MP calls out insurance injustice facing armed forces overseas

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP

MONDAY 2^nd FEBRUARY 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alistair Strathern, Labour MP for Hitchin, asked the Defence secretary today about high home insurance premiums faced by serving troops serving abroad.

Historically, thousands of our armed forces have faced premiums on their home insurance because of their extended time away from home. Home insurance increases the more a home is to be unoccupied over the course of a year. This means that for servicemen and women on tours abroad, their service can cost hundreds of pounds a year in higher premiums.

Insurance companies charging higher premiums for serving our country do not live up the values of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant is a national, Government-endorsed pledge to ensure that personnel and veterans, and their families, suffer no disadvantage due to their service and are treated with fairness always. 

Strathern asked the Defence Secretary about this issue at Defence Questions in the Commons on Monday.

The minister responding said: “I am glad that some insurance companies have taken steps to address this issue and I would urge all business to ensure their policies fully support the armed forces community and reflect the covenant.”

With two military bases in Strathern’s constituency, at Chicksands and Henlow, there is a large local military community. This injustice was brought to his attention on visits to the troops, where servicepeople relayed the financial burden of these additional costs.

Strathern has written to insurance providers to raise this issue and three companies – Admiral, Aviva and Hastings – have agreed to change their policy for soldiers, allowing them additional flexibility beyond their home insurance policy’s basic allowed unoccupied days.

Alistair Strathern MP said:

“We owe so much to our service personnel and veterans for their sacrifice for us.

“It cannot be right that when they protect their homes, we penalise them for serving our country abroad.

“I am glad to have persuaded several major insurance companies to change course. I hope that by raising this with Defence ministers we can act on a national level to end this injustice for good.”