Not upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr L claimed on his contents insurance policy for a bracelet allegedly stolen away from home. Admiral declined the claim, citing insufficient evidence of ownership and inconsistent accounts of the theft circumstances. Mr L had only provided a 2020 valuation and a photo of cash at a jeweller's counter without bracelet-specific details. His account changed from the bracelet being in a stolen car to being stolen whilst he was wearing it, with varying details about locations. The ombudsman found Admiral's enquiries reasonable and the evidence insufficient, upholding the decline as fair and in line with policy terms.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

Admiral was entitled to make reasonable enquiries and seek reasonable evidence to support the claim. The four-year gap between the valuation and claim justified requesting more recent evidence of ownership. The significant inconsistencies in Mr L's account of events (initially saying the bracelet was in the car, later saying he was wearing it; differing information about location) reasonably cast doubt on the circumstances of the claim. The photo provided did not contain details specific to the bracelet and therefore did not help establish ownership. It was fair and reasonable for Admiral to decline the claim based on the available evidence and in line with policy terms.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website