Not upheld: Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Aviva UK Digital Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr H purchased home emergency insurance as part of a buildings and contents policy with Aviva via a price comparison website and later claimed when his LPG boiler broke down. Aviva declined the claim citing that LPG boilers were excluded from cover. Mr H complained that he was unaware of this exclusion and believed the policy was mis-sold. The ombudsman found the sale was non-advised and that Aviva clearly presented the LPG exclusion both online prior to purchase and in the policy terms, making it reasonable to expect Mr H to review the documentation. The ombudsman did not uphold the complaint, finding Aviva acted fairly and reasonably.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that the sale was non-advised, meaning Aviva's responsibility was to provide clear, fair and not misleading information rather than ensure suitability. The ombudsman was satisfied that Aviva clearly presented the LPG exclusion both online prior to purchase (via screenshot evidence) and in the policy terms. The ombudsman considered it reasonable to expect Mr H to review the documentation received and noted he had a cooling-off period to cancel if unsuitable. The policy terms clearly stated only natural gas boilers were covered, not LPG boilers, and the ombudsman found Aviva acted fairly in declining the claim.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website