Publicans brand FBD claim to support customers a ‘sick joke’
PUBLICANS have branded adverts being run by FBD Insurance as a “sick joke”.
The publicans are appalled by the negative response by FBD to their business interruption insurance claims.
They have criticised FBD’s adverts that state: “Support. It’s what we do”, and “We all have a role to play during the Covid-19 crisis”.
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) have written to the insurer to complain about the adverts.
It is estimated that around 1,300 members of the two bodies are insured by FBD, making FBD the largest insurer to the licensed trade in Ireland.
Yesterday chief medical officer Tony Holohan said he doesn’t see “any realistic prospect” of pubs being able to open next month.
Dr Holohan’s comments were in response to proposals for radical changes to how pubs operate, published by the LVA and VFI on Monday.
The refusal of insurers, including FBD, to pay out on business interruption policies to companies hit by Covid-19 has angered publicans, restaurateurs and retailers forced to shut by Government. Business owners say they had cover in place to insure against losses stemming from an outbreak of infectious disease.
In the letter to FBD acting CEO Paul D’Alton, signed by
LVA boss Donall O’Keeffe and Padraig Cribben, who heads up the VFI, it is claimed that the FBD brand was “suffering enormous reputational damage across the licensed trade” over the refusal to pay out on business interruption claims.
“This is compounded by your ongoing, high-profile marketing claims such as ‘Support. It’s what we do’ and lines from your ads that say ‘We all have a role to play during the Covid19 crisis’.
“Such advertising is viewed as a sick joke by publicans,” it adds.
The letter also states that the LVA, which represents Dublin publicans, was disappointed that Mr D’Alton “never bothered to respond to our email of 1 April last”.
“We are asking you to set out an overview of your policy position with regard to business interruption claims from the licensed trade in the context of recent Central Bank guidance and your stated commitment to play a role during the Covid-19 crisis.”
There was no response from FBD to the publicans’ letter at the time of publication.
Pubs are unlikely to be able to open again next month