FOS: Commercial property complaints jump 28%

Commercial property insurance complaints in the half-year to September 2013 have jumped 27.5% year-on-year, according to the latest figures from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

However, complaints fell in most general insurance (GI) business classes over the same period.

New commercial property complaints received increased to 292 for the six months to 30 September 2013 from 229 in the same period of 2012.

Other risers included commercial vehicle, where the number of complaints rose to 269 from 260. There was also a big jump in business protection complaints to 138 from 71.

However, most general insurance classes saw complaints fall.

In car and motorcycle insurance, the biggest GI class, complaints fell 5.1% to 3,574 in the half-year to September 2013 from 3,766 in the same period last year.

In buildings insurance, the second-biggest class, the fall was more marked. Complaints fell 14.3% to 2,075 from 2,420.

The biggest percentage falls in complaints were seen in mobile phone insurance, which dropped 22.3% to 254 (H1 2012: 327) and pet and livestock, which fell 20.3% to 341 (H1 2012: 428).