Partially upheld: poor claim handling, unclear communication, failure to account for vulnerability complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6377166 of 2026-05-21T00:00:00+00:00. poor claim handling, unclear communication, failure to account for vulnerability complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6377166 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-05-21T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited |
| Product | car insurance |
| Claim type | poor claim handling, unclear communication, failure to account for vulnerability |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited must pay Mr S £250 additional compensation (in addition to the £250 already paid) within 28 days of acceptance of the decision. If payment is late, interest accrues at 8% per annum simple rate from the date of the final decision. |
Summary
Mr S claimed for car damage caused by a pothole in July 2023. Admiral closed the claim after Mr S failed to provide evidence of privately arranged repairs. In March 2025, Admiral incorrectly communicated that Mr S's No Claims Bonus would be affected, when in fact no claim had been made. Mr S had disclosed mental health issues to Admiral between January and March 2024, but Admiral failed to offer additional support or adjust its communication accordingly. Admiral upheld Mr S's complaint in September 2025 and paid £250 compensation. The ombudsman partially upheld the complaint and required Admiral to pay an additional £250 to reflect its failure to account for Mr S's known vulnerability.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Admiral's communication on 31 March 2025 was unclear and confusing, incorrectly suggesting Mr S's NCB would be affected when no claim had been made. Admiral had a further opportunity to clarify on 24 July 2025 but failed to do so. Most significantly, Admiral was aware of Mr S's mental health vulnerabilities from January to March 2024 but failed to offer additional support or adjust its communication approach accordingly. While Admiral's initial £250 compensation went some way to address the distress caused, a fairer outcome required an additional £250 to reflect the failure to account for Mr S's known vulnerability.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited, all decisions | 1,935 | 44% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website