In the ongoing effort to secure fairness for North Shropshire’s business community, the role of parliamentary scrutiny has become a critical check on the insurance industry.
We wish to professionally highlight the focused intervention of Helen Morgan MP, whose recent questions in the House of Commons specifically address the conduct of NFU Mutual and the wider implications of the “Dear CEO” regulatory standards.
Ms. Morgan’s advocacy began with a direct inquiry into the progress of specific providers (UIN 61020), notably naming NFU Mutual. This focus is significant for those the hospitality and agricultural sectors who have bee nplaced in a protracted dispute over the interpretation of “Prevention of Access” and “Human Disease” clauses.By naming the insurer in the House of Commons, our MP has contextualized her subsequent questions (tabled 2 January 2026) not as general curiosities, but as a direct challenge to the delays found within the NFU Mutual group action.
At the heart of this discussion is the FCA’s “Dear CEO” letter of 22 January 2021. This was not merely a suggestion; it was a clear regulatory expectation that:
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Insurers must settle valid claims promptly and fairly.
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Insurers should “stop the clock” on limitation periods to prevent policyholders from being unfairly prejudiced by the time taken to resolve test cases.
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Litigation should be used only to resolve genuine uncertainty, not as a tool for procedural delay.
s. Morgan’s recent questions challenge whether current conduct remains consistent with these standards or if it risks creating unjust outcomes for businesses.
Helen Morgan’s question regarding the impact of this deadline is a critical call for fairness, highlighting the potential for a cynical outcome where justice is lost simply due to the passage of time.
Ms. Morgan’s follow-up questions demand to know why, five years after this directive, so many businesses are still facing litigation barriers.
Agriculture leaders at a round table with Helen Morgan MP
There is a profound concern for the thousands of other NFU Mutual policyholders and beyond. The risk is that these businesses—many of whom are waiting for the “joined case” to provide a precedent—will be locked out of justice.
If the court eventually finds in favor of the claimants, but does so after the March 2026 limitation deadline, those who did not file their own protective proceedings may find their rights have expired. Helen Morgan’s question regarding the “potential impact of the March 2026 limitation deadline” (UIN 101885) highlights this exact peril: the danger that a defendant can “win” simply by waiting for the clock to run out on their customers.
The persistence of Helen Morgan MP in holding the Treasury and the FCA to account ensures that the spirit of the 2021 regulatory guidance is not forgotten.
It is important, or shoulf be, that no policyholder is “timed out” due to the industry’s own delays.
