Javier went online and purchased full cover insurance for his car. Less than a month later, Javier’s 23-year old son, Pedro, was driving the car when he accidentally drove into the back of another car.
Javier put in a claim with the insurance company. However, the insurance company declined the claim because Javier’s insurance did not cover drivers under the age of 25.
Javier’s view
Javier complained to FSCL. He said he thought drivers under 25 were covered under his policy, but that he would have to pay a higher excess in the event of an accident. Javier said it was unclear that drivers under 25 were not covered.
Review
We reviewed the online policy application process. We noted that the online platform automatically excludes drivers under 25 and applies a discount for that.
However, we also noted that during the final stages of purchasing the insurance online, Javier was presented with an options screen which gave him the option of adding cover for drivers under 25 for an additional premium. Javier did not select the option. He then completed his purchase.
We reviewed the wording of Javier’s policy, and his certificate of insurance. The insurer emailed and posted those documents to Javier after his purchase. Both of those documents noted that drivers under 25 were excluded from cover.
We considered that the policy was clear and that the insurer had done enough to draw Javier’s attention to the wording.
Outcome
We recommended that Javier discontinue his complaint.
Our insight
It is really important for people to read their insurance policies to make sure they have the right cover.
