Upheld: service failure - inadequate communication and account access complaint against Aviva Insurance Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr P complained about Aviva's implementation of two-factor authentication for online account access. After renewing his motor insurance in March 2025, Aviva introduced two-factor authentication but Mr P could not receive verification codes because Aviva held his outdated mobile number. When Mr P attempted to resolve this via online chat in November 2025, the chat function terminated multiple times. Aviva eventually updated his number on 3 December 2025 and offered £50 compensation, acknowledging they should have communicated the security change more clearly. The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and directed Aviva to pay the £50 compensation, finding their communication failures and support issues were not adequately remedied by the offer alone, though the compensation amount was reasonable.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

Aviva is required to have reasonable systems and controls to protect customers online, and two-factor authentication is a standard security measure. However, Aviva failed to communicate the implementation clearly to customers beforehand. Mr P had changed his mobile number but Aviva held outdated information. While Mr P bore some responsibility for not updating Aviva of his number change, Aviva acknowledged their communication failures and technical issues with the chat function. Although Mr P experienced inconvenience and temporary loss of access to policy documents, no financial loss was demonstrated. Aviva's apology, provision of contact details, and £50 compensation were reasonable steps to remedy the breach of their communication obligations.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website