Partially upheld: claim handling delay and error complaint against Domestic & General Insurance Plc
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6394908 of 2026-06-02T00:00:00+00:00. claim handling delay and error complaint against Domestic & General Insurance Plc. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6394908 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-02T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Domestic & General Insurance Plc |
| Product | Other regulated product |
| Claim type | claim handling delay and error |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | D&G must pay Miss I £100 compensation for distress and inconvenience caused within 28 days of Miss I's acceptance of the final decision. If payment is made later, interest at 8% simple per annum applies from the deadline date to the date of payment. |
Summary
Miss I complained about how D&G handled a claim under her insurance policy for a tablet device. She claimed to have raised the claim on 10 July 2025, but D&G's records showed it was raised on 21 July 2025. After the claim was formally raised, D&G initially returned the device unrepaired in error and did not accept the claim until 30 July 2025, with the device finally being repaired on 4 August 2025. The ombudsman upheld the complaint in part, finding that D&G caused unnecessary delay and distress, but rejected the investigator's recommendation of £350 compensation as excessive. The ombudsman awarded £100 compensation for the distress and inconvenience caused.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that while Miss I did not provide evidence of following the correct process to raise a claim prior to 21 July 2025, there was likely some confusion beforehand. The key finding was that D&G caused unnecessary delay by initially returning the device unrepaired in error after the claim was formally raised on 21 July 2025, and did not accept the claim until 30 July 2025. This caused distress and inconvenience to Miss I and her children. However, the ombudsman did not accept the investigator's recommendation of £350, finding it excessive given the circumstances.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic & General Insurance Plc, all decisions | 657 | 31% |
| Other regulated product, all decisions | 51,119 | 30% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website