How do I file a complaint against a car insurance company?

Every insurer must have a formal complaints process, starting with internal review and ending with a written response within eight weeks. If you’re unhappy with the outcome, you can escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

When a dispute arises, insurers are legally required to give you a fair opportunity to explain your side. Most companies have a two-stage process: an informal stage handled by frontline staff, followed by a formal review by a dedicated complaints department.

You can start the process by contacting your insurer in writing, by email, or over the phone. Clearly mark your message as a complaint and include your policy number, the date of the issue, and what you expect them to do to put things right. The insurer must acknowledge receipt promptly and assign a case handler.

From there, you’ll usually receive updates as your complaint progresses. If the insurer needs more time or information, they must tell you. By the eight-week mark, they must either provide a final written response or explain that you can now take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Insurers are required to keep full complaint records and report them to the FCA twice a year. This regulatory oversight ensures that consumers are treated fairly and that patterns of poor behaviour can be investigated across the industry.

If you follow this procedure, your complaint will always be on record — and that’s vital if you later need to escalate it.

The eight-week rule gives your insurer a legal deadline to issue a final response. If they fail to do so, you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service — even if the insurer hasn’t finished its investigation.

Under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules, all regulated insurers must handle complaints promptly and fairly. That includes giving you a clear outcome within a maximum of eight weeks from the date your complaint is received. This rule ensures that insurers can’t drag out disputes indefinitely or ignore unhappy customers.

If your insurer provides a final response before the eight-week mark, they must explain whether they uphold or reject your complaint and detail the reasoning behind their decision. You then have six months to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if you disagree with the outcome.

If the insurer doesn’t reply within eight weeks, you can go to the Ombudsman immediately — you don’t need to wait any longer. Simply send a copy of your original complaint and any correspondence showing when it was submitted.

This rule is important because it gives consumers control over timing. It prevents insurers from using silence or delay as a tactic and ensures that you always have a clear path forward, even if progress stalls.

The eight-week rule is the backbone of fairness in the complaint process. It creates accountability and guarantees that your voice will be heard, whether your insurer cooperates or not.

If you disagree with the Ombudsman’s final decision, your only remaining option is to take your case to court. However, once you accept the Ombudsman’s decision, it becomes legally binding and can’t be challenged.

When the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) issues its final decision, you’re given two choices: accept it or reject it. Accepting means your insurer must comply with whatever outcome the Ombudsman has ordered. Rejecting means you’re free to take the matter to court, but the FOS process ends there.

Court action is typically the last resort. For most disputes, especially those involving modest sums or service failures, the Ombudsman’s decision offers a faster and less expensive resolution. However, in rare cases — for example, where significant financial loss or reputational damage is involved — legal proceedings might be justified.

If you do decide to go to court, you’ll usually start with the small claims track in the county court for sums under £10,000. Larger or more complex cases may need legal representation, which can quickly increase costs.

At this stage, keep records of every document, call, and email. Courts value chronological clarity and factual precision.

For many drivers, the Ombudsman provides closure without the need for litigation. But the legal system remains open to you if you genuinely believe justice hasn’t been served.

You can improve your complaint’s chances by keeping detailed records, staying professional, providing clear evidence, and following each step of the process carefully. Insurers and the Ombudsman rely on facts, not emotion.

Successful complaints are rarely about who shouts the loudest. They’re won by clarity, precision, and persistence. Before you contact your insurer, gather everything that supports your position — policy documents, emails, letters, phone logs, and receipts. The more complete your record, the easier it is for a handler or adjudicator to see the problem.

When communicating, stay polite and structured. Anger might feel justified, but it weakens your argument. Explain what’s wrong, why it matters, and what a fair outcome looks like. For example, if you’re challenging an undervalued settlement, include evidence of equivalent vehicles from the same make, model, and mileage range.

Timelines also matter. Keep track of dates — when you first raised the issue, when responses were received, and any promises made by the insurer. This gives your case credibility and helps the Ombudsman understand how long the issue has been ongoing.

If your case progresses to the Financial Ombudsman Service, upload everything in chronological order. The FOS team will appreciate a well-prepared file, and it often shortens investigation time.
Think of your complaint as a professional submission, not a personal battle. The clearer and calmer you are, the stronger your position becomes.