Not upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Intact Insurance UK Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr O claimed under his home insurance policy for damage to his sofa, which he said was caused by an incident followed by his attempt to clean it, resulting in rusted springs and a collapsed base. Intact declined the claim, stating the damage was caused by gradual wear and tear rather than a sudden event. Intact appointed a furniture specialist who inspected the sofa and concluded the collapsed base was due to age-related wear and tear. The ombudsman found Intact's reliance on the expert assessment reasonable and agreed that a collapsed base and rust are more consistent with gradual wear and tear than a single cleaning incident, therefore not upholding the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found it reasonable for Intact to appoint an expert to assess the damage and rely on their findings. The expert's report concluded the collapsed base was caused by age-related wear and tear rather than a sudden event. The ombudsman considered it unlikely that a single steam cleaning event would cause springs to rust, as rust typically occurs gradually over time. Therefore, the damage fell within the policy exclusion for gradual wear and tear rather than the accidental damage cover.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website