Not upheld: Other regulated complaint complaint against National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (NFU)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr W complained that NFU unfairly recorded a £1,440 charge for an assessor's visit that did not occur on his declined barn floor damage claim from July 2023. NFU explained that the loss adjustor completed a remote assessment using photos, builder discussions, and information from Mr W, determining the damage was not subsidence-related and declining the claim. The ombudsman found that NFU is required by CUE database regulations to accurately record all costs incurred in claims, and the loss adjustor's detailed report confirmed the assessment was thorough despite no site visit being necessary. The complaint was not upheld as the charge was legitimate and properly recorded.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman determined that NFU is required by CUE database regulations to accurately record all costs incurred in relation to claims. The loss adjustor's report demonstrated that a detailed assessment was completed without requiring a site visit, using photos, discussions with the builder and Mr W, and other information provided. The £1,440 fee was a legitimate cost incurred by NFU in validating the claim, and its recording on the CUE database was accurate and required by industry regulations.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website