Driver’s car insurance revoked over ‘Jesus loves you’ stickers

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor

(Republished from the Christian Post – christianpost.com)

Simeon Chandra, a 35-year-old driver, lost his car insurance after his insurer objected to two “Jesus loves you” phrases written in tape along the side of his vehicle. He warns that the decision pushes Christian expression to the margins of public life.

British car insurance provider GoSkippy told him it had “declined the modification” and demanded photographic evidence that the stickers had been removed, according to the Christian Legal Centre, which is helping support his case.

Photographs show Chandra’s 2009 Nissan Pixo carrying the words “Jesus loves you” displayed in green tape on one side and “Jesus loves you v much” on the other, The Telegraph reported. After he sent GoSkippy pictures of the stickers, the insurer warned his policy would be voided unless they came off.

In written correspondence, GoSkippy reportedly told him its underwriting team had rejected the stickers as an unauthorized change to the car. The insurer added, “For the policy to continue and be insured we require the stickers to be removed from the vehicle and [to] send a dated photograph once the stickers have been removed.”

GoSkippy allegedly gave Chandra no reason for the decision.

Chandra said he felt “shocked, surprised and upset” when told to take the stickers off. He said his rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression had been breached. He called it a message of hope, not anything abusive, political, hateful or commercial.

Chandra also said the company had not responded to his emails.

He said he hoped to reattach the stickers and wanted other Christians to feel free to display similar messages without embarrassment. He added that if his stickers are banned, no stickers of any kind should be allowed on cars.

“I was shocked, surprised and upset when they told me I had to take the stickers off. I had tried to do the right thing by telling the insurer about the stickers and sending photographs,” Chandra said in a statement shared by the Christian Legal Centre. “The message on my car is very simple: ‘Jesus Loves You.’ It is not abusive, political, hateful or commercial. It is a message of hope.”

“I could not understand why this would mean I could not have car insurance,” he continued. “We see all kinds of messages, flags and slogans in public life. But when a Christian puts a peaceful message on his own car, suddenly it appears to become a problem.”

Chandra is now working with lawyers at the Christian Legal Centre to decide whether to pursue legal action.

Chandra became a Christian while at university. He was raised in a family of Indian heritage whose parents worked as Christian missionaries. His father was raised Hindu before converting to Christianity, and his mother became a Christian after she experienced healing of an injured leg at a church service.

Christian Legal Centre Chief Executive Andrea Williams said the case concerns whether ordinary Christians can express their faith in public without losing access to essential services. Williams called the sticker a peaceful statement of Christian belief, distinct from a commercial advertisement, a political campaign or an offensive slogan.

She said that if insurers can deny coverage because a customer displays a Christian message, the situation should alarm anyone who values freedom of religion and freedom of expression.

“Stories like Simeon’s show why Christians are compelled to live out their faith publicly. Having experienced profound transformation through Jesus, from despair to hope, and from brokenness to purpose, he is not ashamed to share what he believes,” she said in a statement. “For Simeon, speaking about his faith is not about imposing beliefs on others, but about helping others discover the same faith, hope and love that have changed his life.”