Upheld: Service failures generally complaint against Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6329050 of 2026-06-23T00:00:00+00:00. Service failures generally complaint against Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6329050 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-23T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd |
| Product | Motor insurance |
| Claim type | Service failures generally |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Fortegra must reimburse Mrs M £1,070 (comprising £550 recovery costs, £300 babysitter fees, and £220 dog care costs) plus simple interest at Bank of England base rate plus 1% from date of payment until reimbursement. Fortegra must also pay £250 compensation for distress and inconvenience caused. |
Summary
Mrs M's car broke down 100 miles from home in December 2025 with a flashing engine warning light. She had a young child at home with a babysitter due to leave at 8pm and two dogs in crates requiring care. Fortegra's agents repeatedly told her the policy only covered local recovery to a garage, without mentioning onward travel options until 5:30pm when garages and car rental shops had closed. Unable to leave her car at a garage or arrange alternative transport in time, Mrs M arranged expensive private recovery home (£550) and paid additional childcare (£300) and pet care (£220) costs. The ombudsman upheld her complaint, finding Fortegra's poor communication caused unnecessary distress and expense, and ordered reimbursement of £1,070 plus interest and £250 compensation.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Fortegra's agents communicated poorly and failed to explain Mrs M's policy cover clearly. The onward travel options were not mentioned until 5:30pm, by which time local garages and car rental shops had closed, leaving Mrs M with no practical alternative but to arrange expensive private recovery home. Given Mrs M's vulnerable circumstances (young child and dogs requiring care), her actions were reasonable. The failure to communicate policy options clearly caused significant additional distress and inconvenience beyond the initial breakdown.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd, all decisions | 141 | 54% |
| Service failures generally, all decisions | 34,193 | 32% |
| Motor insurance, all decisions | 24,103 | 35% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website