Partially upheld: Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6335168 of 2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00. Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6335168 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited |
| Product | Travel insurance |
| Claim type | Motor insurance, claim handling |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited must: (1) Refund the premium paid for the annual policy; (2) Add interest at 8% simple per annum from the date the policy was voided until settlement; (3) Pay £200 compensation to Mrs W and Mr W within 28 days of acceptance of the decision, with additional 8% interest if paid late. |
Summary
Mrs W took out annual travel insurance in May 2025 and began an online claim after learning her close relative was unwell on 25 June 2025. She did not complete the initial submission, reporting the incident as 25 June (before cover started on 26 June). Admiral declined this incomplete claim. Mrs W later submitted a complete claim with the incident date as 26 June 2025 and supporting medical documentation. Admiral declined the second claim as not covered (pre-existing condition) but also voided the entire policy, invoking the fraud condition and claiming Mrs W deliberately misled it by changing the incident date. The ombudsman found the second claim was fairly declined on coverage grounds but the fraud finding was unjustified, as the evidence showed Mrs W was waiting for documents and reasonably believed 26 June was the relevant incident date. Admiral was ordered to refund the premium with 8% interest and pay £200 compensation.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found it was fair for Admiral to assess the initial incomplete online submission as a claim and decline it based on the incident date of 25 June (before cover started). However, the ombudsman found Admiral unfairly invoked the fraud condition because the evidence did not support a finding of deliberate dishonesty. Mrs W's explanation that she was waiting for supporting documents was credible and supported by the timeline showing documents were not available until after the first claim decision. The change in incident date from 25 June to 26 June was likely due to Mrs W's reasonable belief that the actual cancellation date (26 June) was the relevant incident date, not deliberate fraud. The ombudsman also found the second claim would not have been covered anyway due to the pre-existing condition exclusion, but this did not justify the fraud finding.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited, all decisions | 1,956 | 43% |
| Motor insurance, claim handling, all decisions | 12,937 | 32% |
| Travel insurance, all decisions | 7,668 | 37% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website