Upheld: service failure; failure to process request for premium reduction; inadequate disclosure of policy exclusion complaint against Many Pets Ltd
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6347467 of 2026-05-19T00:00:00+00:00. service failure; failure to process request for premium reduction; inadequate disclosure of policy exclusion complaint against Many Pets Ltd. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6347467 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-05-19T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Many Pets Ltd |
| Product | pet insurance |
| Claim type | service failure; failure to process request for premium reduction; inadequate disclosure of policy exclusion |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Many Pets Ltd must: (1) Provide all the different options of reducing cover and increasing the excess that were discussed in the 11 June 2025 call recording to Ms M in writing; (2) Once Ms M chooses an option and communicates it to Many Pets, refund the difference in premium paid since 7 July 2025 to the date the new cover limit and/or increased excess takes effect; (3) Add 8% simple interest from the date the first premium for the 2025/2026 year was taken to the date the new premium amount is established, with appropriate tax documentation if required; (4) Pay Ms M a further £275 compensation (making total compensation £400, as £125 was already paid). |
Summary
Mr M and Ms K jointly owned a dog insured with Many Pets. After their relationship broke down in January 2024, they agreed to share equal custody of the dog, with Ms K handling vet matters and Mr M handling the insurance policy. On 11 June 2025, Mr M called Many Pets requesting options to reduce his premium of £4,237.26 before the 7 July 2025 renewal, and the adviser discussed various permutations and promised to call back within 5-10 days. Many Pets failed to call back, the policy renewed automatically, and when Mr M called on 7 July 2025, he was told changes could not be made. Mr M was then told a 'transfer of ownership' to Ms K was required, and the premium rose to £5,023.45. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding that Many Pets' service failure prevented Mr M and Ms K from reducing their premium, that the policy exclusion was not adequately disclosed, and that Mr M was not acting in bad faith. The ombudsman ordered Many Pets to re-offer the premium reduction options discussed in the 11 June 2025 call, refund overpaid premiums with 8% simple interest, and pay additional compensation of £275 (total £400).
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Many Pets failed to provide adequate notice of the 'owner and keeper' exclusion, which was not mentioned in the IPID and was not explained in the 28 May 2024 letter. The ombudsman determined that Mr M was not careless or acting in bad faith, as he and Ms K had established a legitimate shared custody arrangement and Mr M clearly stated his continued ownership in the 11 June 2025 call. The ombudsman found that Many Pets' failure to call back within the promised 5-10 days was a clear service failure that prevented Mr M and Ms K from reducing their premium before renewal. The ombudsman noted that policy conditions permit changes on renewal, making underwriter involvement largely irrelevant. By accepting the transfer of ownership to Ms K in August 2025, Many Pets had waived its right to rely on any alleged bad faith by Mr M under the legal principles of waiver and estoppel. The ombudsman concluded that Many Pets should implement the premium reduction options that were discussed in the 11 June 2025 call, refund the overpaid premiums with interest, and pay additional compensation for the trouble and upset caused.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Many Pets Ltd, all decisions | 2 | 50% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website