Upheld: mishandled refund and failure to provide transaction tracing information complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6189141 of 2026-04-15T00:00:00+00:00. mishandled refund and failure to provide transaction tracing information complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6189141 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-15T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited |
| Product | motor insurance |
| Claim type | mishandled refund and failure to provide transaction tracing information |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Admiral directed to pay: (1) £398.47 as refund; (2) simple interest at 8% per annum from 17 August 2025 to date of settlement; (3) £50.00 for distress and inconvenience. Admiral may pursue recovery from the building society if it chooses. |
Summary
Ms C and Mr C complained that Admiral mishandled a motor insurance policy refund of £398.47 initiated on 17 August 2025. Although Admiral claimed the refund was successfully sent to Mr C's building society card, Mr C's account statements showed no receipt of the funds. Admiral refused to provide the ARN (Acquirer Reference Number) needed to trace the transaction, preventing investigation. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding Admiral's failure to provide the ARN was unfair and directing Admiral to repay the £398.47 plus 8% interest from 17 August 2025 and £50 compensation for distress and inconvenience.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that while Admiral provided evidence the refund was initiated, Mr C's account statements confirmed he did not receive it. Critically, Admiral failed to provide the ARN, which is a standard reference number that should be available and would enable proper tracing. The ombudsman considered it fair and reasonable to require Admiral to repay the refund since Admiral's failure to provide the ARN prevented investigation and Admiral bears responsibility for ensuring the refund reaches the customer.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited, all decisions | 1,935 | 44% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website