Upheld: Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6444727 of 2026-06-22T00:00:00+00:00. Motor insurance, claim handling complaint against Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6444727 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-22T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited |
| Product | Motor insurance |
| Claim type | Motor insurance, claim handling |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Admiral must: (1) contact the hire company and/or its insurer to pursue recovery of claim costs and keep Mr H informed of progress and outcome; (2) pay £500 compensation for the impact of poor claim handling (inclusive of any previous compensation paid); (3) provide an apology for distress and inconvenience caused; (4) give consideration to its uninsured driver terms once recovery has been attempted. If recovery is successful, the claim will be amended to restore Mr H's NCB and allow recalculation of renewal premium with refund of overpayment. |
Summary
Mr H complained about Admiral's handling of a motor insurance claim following a collision with a rental electric bike. Although Mr H provided the bike identification, dashcam footage, witness details, and police reference, Admiral closed the claim without attempting to contact the bike hire company or its insurer, resulting in loss of Mr H's no-claims bonus and increased renewal premiums. The ombudsman found that Admiral had sufficient information to pursue recovery and should have done so, as the bike hire company was insured against customer damage. Admiral was ordered to contact the hire company to pursue recovery, pay £500 compensation, and provide an apology for the poor claim handling and distress caused.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
Admiral had sufficient information to pursue recovery through the bike hire company but failed to do so. The bike hire company is insured against customer damage, and Mr H provided identification details, dashcam footage, witnesses, and a police report. Admiral's claim that data protection rules prevented recovery was not substantiated. The business should have explored recovery before closing the claim. Admiral's poor handling caused Mr H considerable distress and inconvenience over a six-month period as he repeatedly chased for updates while his information was not properly considered.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited, all decisions | 1,956 | 43% |
| Motor insurance, claim handling, all decisions | 12,937 | 32% |
| Motor insurance, all decisions | 24,103 | 35% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website