Upheld: Other regulated complaint complaint against Ashley Page Insurance Brokers Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6418023 of 2026-06-23T00:00:00+00:00. Other regulated complaint complaint against Ashley Page Insurance Brokers Limited. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6418023 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-23T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Ashley Page Insurance Brokers Limited |
| Product | Other regulated product |
| Claim type | Other regulated complaint |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Ashley Page Insurance Brokers Limited must: (1) Pay 50% of legal costs incurred between March 2025 and June 2025, with costs to be assessed by an independent costs assessor if not agreed, with Ashley Page bearing the assessor's fees; (2) Pay interest on the payment at 8% per annum simple from the date costs were paid to the date of payment; (3) Pay £500 compensation for distress and inconvenience. |
Summary
Mr and Mrs S complained that Ashley Page Insurance Brokers Limited mis-sold a legal expenses insurance policy in April 2021. Mr S had explicitly stated his need for cover relating to potential legal action from neighbours, but the policy recommended excluded pre-existing disputes. When Mr S was subsequently served with legal proceedings in January 2025 including data protection and harassment claims, the new policy declined the claim as the issues pre-dated the policy. The previous insurer eventually agreed to cover some costs from June 2025 onwards. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding Ashley Page breached its duty to recommend a suitable policy. While unable to prove a suitable alternative would have fully covered the claim, the ombudsman established Mr S suffered loss from the delay in identifying his previous policy as a potential source of cover, resulting in uncompensated costs between March and June 2025. Ashley Page was directed to pay 50% of those costs (to be assessed), interest, and £500 compensation.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
This was an advised sale, meaning Ashley Page had a duty to assess Mr S's demands and needs and recommend a suitable policy. Mr S clearly articulated his need for legal expenses cover relating to potential neighbour disputes. The policy recommended excluded pre-existing disputes, making it unsuitable for his stated needs. While the ombudsman could not definitively prove that a suitable policy would have covered the claim (as Mr S failed to provide evidence of alternative policies available), he could establish that Mr S lost the opportunity to make a claim on his previous policy earlier, which would have avoided costs incurred between March and June 2025. The remedy addresses the demonstrable loss from the delay in identifying the previous policy as a potential source of cover.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Page Insurance Brokers Limited, all decisions | 1 | 100% |
| Other regulated complaint, all decisions | 18,717 | 18% |
| Other regulated product, all decisions | 47,449 | 30% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website