Upheld: incorrect claim decline and delay in claim assessment complaint against INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6296322 of 2026-04-17T00:00:00+00:00. incorrect claim decline and delay in claim assessment complaint against INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6296322 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-17T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED |
| Product | legal expenses insurance |
| Claim type | incorrect claim decline and delay in claim assessment |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED must pay Ms L £500 compensation within 28 days of acceptance of the final decision. If payment is made after the deadline, interest at 8% per annum simple must be paid from the deadline date to the date of payment. |
Summary
Ms L complained about INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED's handling of her legal expenses insurance claim for an employment tribunal dispute. INTACT initially declined the claim but later agreed to accept it for assessment while the Ombudsman was investigating. Ms L sought higher compensation for the stress caused by the initial decline and subsequent delays. The Ombudsman found INTACT had sufficient information to progress the claim earlier and recognised Ms L's vulnerability, but limited the award to £500 as the claim assessment outcome remained uncertain and subsequent issues fell outside the scope of this review.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The Ombudsman found that INTACT had all available information at the outset to have progressed the claim to assessment earlier, and that the delay had an impact on Ms L. Recognising Ms L's vulnerability due to her employment dispute circumstances, the Ombudsman determined the delay would have had an additional impact. However, the Ombudsman limited the award to £500 to reflect the impact of the initial incorrect decline, noting that acceptance for assessment does not guarantee cover will be provided, and that subsequent issues fall outside the scope of this review.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| INTACT INSURANCE UK LIMITED, all decisions | 201 | 38% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website