An insurer is wrong about keys being left in a car

Motor Insurance

Andrea complains after her car was stolen and later found a few miles away, badly damaged.

What happened

Andrea’s car was stolen and later found a few miles away, badly damaged. 

The insurer investigated her claim and refused to pay out. They said the car couldn’t have been stolen without a key and as she had both sets of keys, they suspected she’d lied about the car being stolen. 

Andrea felt her insurer acted unfairly and complained. The insurer said in its final response that her claim has been rejected. Unhappy with the response, Andrea contacted our service to make a complaint. 

What we said

We explained to the insurer that, from our ongoing conversations with security experts, we know these kinds of cars can be stolen quickly and easily without their programmed key. The driver’s window had been smashed, suggesting a break-in, and the police reports reflected what Andrea had told us about the theft

In the circumstances, we didn’t think the insurer had shown it was most likely that Andrea’s version of events was wrong. We told them to pay out on the claim, and to make an additional payment for the embarrassment they’d caused by suggesting she’d lied about the theft.