Not upheld: claims handling, repair quality, and causation of defects complaint against Aviva Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr F claimed that Aviva mishandled his motor insurance claim following third-party damage to his car in July 2025. He complained that repairs were inadequate, including a poor paint finish on the A-pillar, a squeaking wing mirror, and worsening central locking issues. Aviva's engineer concluded these issues were not caused by the accident or repairs. The ombudsman found the engineer's inspection was sufficient, Mr F lacked expert evidence to support his claims, and the paint issue was already addressed in Aviva's final response. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman placed greater weight on the engineer's report than Mr F's recollection, finding the inspection was sufficient to support the engineer's findings. Mr F failed to provide expert evidence (such as from an engineer or main dealer) to support his claims that the central locking issue and squeaking noise were caused by the accident or repairs. The paint finish issue was already addressed in Aviva's final response by offering rectification work. The wing mirror complaint was raised after the final response and therefore could not be investigated under FCA dispute resolution rules.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website