Insurance won't pay on car - due to lost keys - please help

Sugarboyjoe

Hi this is my first post and I surely could do with some help.

I lost my car key (in my dad's home) two weeks before my car was stolen. Now the insurance company won't pay since they allege I haven't taken reasonable steps to protect my car.
They say that had I informed them they would have required me to change the locks.

Surely there must be thousands if not millions of people who mislay keys (in their homes) without the need to change locks.

Can anyone help - I am considering referring this to the Financial Services Ombudsman.

Ps we still haven't found the keys even after an exhaustive search. Also if you have read this far - the car was taken from my dad's home and I used the spare in the interim.

Many thanks



Joe

Quentin

You can only follow your plan regarding the ombudsman.

First make a formal complaint to the insurer then when they either reject it or ignore it you can escalate to the ombudsman.

In the meantime check what happens to your policy now no car is under cover. Some insurers insist on either a replacement or you cancel.

susanthunt

Hi joe
I don't know much about insurance except they often find ways to refuse claims ��but surely if you had left keys in the vehicle you would have your spare to send them which supports your claim.
Have you checked the small print on policy to see if it mentions this anywhere? If that's no help, try calling CA bureau since they usually have previous experience of most problems.
Good luck!

InsideInsurance

Doesnt the fact you havent found the keys suggest that they were possibly lost somewhere else? If not, then find them and thus there are no lost keys any more and the claim will be paid.

huckster

Have a search around the FOS site for cases that might help you. e.g

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/72/72-mv.html

dacouch

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Doesnt the fact you havent found the keys suggest that they were possibly lost somewhere else? If not, then find them and thus there are no lost keys any more and the claim will be paid.

I always find things in the last place I look, so I find it quicker to look there first.

dacouch

Has the car turned up yet?

Sugarboyjoe

Quentin wrote: »

You can only follow your plan regarding the ombudsman.

First make a formal complaint to the insurer then when they either reject it or ignore it you can escalate to the ombudsman.

In the meantime check what happens to your policy now no car is under cover. Some insurers insist on either a replacement or you cancel.

Thanks for your advice
I have purchased another car - so policy still runs

Sugarboyjoe

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Doesnt the fact you havent found the keys suggest that they were possibly lost somewhere else? If not, then find them and thus there are no lost keys any more and the claim will be paid.

Thanks for your post - have looked for them everywhere.
We distinctly remember mislaying them inside the house.

If only we could locate them

Sugarboyjoe

dacouch wrote: »

Has the car turned up yet?

No afraid not - lost mid June - car stolen end of June

Don't know where else to look

dacouch

As Quentin has mentioned your best bet would be to make an "Official Complaint" and then on to the Ombudsman.

It sounds like they suspect something is amiss