Not upheld: claim declined - application of policy exclusion complaint against British Gas Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr D complained that British Gas unfairly declined his claim for repair of an electrical socket identified as unsafe during an engineer visit under his Homecare insurance policy. The engineer found the socket had rust and water damage consistent with a previous leak, and disconnected it as a safety measure. British Gas declined the claim relying on a policy exclusion for damage covered by other kinds of insurance. The ombudsman found the engineer's evidence persuasive that water ingress caused the damage, which would normally be covered by home insurance rather than home emergency cover, and that the engineer appropriately made the property safe. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that the policy clearly covers electrical repairs but contains an exclusion for damage covered by other kinds of insurance, specifically including escape of water. The engineer's evidence indicated the damage was caused by water ingress from a previous leak, which would normally be covered by home insurance rather than a home emergency policy. The ombudsman rejected Mr D's arguments that the damage was recent or caused by the engineer's actions, finding the engineer acted appropriately in disconnecting the unsafe socket as an emergency safety measure. The ombudsman emphasised that home emergency cover is not a substitute for buildings insurance and has defined limits and exclusions.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website