Not upheld: claim decline and failure to disclose material changes to policy cover complaint against INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs W claimed for the loss of an earring lost while decorating inside their home in June 2025. Intact declined the claim as accidental loss was only covered under optional 'out and about' cover, which they did not have. Mr W complained that the loss should have been covered under his original 2020 policy and that Intact failed to disclose material changes to the cover. The ombudsman reviewed the policy documents from 2020 and 2024 and found that accidental loss was not covered under the contents cover in either year, and that Intact clearly presented the optional 'out and about' cover. The complaint was not upheld, and the £50 compensation already paid for confusion caused by incorrect policy wording was deemed fair.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman reviewed the policy documents from both 2020 and 2024 and confirmed that accidental loss was not covered under the contents cover in either year. The policy clearly listed specific perils covered (fire, storm, theft) and accidental loss was not among them. The optional 'out and about' cover, which would have covered accidental loss, was clearly presented as optional and Mr and Mrs W chose not to purchase it. The ombudsman found no evidence that the policy terms changed in a way that would have affected coverage, and confirmed that Intact provided clear information about the scope of cover at both inception and renewal on a non-advised basis.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website