Partially upheld: policy cancellation for insufficient driving data complaint against Advantage Insurance Company Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6166794 of 2026-04-28T00:00:00+00:00. policy cancellation for insufficient driving data complaint against Advantage Insurance Company Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6166794 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-28T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Advantage Insurance Company Limited |
| Product | motor insurance |
| Claim type | policy cancellation for insufficient driving data |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | Advantage must pay Mr A: (1) £114.27 plus interest at 8% per annum from the date of payment to settlement date; (2) £40 previously offered in final response. Advantage must provide tax deduction certificate if required. |
Summary
Mr A complained that Advantage Insurance unfairly cancelled his telematics motor insurance policy after his car was stolen and replaced. Advantage cancelled the policy on 11 September 2025 due to insufficient driving data, having sent warning notices on 14 July and 14 August 2025. The Ombudsman found the cancellation was fair and reasonable as Advantage was unaware the new car was undergoing repairs and Mr A was unavailable, and the lack of data for over 28 days provided valid grounds under the policy terms. However, the Ombudsman upheld the complaint partially, requiring Advantage to refund the additional premium of £114.27 plus interest and the £40 fee previously offered, as these were not fairly retained given the circumstances.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The Ombudsman found that Advantage acted fairly and reasonably in cancelling the policy in accordance with its terms and conditions. Although Mr A's circumstances were unusual due to the car theft and replacement, Advantage was not aware of the new car's unroadworthy status or Mr A's holiday plans when it sent the cancellation notice. The earlier notifications about missing data did not make it reasonable for Mr A to ignore the cancellation notice. The lack of driving data for more than 28 days provided valid grounds for cancellation under the policy terms. However, the additional premium and fees charged for the new car should be refunded as they were not fairly retained given the circumstances.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage Insurance Company Limited, all decisions | 1,748 | 40% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website