—[The Attorney-General.]

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.