A RETIRED British expat has been battling one of Spain’s biggest banks over alleged negligence in a life insurance policy following his wife’s death.
British retiree Brian Rogers claims he was sold a mandatory life insurance policy alongside the mortgage he picked up for his dream home in Alfoquia, Spain.
But he soon discovered it had expired years before he needed it.
Rogers, 73, says he and his wife purchased the Almeria home from CaxiaBank in 2016, to which the bank insisted the couple purchase an in-house life insurance policy that would cover the full 12-year mortgage period.
When his wife Linda passed in March 2025, the former UK financial investigator says he was stunned to learn that the policy had allegedly ended on his 70th birthday two years earlier.
“Why would I cancel it?” Rogers said to the Olive Press after being told he had terminated the policy himself.
The widower says he only discovered the policy had lapsed after contacting the bank expecting the remaining mortgage to be cleared following his wife’s death.
Now he’s warning fellow expats to be careful when considering mortgage-linked insurance products – and to never rely solely on translators provided by the bank when signing Spanish financial documents.
“I signed a lot of documents that day without an independent translator present,” Brian wrote in a complaint to the bank. “At no time was I advised verbally that the policy would cease when I had my 70th birthday.”
According to Rogers, the mortgage was approved on the understanding that he also took out a life insurance policy.
Having only lived in Spain for a year and understanding little Spanish at the time, he says the couple relied on a bank employee to translate the paperwork.
The mortgage was set for 12 years. Rogers believed the insurance would remain in force for the same period.
Instead, he later discovered the policy automatically ended when he had turned 70 in May 2023.
The dispute has caused Rogers extreme distress, along with navigating the loss of his wife Linda.
He believes there was a lack of transparency during the sales process at Caixa.
Rogers repeatedly messaged employees through the bank app and requested copies of relevant documents.
Despite trying to negotiate a settlement, he has not been successful.
“They have been so nonchalant and dismissive,” Rogers said.
After consulting a lawyer, Rogers says he’s been advised he may have grounds for legal action.
The case also raises questions about the mortgage-linked insurance products frequently marketed to foreign buyers in Spain.
Spain’s mortgage law states that banks cannot force their clients to take out a specific life insurance policy as a condition of granting a mortgage, although they may offer incentives for doing so.
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Not only has Rogers been unable to make a claim on the policy since Linda’s departure, but he’s haunted by the what-ifs of the matter.
“If it had been me to pass first instead, Linda would have been homeless and unable to pay the mortgage,” Rogers said of his late wife, who had Alzheimer’s before her death. “The bank came close to causing an absolute disaster.”
Roger fears other retirees could find themselves in similar situations.
“I have friends who can’t operate their phones properly,” he said. “They’re even less likely to understand what they’ve signed.”
The pensioner reflected on purchasing insurance in the UK and how if ‘someone says you need insurance, it would cover it.’
“This wouldn’t have happened to us back home,” Rogers expressed.
While the last few years have been a struggle, Rogers says he has no plans of leaving his 3-bedroom home in Alfoquia, where he’s found a good sense of community.
His only regret was not asking more questions or hiring their own, independent translator to review the mortgage documents.
CaixaBank was contacted by the Olive Press but did not respond with a comment on the matter.
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