Not upheld: poor quality repairs and inadequate communication of repair limitations complaint against Motors Insurance Company Limited (MICL)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr F claimed under his SMART repair insurance policy with MICL for cosmetic damage to his car's rear bumper in August 2025. After the repair, the bumper's colour changed to a dark metallic shade with a shiny finish, creating a distinct colour mismatch. Mr F complained that he was told he would receive a near match but was not warned the colour could change. The ombudsman initially upheld the complaint, finding MICL failed to adequately communicate repair limitations and delivered a substandard repair. However, the final decision was not upheld because Mr F subsequently sold the car, preventing the insurer from rectifying the repair, and no financial loss was demonstrated.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman initially upheld the complaint, finding that photographs clearly showed a distinct colour difference that could not be considered a near match, and that MICL failed to adequately inform Mr F of the likelihood that a near match might not be possible. However, in the final decision, the ombudsman determined that because Mr F had sold the car and prevented the insurer from putting the repair right, and no financial loss was evidenced, it was not fair or reasonable to require the insurer to pay compensation.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website