A FORMER Leatherhead schoolboy spent his final months battling life insurers who cancelled his policy over a technicality.
Nic Hughes, who went to St John's School in Leatherhead, died of cancer at the age of 44 in October, leaving behind wife Susie and his twin boy and girl, aged 9.
Before his death he came into dispute with Friends Life, which has a major office in Dorking, because the firm cancelled his policy due to a failure to declare common symptoms of ulcerative colitis, an illness he had told the insurers about, on his application.
His father Reverend Chris Hughes, who was rector of St Giles and St George's parish in Ashtead from 1983 to 1998, said: "It was horrendous; it's against all moral imperative. They're rascals, they really are."
Mr Hughes, 72, who now lives in Devon, said Friends Life has offered a "demeaning" amount of money as a settlement.
He said: "They criticised Nic because he didn't fill in a box on pins and needles.
"Two consultants have written to Friends Life saying this had nothing to do with why he died of cancer, so they are absolute rascals. Cruel and unjust."
Mr Hughes' friend Kester Brewin organised a petition against the insurers' decision – and more than 59,000 people have signed, including famous names such Stephen Fry, Russell Brand, Miranda Hart and Ian Botham.
Friends Life spokeswoman Lauren Hunt-Morgan said the firm had urged the family to put the case to the financial ombudsman, which rules on such cases.
She said: "When we consider an application for critical illness cover, we need to have full disclosure of all conditions and their symptoms so that we can properly assess the case.
"It is clear in this case that medical symptoms were not disclosed in response to detailed questions on the application form which, had we been aware of them, would have meant we could not offer cover regardless of the fact that the non-disclosure may not have been related to the eventual cause of the claim."
To view the petition, visit www.nicsfight.org
