Not upheld: claim decline - failure to meet policy conditions complaint against Trinity Lane Insurance Company Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr C claimed on his motorcycle insurance policy after his locked brick garage was broken into and his motorcycle was stolen. Trinity declined the claim because the motorcycle was not secured with a required Sold Secure Lock at the time of theft, despite being stored in a locked garage. Mr C complained that the policy was unclear about requiring the lock when the motorcycle was already in a locked garage. The ombudsman found the policy endorsements were distinct and clearly defined, with Endorsement 15 explicitly requiring an SSL lock whenever the motorcycle was not in use, with no exception for garage storage. The ombudsman upheld Trinity's decision to decline the claim.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that the policy terms were distinct and clearly defined. Endorsement 15 explicitly states that an SSL lock must be fitted whenever the motorcycle is not in use, with no exception for storage in a locked garage. The wording is not ambiguous as it does not offer an exception for garage storage. Therefore, Trinity acted fairly and reasonably in declining the claim based on non-compliance with the endorsement requirements.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website