Not upheld: poor service and delays in breakdown cover claims handling complaint against UK Insurance Limited (trading as Green Flag)

Decision detail

Summary

Miss F complained about UK Insurance Limited's (UKI) service when she claimed on her European Breakdown policy after her campervan broke down abroad while travelling with two dogs. UKI failed to provide timely assistance on the first day, with poor communication and delays of two full days before achieving real progress. After the van was repaired at a garage 260 km away, it broke down again, and Miss F eventually drove it home herself after rejecting UKI's proposed solutions. UKI offered £350 compensation, which Miss F considered insufficient as it did not cover her out-of-pocket expenses. The ombudsman found that while UKI's initial response was poor, it was not responsible for all problems encountered, and the £350 compensation was fair and reasonable for the distress and inconvenience caused by its delays and poor communication.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman acknowledged that UKI's initial response was poor, with delays and poor communication. However, the ombudsman found that UKI was not responsible for all problems encountered: the van breaking down was not UKI's fault, Miss F chose not to accept initial accommodation offers, the policy did not cover pets or repairs, UKI was not responsible for the garage's work quality or the van breaking down again, and repatriating a vehicle is not straightforward. The ombudsman found that UKI attempted to provide workable solutions and that Miss F's choice to drive home herself was her own decision. The £350 compensation was deemed reasonable for the distress and inconvenience caused by UKI's delays and poor communication.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website