A Christian driver has been threatened with losing his car insurance if he refuses to remove a “Jesus Loves You” sticker.
Simeon Chandra, 35, from Birmingham, was dragged into a row after he stuck handmade messages reading “Jesus Loves You” and “Jesus Loves You V Much” on the doors of his 2009 Nissan Pixo.
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GoSkippy Insurance informed him that its underwriting department “declined the modification done on the vehicle as per stickers added on the vehicle”.
The company warned that his policy would be voided unless the stickers were taken off and new dated photographs submitted, The Daily Mail revealed.
Mr Chandra reluctantly buckled to the demands to maintain his insurance despite designing the stickers to “spread a positive message”.
Emails reveal that Mr Chandra contacted GoSkippy before applying the stickers, sending photographs in an effort to be transparent, the Daily Mail said.
Initially, he was informed his policy could continue provided he submitted photos of the stickers for his file.
GoSkippy then U-turned on its position and demanded their removal.
A staff member emailed: “For the policy to continue and be insured, we require the stickers to be removed from the vehicle and send a dated photograph once the stickers have been removed.”
Mr Chandra was also directed to policy terms stating the insurer could decline cover if errors or omissions were found.
His subsequent requests for an explanation went unanswered.
He is now exploring legal action through the Christian Legal Centre, insisting his rights to freedom of religion and expression were violated.
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Mr Chandra said he was “shocked, surprised and upset” when he was informed that he had to remove the stickers, believing he did the “right thing” by telling the insurers about the stickers.
He added: “(The message) is not abusive, political, hateful or commercial. It is a message of hope.
“I felt sad, and it felt that things are really against the Lord Jesus. I could have cried. I think people with other messages would not have faced the same situation.”
Mr Chandra wants to reapply the stickers to establish a precedent for fellow Christians.
He converted to Christianity at university and comes from a family of Indian heritage whose parents were Christian missionaries.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “This case is not about a technical vehicle modification.
“It is about whether ordinary Christians are free to express their faith in public without being excluded from essential services.”
She added: “If insurers can refuse cover because a customer displays a Christian message, that should alarm everyone who cares about freedom of religion and freedom of expression.”
GB News has approached GoSkippy’s underwriter, Somerset Bridge Insurance Services, for comment.
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