Half of health insurance complaints upheld

clock • 1 min read

Half of private medical and dental insurance complaints received by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) have been upheld in the first quarter of the year.

This follows the trend showing a growing proportion of protection and health insurance complaints being upheld by the ombudsman.

However, across the board, the number of complaints received by the ombudsman is on a slower pace than last year.

In the first three months of the financial year 2010/2011, FOS upheld 49% of the 140 (on pace for 560) health and dental claims it received.

Last year that rate was just 35%, but saw an annual total of 652 complaints submitted.

Whole of life (35% up from 28% in 2009/2010), term assurance (32% from 24%), income protection (IP) (40% from 39%) and critical illness (CI) (35% from 31%) policies also saw an increase in rates of complaints being upheld.

Only business protection insurance has seen a fall to 23% from 26%.

Overall, payment protection insurance (PPI) leads the way, prompting 13,520 complaints in April, May and June.

The full figures, which are no to be produced quarterly instead of annually, can be found on the FOS website.

 

More on Regulation

The COVER Review: Looking back on 2025

The COVER Review: Looking back on 2025

End of year special

COVER
clock 05 December 2025 • 1 min read
FCA and PRA release mutual landscape report

FCA and PRA release mutual landscape report

Aiming to double size of sector

Cameron Roberts
clock 05 December 2025 • 3 min read
Wes Streeting launches review into mental health and ADHD 'overdiagnosis'

Wes Streeting launches review into mental health and ADHD 'overdiagnosis'

Overhauling the NHS mental health system

Jaskeet Briah
clock 04 December 2025 • 4 min read

Highlights

COVER Survey: Advisers damning of protection insurer service levels

COVER Survey: Advisers damning of protection insurer service levels

"It takes longer than ever to get underwriting terms"

John Brazier
clock 12 October 2023 • 5 min read
Online reviews trump price for young people selecting life and health cover

Online reviews trump price for young people selecting life and health cover

According to latest ReMark report

John Brazier
clock 11 October 2023 • 2 min read
ABI members with staff neurodiversity policy nearly doubles

ABI members with staff neurodiversity policy nearly doubles

Women within executive teams have grown to 32%

Jaskeet Briah
clock 10 October 2023 • 3 min read