Home insurers lose more than half of disputes over repair delays

Home insurers are losing more than half of disputes over claims delays and repair work, according to new analysis from Which?.

The consumer champion analysed Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) complaints data obtained through a freedom of information (FOI) request, alongside policy analysis and the experiences of more than 3,000 home insurance claimants.

It found the ombudsman upheld 54% of buildings insurance complaints concerning delays, meaning it criticised some aspect of how the insurer had handled the customer’s case.

Half of complaints relating to repair work were also upheld when it came to buildings cover, while the rate for disputes over the value of claims was just under 50%.

Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which?, said: “Coming home to a flooded home or collapsed ceiling is traumatic enough, but nobody should have to spend months or years living in a construction site while their insurer drags its feet.”

Rejected claims drive complaints

Declined claims were the most common cause of complaints among home insurance customers, accounting for 35% of buildings insurance complaints and 42% of contents cover complaints.

More than a quarter of complaints involving rejected claims were upheld by the ombudsman.

Which? said customers could face gaps between what they expect their policy to cover and what is actually included, pointing to areas such as accidental damage and home emergency cover, which may require optional add-ons.

Claims value, meanwhile, was the second biggest driver of contents complaints, representing 19%, and the third biggest for buildings insurance at 10%.

The findings follow Which?’s complaint to the FCA in September 2025 over what it described as systemic problems in the home and travel insurance markets.

Which? is now calling on the regulator to strengthen supervision and enforcement where firms provide poor service or handle claims unfairly, including greater scrutiny of third-party claims handlers and cash settlement offers.

Concha added: “With its end-of-year report imminent, the FCA has a real opportunity here to show how it’s finally getting a handle on the insurance market.”

The findings are based on Which?’s analysis of 6,416 buildings insurance and 1,652 contents insurance complaints logged by the FOS in the year to March 2026, alongside a survey of 3,419 home insurance claimants.