Not upheld: poor claim handling, inadequate communication, incorrect information provision complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr O claimed on his home contents insurance after accidentally spilling gloss paint that damaged his bed frame, mattress and carpet. Admiral accepted the claim but Mr O was dissatisfied with the cash settlement offers, poor communications, repeated evidence requests, and refusal to provide alternative accommodation due to his health issues. Admiral acknowledged shortcomings including incorrect information from their agent, unclear communication, and failure to record health issues, paying £400 compensation and increasing the settlement offer. The ombudsman found the £400 compensation was fair and reasonable for the shortcomings, as the claim was resolved within six weeks and did not require 'a lot of extra effort' to resolve.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that while Admiral had shortcomings in claim handling, these did not warrant additional compensation beyond the £400 already paid. The claim process took six weeks, which was not unreasonable. Requesting evidence to support losses claimed is standard practice. The refusal to provide alternative accommodation was justified as the property was not uninhabitable per policy terms. The £400 award aligned with FOS guidance for cases involving considerable distress and significant inconvenience, though the ombudsman found the effort required was not 'a lot of extra effort' and the impact did not last many weeks or months.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website