Not upheld: refusal to refund premiums for changed circumstances complaint against Uinsure Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr S complained that Uinsure Limited refused to refund premiums on a landlord insurance policy that continued to renew after he moved into the insured property in 2021, only discovering the continued renewals in 2025. Uinsure requested evidence of alternative insurance cover and other information before considering a refund, which Mr S found unfair. The ombudsman found Uinsure acted reasonably in requiring this information and in not refunding premiums, as the policy would not necessarily have been void. However, Uinsure unfairly raised Mr S's hopes by not making its information requirements clear at the outset, justifying the £75 compensation it had already paid. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Uinsure acted reasonably in not refunding premiums because: (1) the policy would not necessarily have been void merely because Mr S moved into the property - Uinsure would have reviewed any claim; (2) Uinsure reasonably requested information about alternative insurance cover, as dual insurance would normally result in a 50% refund under standard insurance practice; (3) the other information requested was reasonable. However, Uinsure unfairly raised Mr S's hopes by not making its information requirements clear at the outset, which justified the £75 compensation already paid.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website