My wife Rosie and I live together in Portsmouth, and all our immediate family lives in Kent. We both moved here to study and just decided to stay. 

I started working in insurance in January 2023 as a Claims Manager, about six months after I finished university. Rosie was working at a local school at the time, but she did end up doing about two months at the same company I work for, until her fibromyalgia symptoms made working too difficult. 

I first contacted The Insurance Charity around August 2025. I was discussing our situation with my manager, and she suggested the Charity to see if there was a way it could support us. 

The turning point when we contacted the Charity was Rosie leaving work, and us trying to figure out how we’d be able to manage while being down one salary. 

We didn’t really have any reservations about getting in touch. We were (and still are) open to any help or support that we can get, since we’re still figuring things out. I thought we should at least try to contact the Charity and see what happens. 

The Insurance Charity provided us with two lots of funding. One in the form of a grant to support Rosie’s ongoing oxygen therapy, which helps with her pain, and the second as a lump-sum payment for a very helpful piece of mobility equipment, that’s enabled my wife to regain some independence. 

Rosie’s still undergoing her therapy and is finding it very helpful, and she uses her rollator aid every day to support her walking. We are very fortunate to have family able to support us, but without the Charity’s help, we’d be even more indebted to them. 

To anyone thinking of contacting the Charity, I’d say just reach out. It’s the most difficult first step, but they’ve been an incredible charity to work with and made everything so straightforward and clear for us. Without the Charity’s assistance, we’d be borrowing money to help support Rosie.

*stock imagery used and name changed for confidentiality