DeadHappy has been told to close to new life insurance customers, with its underwriter no longer taking on any new business from the firm.
The life insurance company, who last year courted controversy by placing an ad featuring infamous serial killer Dr Harold Shipman, announced the move on its website.
Rebranding itself “DeadUnhappy” the life insurer revealed its insurance partners have told it that it cannot accept new life insurance customers at the moment.
“We wish it was different, we believe it should be different, but unfortunately not everyone agrees,” it said.
“To all our existing customers please don’t worry, your policies are protected,” it added.
Controversial advertising
DeadHappy’s promotional campaigns have proven controversial in recent years.
Over the summer of 2021 it explained how it worked with TV advertising governing body Clearcast over a new campaign carrying the slogan ‘Please Die Responsibly’.
To ensure the ads did not fall foul of regulator the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), DeadHappy revealed to Health & Protection how it worked with Clearcast to ensure its campaign fitted within guidelines.
But last year the firm did fall foul of the regulator when in January 2023 it issued an apology after its advert using the image of infamous serial killer Harold Shipman prompted more than 50 complaints to the ASA.
The ads featured on Facebook and Instagram contained the wording “LIFE INSURANCE … Because you never know who your doctor might be”.
The Instagram advert contained a picture of Shipman, who is thought to have murdered up to 250 people during his time working as a GP in Hyde, Greater Manchester.
The ASA subsequently told DeadHappy to avoid causing “serious or widespread” offence after banning its Shipman ads which at the time had then attracted 115 complaints.
The life insurer also pledged to rethink its present and future marketing strategies and received a strong rebuke from Shepherds Friendly who underwrote their policies.
No longer taking on new business
And this morning Shepherds Friendly issued a statement to Health & Protection saying: “As of midnight on 14th March 2024, Shepherds Friendly will no longer take on any new business as DeadHappy’s underwriter.
“This does not affect existing DeadHappy customers where Shepherds Friendly is the underwriter.”
Not surprised
Kathryn Knowles, co-managing director at Cura Financial Services, who took to social media to campaign for the public to complain to the ASA and the Financial Conduct Authority about the company’s Shipman ads last year, this morning told Health & Protection she was “not surprised” at these developments.
“The price of their policies and limited term, could not compete with other insurers in terms for money,” Knowles added.
“I appreciate that they have tried to do something unique and shake up the market, but there are limits as to the behaviour that consumers will accept.”
Health & Protection has also contacted DeadHappy for comment.
