Not upheld: Account administration errors complaint against BISL Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr D complained that BISL mishandled his motor insurance policy renewal and the subsequent refund process. In July 2025, BISL renewed Mr D's policy automatically and took payment from his wife's card. When Mr D requested cancellation, BISL advised his wife to ask her bank to stop the payment, which led to a duplicated refund situation. BISL later sought repayment of the duplicate amount and offered £125.00 compensation. The ombudsman found that BISL's renewal was fair as Mr D had agreed to automatic renewal terms and failed to contact BISL in 2025 as he had in previous years, and that BISL was not responsible for the card provider's reclaim of which it was unaware. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Mr D agreed to automatic renewal when taking out the policy in 2021. BISL properly sent renewal documents and reminders, and Mr D did not contact BISL in 2025 to prevent renewal as he had done in previous years. BISL's suggestion that Mr D's wife ask her bank to stop the payment was an error, but BISL did not know about the card provider's reclaim when it made the refund on 12 August 2025, so BISL was not responsible for failing to communicate about it. The request for repayment of the duplicated refund was fair. The £125.00 compensation was proportionate to the error and its impact.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website