Consumer complains when insurer only pays 60% of claim because she did not disclose a previous burglary

Theft Contents insurance Insurance

Francis complains after her insurer paid out less than she'd been expecting following a burglary.

What happened

Francis took out her home insurance policy online. She was asked whether she had any home insurance claims in the last five years – she said she had one. When Francis made a new claim after she had been burgled, her insurer discovered that she actually had two claims, and had forgotten about a burglary claim she made three years previously. 

As a result of telling the insurer she only had one previous claim, the insurer said that Francis had only paid 60% of the insurance policy she would have done – so the insurer paid 60% of her claim. Francis disagreed and felt her insurer should pay the full amount of her claim, and so complained to her insurer. Unhappy with the final response she received from them, Francis asked us to investigate her complaint.

What we said

We reviewed all the evidence provided by the insurer and Francis. We found the insurer had clearly asked whether she’d had any home insurance claims in the last five years and Francis put down that she had one.

We were satisfied that Francis hadn’t taken reasonable care when she answered the insurer’s question about previous claims, and that she’d paid 60% of the premium she should have paid. We agreed it was fair for the insurer to settle her claim proportionately.