Not upheld: claim decline based on suspected fraud complaint against Haven Insurance Company Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr R claimed for theft of his car in December 2024, but Haven declined the claim in August 2025 after a multi-month validation process, suspecting false information had been provided about the car's ownership and purchase. Mr R disputed the findings, arguing confusion about his directorship role and documentation gaps should not invalidate the claim, and that he had provided bank statements showing payment to the salvage company. The ombudsman found Haven fairly declined the claim based on false statements made during the March 2025 validation interview regarding beneficial interest in the vehicle, and that the extended timeline was justified by the need to reach a fair decision rather than constituting unreasonable delay.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Haven fairly declined the claim based on false statements made by Mr R during the validation process. Questions about car purchase and ownership were relevant to determining beneficial interest in the vehicle. The ombudsman agreed with the investigator's assessment that false statements were made and that Haven demonstrated legitimate concerns about the claim. While the claim process took several months, the ombudsman found this was due to Haven's obligation to make a fair decision rather than avoidable delay, and the steps taken were reasonable given the value of the claim and concerns raised.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website