Not upheld: claim decline based on policy exclusion for commuting use complaint against First Central Underwriting Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr T complained that First Central unfairly declined his motor insurance claim following a car incident on 14 June 2025. The policy excluded commuting use. During the initial call on 18 June 2025, Mr T stated he was 'going back home from work' and 'usually commute by my car'. First Central declined the claim based on this commuting use exclusion. Mr T later provided evidence (manager's letter and gym CCTV) suggesting he had not been at work and was driving from his sister's house to home. The ombudsman found it fair and reasonable for First Central to place greater weight on Mr T's initial statements made during the first call than on the later evidence provided after the policy exclusion had been explained to him. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Mr T's initial statements on the call recording clearly indicated he was commuting from work ('going back home from work' and 'usually commute by my car'). The ombudsman did not accept that Mr T meant to say 'social, domestic or pleasure' when he said 'work'. It was fair and reasonable for First Central to place greater weight on these contemporaneous statements made during the first call than on the later evidence Mr T provided after being informed of the commuting exclusion. The later evidence, while potentially supporting Mr T's account, came only after the policy exclusion had been explained to him.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website