Not upheld: Unknown / needs review complaint against Domestic & General Insurance Plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs A complained that D&G mis-sold her an appliance insurance policy purchased in 2021, alleging manipulative sales tactics, unclear exclusions, and inadequate disclosure of cancellation rights. She claimed that had she known fire damage was excluded, she would not have purchased the policy. However, when she made a fire damage claim in 2025, D&G declined it. The ombudsman found the complaint not upheld, determining that Mrs A was provided with appropriate information about policy benefits, main exclusions, and cancellation rights, and that the policy material was not ambiguous or misleading. Additionally, the ombudsman found it unlikely Mrs A would have acted differently had she known of the fire exclusion, given the unusual circumstances of the claim and the low-value nature of the policy.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Mrs A was provided with appropriate and proportionate information to make an informed decision, including details of main exclusions and cancellation rights. The policy material did not support Mrs A's arguments that terms were ambiguous, unclear, or misleading. Additionally, even if the policy had been mis-sold, the ombudsman was not satisfied Mrs A would have acted differently, as the fire damage claim circumstances were unusual and the policy was a low-value product intended for breakdown or accidental damage coverage.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website