Upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs C complained about how Allianz handled their buildings warranty claim for structural defects to an external wall. The main issues were delays in providing an expert report, a ten-month delay in reimbursing professional fees, and lack of clarity about expert appointments. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding Allianz could have provided better service and moved the claim forward more promptly, and ordered £500 compensation. Complaints relating to other defects were found to be outside the ombudsman's jurisdiction as they were brought outside the required timeframe.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that while there were delays on both sides, Allianz could have provided better service by: (1) acting more promptly to finalize and provide the third expert's report; (2) processing the agreed professional fees reimbursement without the ten-month delay; and (3) being clearer about expert appointments and their remit to avoid unnecessary distress. Although no evidence of deliberate concealment was found, the delays and lack of clarity constituted poor service and handling.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website