Insurance Claim Rejected? What To Do Next (UK)
A rejection is the insurer's opinion, not a verdict. There is a free, independent route that overturns a meaningful share of them — and the first move is simply to make the insurer commit its reason to writing.
The short answer
Complain to the insurer first. They have 8 weeks to give you a final response. If you are unhappy with it, or they do not respond in time, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service — free — and you have 6 months from the date of the final response to do so. Miss that and the route usually closes.
Contents
Get the exact reason, in writing
Insurers often reject in general terms — non-disclosure, wear and tear, an exclusion. You cannot argue against a category. Ask which specific policy term is relied on, and what evidence they based the decision on. A surprising number of rejections soften once that has to be written down.
Four questions to put in writing
- Ask which policy clause or exclusion is being relied on, by name
- Ask what evidence the decision was based on
- Ask for a copy of any expert or loss adjuster report
- Request the policy wording that applied when you took the policy out
The most common grounds, and the counter
Rejections cluster into a few types, and each has a recognisable answer. Knowing which one you are facing shapes the whole complaint.
Rejection types
- Non-disclosure: did they ask a clear question, and did you answer it honestly? An innocent mistake is treated differently from a deliberate one
- Wear and tear versus sudden damage: this often turns on an expert report you are entitled to see
- Exclusion applies: check the exact wording — exclusions are read narrowly against the insurer where ambiguous
- Late notification: did the delay actually prejudice them? If not, it is a weaker ground than it sounds
The two deadlines
Eight weeks for the insurer to give a final response, then six months for you to take it to the Financial Ombudsman. The second is the one people lose — a rejection sits in a drawer while you decide whether to bother, and the window closes.
The Ombudsman is free and looks at fairness
It considers not only whether the insurer followed the policy but whether it acted fairly and reasonably. That is a broader test than a court would apply, which is why it is worth using even where the wording looks unhelpful. Its decision binds the insurer if you accept it.
Challenge to a rejected claim
Edit this template with your facts, dates, and requested outcome before sending.
Subject: Complaint — rejected claim [number], policy [number] Dear [Insurer], I am making a formal complaint about your decision to reject claim [number] under policy [number]. The claim was for [what happened, and when]. You rejected it on [date] on the grounds that [the reason given]. I do not accept that for the following reasons: [set out plainly why — for example that the policy wording does not exclude this, that the information said to be missing was disclosed on [date], or that the damage falls within a covered peril]. I enclose [evidence]. Please treat this as a formal complaint and provide your final response. If it does not resolve the matter I intend to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Kind regards, [Your Name]
Copy this as a starting point and adapt it to your own facts and dates.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Accepting a rejection given in general terms without asking which clause is relied on
- Not asking for the loss adjuster or expert report the decision rested on
- Missing the six-month window after the final response
- Arguing about fairness in the abstract instead of against the specific ground given
- Not saying the words "formal complaint", so the 8-week clock never starts
- Assuming the ombudsman only checks the policy wording — it also looks at whether the insurer was fair
Next steps
- 1Ask in writing for the exact clause relied on and the evidence used
- 2Get a copy of any expert or loss adjuster report
- 3Make a formal complaint addressing that specific ground
- 4Note the date of the final response — six months runs from it
- 5If unresolved, take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free
Work out your next step
This guide explains the process and the deadlines. If you want help working out where you stand and what to do next, start with a situation check.
Check your situation →This guide is general information about the process, not legal advice.