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Iggy Pop insurer refuses to give car cover to musicians
Tim Stewart23.02.09
A car insurer which has a £25million ad campaign starring veteran rocker Iggy Pop refuses to insure musicians.
In the Swiftcover TV advertisements, rock wildman Iggy, 61, prances around topless as he boasts: "I got it Swiftcovered. I got insurance on my insurance. Do it. Get a life. Get Swiftcovered."
But musicians who applied for cover were told their occupation made them ineligible. They are now complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Tim Soong, the 30-year-old bass guitarist in Roguetune, found that "entertainers" are excluded from cover.
Soong, of Kennington, phoned the Guildford-based company, which is part of the Axa insurance group, and said: "The customer services operator told me that they don't insure musicians. When I mentioned Iggy Pop, she said his case was different because he is American.
"I'm reporting Swiftcover to the Advertising Standards Authority."
Part-time music producer Felix Wright, 36, of Maidstone, has also made a complaint after being turned down for cover on his BMW.
He said: "When I asked what Iggy Pop did for a living if I was being rejected as a musician, they said they did not know his personal life and he was not one of their policyholders."
A Swiftcover spokesman said musicians are excluded because they and their passengers might have high claims for loss of future earnings if they are injured.
Insurer esure has also been accused of misleading the public. Its advertisements are fronted by film director Michael Winner but it will not insure film directors.
