Life & Critical Illness > Reviews (3)

Having recently purchased a home in London through the HSBC Bank. I was referred to their so call "Great" policies on offer and exception "discounts" available to first time borrowers. Guys and Girls, watch out.

After going through all the paperwork, my partner and I were provided with a quote which though only slightly higher then other quotes obtained, we decided to proceed with there policy as they were the institution who were going to provide us with the mortgage.

Upon signing the agreement, we were both ask to attend a medical for a rountine check up and blood test. I must note that the latter was needed as we are a gay male couple and therefor deemed to be in a higher risk category. Well, fine i can to some degree understanding there underwriters concerns.

After the medical results come through, all clear, no problems or diseases to make them, being the underwrites concerned, we were offered the policy, but what with a loading of 100%. So our original quote of 80 pounds per month had now gone to 160 with no reason apart from it was within there tables to do so, and that we were a high risk.

Now, I am sorry, but just because one is in a gay relationship does not mean that it is assumed that we are high risk people only.

When i told the insuranceadviser looking after our application that i was in no way going to pay additional premiums based on the fact that yes, i am gay. Within five minutes from this telephone call i received a further call to say that they were able to bring the premium down to 120 per month. It just showed to me that they were seeing us as easy targets to charge a premium because they thought they had the upper hand. It might also be the fact that they then realised that they would not be getting our money and the adviser would also not be getting there commission.

I have since discovered that there are many insurance companies out there who do not look solely on one's sexual orientation, nor one's cultural background.

Anyone that is currently looking for this type of cover and is in the same boat as my partner and i were in, i would recommend you go to Liverpool Victoria and have a chat with them, and make sure you are not signing away a huge monthly cost based on your life style. It is the 2001 after all!