Not upheld: claim handling, settlement disputes, professional conduct complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr G complained about Admiral Insurance's handling of a home insurance claim following theft of copper pipes from his property in December 2022. After a previous FOS decision required additional payments, Mr G raised further complaints regarding alleged damage to loft pipework, insulation, drains, and mould, as well as unprofessional conduct by Admiral's loss adjustor. The ombudsman found that evidence suggested loft damage was pre-existing, water damage to insulation occurred after the property was returned to Mr G, and the drain blockage had no documented connection to Admiral's work. While acknowledging Admiral's claim handling errors, the ombudsman determined the £300 compensation already paid was reasonable and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that the evidence suggested any loft pipework damage was pre-existing rather than caused by the insured event, as it was mentioned in the initial estimate three days after the incident but not evidenced in Admiral's January 2023 attendance or September 2023 photographs. The heating system had been drained down, making frost damage to pipes unlikely even without heating. Water damage to insulation appeared to have occurred when Mr G's own contractor turned on the heating system after the property was returned to him around September 2024, not while in Admiral's possession. The drain blockage had no documented cause or timing, and Mr G had not lived in the property prior to the incident, so it could have been pre-existing. While Admiral acknowledged claim handling errors including unprofessional comments by its loss adjustor and failure to complete a snagging meeting, the ombudsman found these did not cause specific losses beyond distress, and the £300 compensation was reasonable given the complexity and duration of the claim.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website