Upheld: claim handling - duplicate payment, underpayment, outstanding repairs and snagging issues complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6358856 of 2026-06-08T00:00:00+00:00. claim handling - duplicate payment, underpayment, outstanding repairs and snagging issues complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6358856 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-08T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited |
| Product | Home insurance |
| Claim type | claim handling - duplicate payment, underpayment, outstanding repairs and snagging issues |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Admiral must: (1) Pay Mrs W £2,000 compensation with deduction of £486.57 overpayment and any compensation already paid; (2) Pay £470.79 interest if not already paid; (3) Instruct a surveyor to attend Mrs W's property to review outstanding snagging or repair issues. |
Summary
Mrs W complained about Admiral's handling of her home insurance claim for water damage, raising issues including outstanding repairs, snagging problems, and incorrect claim payments. Admiral's final response offered £1,275 compensation and £470.79 interest, but Mrs W disputed the existence of an alleged overpayment and underpayment for a sewing machine. The ombudsman found that Admiral made a duplicate payment of £936.57 in May 2022 (evidenced by system screenshots) and underpaid Mrs W by £450 for a sewing machine. After offsetting these amounts, the ombudsman upheld the complaint and required Admiral to pay £2,000 compensation (less the net £486.57 overpayment), £470.79 interest, and arrange a surveyor to review outstanding issues.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Admiral made a duplicate payment of £936.57 in May 2022, evidenced by system screenshots showing two payment requests on different dates. While Mrs W disputed receiving an overpayment, the evidence persuaded the ombudsman that the duplicate payment existed. Additionally, Admiral underpaid Mrs W by £450 for a sewing machine, as the invoice she provided was for a different machine than the three previously paid for. After offsetting the £450 underpayment against the £936.57 overpayment, a net overpayment of £486.57 remained. The ombudsman determined it was reasonable to deduct this overpayment from the £2,000 compensation agreed by Admiral, thereby resolving both the overpayment and underpayment issues fairly.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited, all decisions | 1,923 | 44% |
| Home insurance, all decisions | 20,668 | 38% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website