Not upheld: claim handling, liability decision, and No Claims Bonus reduction complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr F complained about Admiral's handling of his motor insurance claim following an accident in July 2025, specifically disputing their proposed 50/50 liability settlement and the reduction of his No Claims Bonus. Mr F provided CCTV, dashcam footage, and witness details, arguing he was not at fault. Admiral reviewed the evidence and maintained their 50/50 position, acknowledging service failings and paying £75 compensation. The ombudsman found that Admiral's 50/50 liability decision was fair and reasonable based on the CCTV footage showing Mr F's vehicle was not completely on his side of the road, and that it was standard practice to mark the claim as 'bonus disallowed' while costs remained unrecovered. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that while Admiral's decision to settle at 50/50 liability was not necessarily the only reasonable conclusion, it was a fair and reasonable one given the evidence. The video showed Mr F's vehicle was not completely on his side of the road, and there was insufficient evidence to suggest a court would find entirely in Mr F's favour. Therefore, Admiral's decision not to pursue costly court proceedings was reasonable. The ombudsman also found it standard practice and reasonable for Admiral to mark the claim as 'bonus disallowed' while costs remained unrecovered, and to reduce the No Claims Bonus in accordance with the policy terms.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website