Not upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Trinity Lane Insurance Company Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr B complained about how Trinity Lane handled his motor insurance claim following a car accident in March 2024. The third-party insurer initially disputed liability, and Trinity Lane advised Mr B that it would need to raise a claim under his own policy to progress repairs and recovery. Mr B refused to proceed until liability was confirmed. Trinity Lane arranged an independent engineer assessment and made settlement offers, but Mr B objected to the policy excess deduction, particularly after the third party accepted liability in January 2025. The ombudsman found Trinity Lane acted fairly, as policy excesses are standard and insurers are not obligated to recover them from third parties. Without Mr B accepting a settlement, Trinity Lane could not pursue court proceedings as there would be no financial loss to recover.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Trinity Lane acted fairly and in accordance with policy terms. A policy excess is a standard feature of motor insurance policies that the insured must pay regardless of fault, and the insurer is not obligated to reimburse it or recover it from the third party. Trinity Lane reasonably explained that without Mr B making a claim, there would be no financial loss to pursue against the third party through court proceedings. The firm appropriately defended the claim, appointed an independent engineer, and made settlement offers. The requirement for verification documents and vehicle inspection before settlement is standard practice and not unfair.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website