Not upheld: claim handling - settlement method and communication preferences complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr L complained that Admiral unfairly refused to make a direct cash settlement for his motor insurance claim and made repeated telephone contact despite his preference for written communication. A previous Ombudsman decision in January 2026 had already considered the cash settlement and repair vs replacement issue. The current complaint focused on the phone calls and communication method. The ombudsman found that while Admiral likely made the calls, Mr L had not expressly requested written-only contact at the claim's outset, and the limited number of unanswered calls did not exceed what customers might reasonably expect during claims handling. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman determined that the cash settlement issue had already been decided in a previous complaint and no material new evidence was provided to reconsider it. Regarding the phone calls, while Admiral likely made them, the ombudsman found no express written-only communication request at the claim's outset. The June 2025 request for written confirmation of non-renewal did not demonstrate a blanket preference for written-only contact on all policy and claim matters. The limited number of unanswered calls did not exceed what customers might reasonably expect during an insurance claim, and the impact on Mr L, while frustrating, was insufficient to justify an award for distress or inconvenience.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website