Partially upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Aviva Insurance Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6251294 of 2026-06-24T00:00:00+00:00. Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Aviva Insurance Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6251294 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-24T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Aviva Insurance Limited |
| Product | Home insurance |
| Claim type | Home insurance claim disputes |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | Aviva Insurance Limited must re-consider the fitted wardrobe claim, taking into account any evidence Miss S provides, and determine whether £450 represents a fair settlement based on available information. The assessment should determine whether the replacement wardrobe is of similar quality to the original on a like-for-like basis. |
Summary
Miss S complained to Aviva about the settlement of her home insurance claim following property damage. She raised two issues: Aviva replaced her granite worktop with quartz (which she later damaged), and Aviva's £450 settlement for a fitted wardrobe was insufficient compared to her contractor's £2,900 quote. The ombudsman found Miss S had explicitly selected the quartz worktop herself via email, making Aviva's settlement fair, but found the wardrobe settlement lacked robust supporting evidence from both parties. The complaint was partially upheld, requiring Aviva to reconsider the wardrobe claim with proper evidence assessment.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Miss S made a conscious choice to select quartz rather than granite, evidenced by her email communication. Although quartz proved less durable, this was Miss S's decision and Aviva was entitled to settle based on her selection. For the wardrobe claim, neither party provided robust evidence to support their respective valuations. The ombudsman required Aviva to reconsider with proper evidence, placing the burden on Miss S to prove her loss while acknowledging Aviva could have pursued the matter more thoroughly.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Aviva Insurance Limited, all decisions | 5,113 | 27% |
| Home insurance claim disputes, all decisions | 25,670 | 38% |
| Home insurance, all decisions | 20,959 | 38% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website