Not upheld: Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Covea Insurance plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mr K complained to Covea Insurance about the time taken to recover £4,279.46 in uninsured losses following a stolen vehicle crashing into his home in November 2023. Covea attempted recovery through multiple routes including criminal compensation, direct recovery from the driver, and a claim against the vehicle's insurer under section 151 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. All routes proved unviable, with the vehicle's insurer denying liability and the driver being untraceable. The ombudsman found that Covea acted reasonably in pursuing these options, maintaining regular contact with Mr K, and deciding not to pursue further action when prospects of success were low. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

Covea considered a reasonable range of recovery options including criminal compensation, direct recovery from the driver, and recovery from the vehicle's insurer. Although all routes proved unviable, the firm acted reasonably in deciding not to pursue further action. Covea maintained regular contact with Mr K, explained the likely timescales upfront, and actively pursued the matter despite the complexity and the other insurer's change of position. The time taken was reasonable given the circumstances.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website