An insurer must pay an insurance claim even though the customer is in arrears, the financial services complaints tribunal Kifid has ruled in a case filed against Aegon, the Financieele Dagblad said on Tuesday.

The case concerns a man who had insured his car with Aegon in November 2015. Two months later the car was broken into, with damages put at €3,400.

But Aegon refused to pay on the grounds that the customer had not paid the premium for more than 30 days. The insurer’s terms and conditions stipulated that cover could be suspended retroactively if the premium was not paid.

Aegon claimed the customer was uninsured because he had signed the application form for the policy and should be aware of the terms.

The customer denied that he had accepted the terms of the car insurance policy and Kifid’s disputes committee agreed. Aegon was ordered to pay the claim.