Not upheld: inadequate claim settlement / insufficient evidence substantiation complaint against Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs F claimed £638 for contents lost when their fridge-freezer broke down in November 2024. They provided a list of approximately 102 items, photographs, and receipts to support their claim. LV calculated the claim value at £300 and offered a settlement of £200 after deducting the £100 excess. Mr F complained, arguing he had provided sufficient evidence for full settlement. The ombudsman found that Mr F's list was not a fair reflection of the loss as it included non-freezer items, the photographs did not clearly demonstrate all 102 items (showing only approximately 70), and evidence suggested overclaiming on certain products. The ombudsman upheld LV's settlement of £200 as fair and reasonable in the circumstances.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Mr F's list was not a fair or accurate reflection of what was lost and covered under the policy, as it included non-freezer items such as clothes and towels. The photographs did not clearly demonstrate all 102 claimed items, with annotated photos showing only approximately 70 items. Additionally, evidence suggested Mr F claimed for full multipack costs when only single units were damaged. Given these substantiation issues, LV acted reasonably in calculating an estimated settlement of £300 (£200 after excess), which was fair in the circumstances.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website