Not upheld: claims handling - alleged misdiagnosis and professional misconduct complaint against Inter Partner Assistance SA (IPA)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr V complained that IPA mishandled his home emergency insurance claim following an electrical failure. IPA's electrician provided a temporary repair by isolating a damaged circuit section, restoring power to most sockets. Mr V later discovered the damage was likely caused by rodents, not the broadband installer as initially suspected, and the broadband installer repaired the issue at no cost. Mr V sought compensation for distress and inconvenience, claiming the electrician misdiagnosed the cause and acted improperly by offering private repair work. The ombudsman found IPA fulfilled its policy obligations by providing a temporary emergency repair, did not misdiagnose the issue, and acted appropriately in offering private work outside the policy scope. Since Mr V incurred no costs and suffered no loss, the complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that IPA fulfilled its policy obligation by providing a temporary repair that restored power to the property. The electrician did not provide a firm diagnosis of the cause, only a possibility, and the actual cause (rodents) did not contradict the finding that part of the circuit was damaged. The ombudsman noted that even if a misdiagnosis had occurred, Mr V would have needed to arrange and pay for a permanent repair regardless, and since the broadband installer completed the work at no cost to him, he suffered no consequential losses or distress as a result of any IPA failure.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website