Partially upheld: Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Howden UK Brokers Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-5785461 of 2025-09-16T00:00:00+00:00. Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Howden UK Brokers Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-5785461 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2025-09-16T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Howden UK Brokers Limited |
| Product | Other regulated product |
| Claim type | Motor insurance, claim handling |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | £150 compensation for distress and inconvenience caused by the administrative error and resulting misleading communications regarding Mrs C's policyholder status. |
Summary
Mrs C complained that Howdens UK Brokers Limited colluded with her ex-husband Mr C to exclude her from insurance claim decisions and payments following subsidence and flood damage to their jointly-owned home. Mrs C was in a vulnerable situation following her separation from Mr C and was unaware of the full extent of insurance payments being made. The ombudsman found no evidence of collusion but identified that Howdens had failed to properly update their records to show Mrs C as a joint policyholder after taking over the policy in 2022, leading to misleading communications that caused her distress. Once aware of Mrs C's concerns and vulnerable circumstances, Howdens took appropriate steps to involve her in payment decisions and changed communication protocols. The complaint was partially upheld with £150 compensation ordered for the administrative error and resulting distress, but the ombudsman declined to hold Howdens responsible for what Mr C did with the insurance proceeds or the personal dispute between the separated couple.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found no evidence of collusion between Howdens and Mr C to exclude Mrs C from information or decisions. The administrative error in Howdens' records (not showing Mrs C as a joint policyholder after taking over the policy in 2022) was unintentional but led to misleading communications that caused Mrs C distress. While Howdens should have updated their records properly and communicated more clearly, they were not responsible for what Mr C did with the insurance proceeds. Once aware of Mrs C's vulnerable situation, Howdens took appropriate steps to involve her in payment decisions and changed their communication protocols. The ombudsman considered it important not to hold Howdens responsible for the personal dispute between the separated couple.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Howden UK Brokers Limited, all decisions | 5 | 30% |
| Motor insurance, claim handling, all decisions | 12,798 | 32% |
| Other regulated product, all decisions | 51,105 | 30% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website