Not upheld: claim handling, engineer refusal to undertake work, failure to return call, repair cost reimbursement complaint against Aviva Insurance Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6026128 of 2026-05-20T00:00:00+00:00. claim handling, engineer refusal to undertake work, failure to return call, repair cost reimbursement complaint against Aviva Insurance Limited. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6026128 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-05-20T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Aviva Insurance Limited |
| Product | Home insurance |
| Claim type | claim handling, engineer refusal to undertake work, failure to return call, repair cost reimbursement |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | Aviva's proposed remedies were accepted: £50 compensation for failing to return Miss E's call, refund of all premiums paid after 5 May 2025, and £105.64 towards the cost of repairs to fix the leaking pipe. |
Summary
Miss E complained about Aviva's handling of a home emergency insurance claim following her late father's death. An engineer declined to undertake repairs to a leaking pipe due to extensive mould and fungus growth creating health and safety hazards, and Aviva failed to return a promised call regarding policy cancellation. Aviva offered £50 compensation, a refund of premiums after the engineer's visit, and £105.64 towards repair costs. The ombudsman found Aviva acted fairly in declining to work due to documented health and safety risks within the policy's exclusions, that the repair reimbursement was reasonable as it matched Aviva's cost with approved contractors (Miss E's repairs were not pre-authorised), and that £50 compensation was appropriate for the missed call as Miss E suffered no financial loss.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Aviva acted reasonably in declining to undertake work due to documented health and safety risks from extensive mould and fungus infestation, which fell within the policy's exclusions for work where there is a health and safety risk to the engineer. The ombudsman determined that Aviva's offer of £105.64 for repairs was fair as it represented the cost Aviva would have incurred using approved contractors, and Miss E's privately arranged repairs were not pre-authorised by Aviva as required by policy terms. The ombudsman found £50 compensation for the missed call was appropriate as Miss E suffered no financial loss (premiums were refunded) and the amount was consistent with FOS guidelines for non-financial loss in comparable circumstances.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Aviva Insurance Limited, all decisions | 5,098 | 27% |
| Home insurance, all decisions | 20,668 | 38% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website