Not upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Ageas Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr M complained that Ageas unfairly declined his motorbike theft claim. Mr M reported the theft in June 2025, claiming it occurred on 28 March 2025, but Ageas declined based on police information stating the theft was reported on 10 March 2025, before the policy's 20 March 2025 inception date. The ombudsman found Ageas acted reasonably in relying on police information and that the claim fell outside the policy's coverage period. The ombudsman also held Ageas not responsible for delays caused by police failure to apply a PNC marker. The complaint was not upheld, with the ombudsman advising Mr M to obtain evidence contradicting the police date if available.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied ICOBS 8.1 requirements for fair and prompt claims handling. The key issue was whether the theft fell within the period of insurance. Based on the police's confirmation that the theft was reported on 10 March 2025 (before the 20 March 2025 policy inception), the ombudsman found it reasonable for Ageas to conclude the claim fell outside the policy terms. The ombudsman held Ageas was not responsible for delays caused by police failure to apply the PNC marker, as this was a third-party responsibility. The ombudsman noted it was Mr M's burden to demonstrate the loss was covered by policy terms, and he had not provided evidence contradicting the police date.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website