Not upheld: claim handling delays and minor communication errors complaint against Intact Insurance UK Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs C and Mr C complained about Intact Insurance's handling of a water escape claim made on 22 August 2025. The claim was settled within one month (29 September 2025), but the complainants alleged delays and poor communication caused them stress and potentially affected their health. Intact admitted to minor delays in initial contact, confusion over excess payment, a disturbance allowance routing error, and miscommunication, paying £250 in total compensation. The ombudsman found the errors were minor, resolved quickly, and that the £250 compensation was appropriate and consistent with FOS precedent, declining to uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman considered the claim in its entirety and found that while Intact made minor errors and omissions, these were of a very minor nature and were resolved reasonably quickly. The claim was settled within one month, there was no dispute about the final settlement amount, and the complainants chose not to move into alternative accommodation (for which an appropriate disturbance allowance was paid). The ombudsman determined that £250 in compensation was entirely appropriate for repeated small errors causing reasonable effort and some distress over several weeks, consistent with FOS precedent.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website