Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » My car was stolen when I left the keys on the seat - but my insurance won't pay out?
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

My car was stolen when I left the keys on the seat - but my insurance won't pay out?

My car was stolen at the beginning of this month. The keys were on the seat as I was unloading. My insurance has said they will not pay out because of the keys. The car has not been found. My insurance company also said, "you may also be liable for any costs should a claim arise from any third party losses as a result of this incident". I am really worried that if the car is involved in an accident because my insurance company say I'm not covered, I will be liable for any cost.

Asked on 16 January 2019 by cath Martin

Answered by Honest John
Firstly, did you have a direct line of sight to your car? Contest their decision, raise a complaint and advise that you have not been negligent in any way. If the vehicle was involved in an accident, your insurer would always have to cover any losses the third party sustains. Your insurer would have to take legal action against you to reclaim these losses, the courts generally frown upon large corporations taking their own clients to court, especially after this person's car has been stolen and this insurer has not paid out. Do not under any circumstance enter into dialogue or make offers of any payment to them in any way. Do not admit to being negligent in any way.

Make sure you raise the complaint and contact the Financial Ombudsman Service. It sounds like you are insured with a very poor insurer. You are not on your own though, I have four cases ongoing at the moment where the insurers are refusing cover.

We give you the low down on how to save on insurance, little-known tricks and tips, what insurance groups mean and how to use insurance aggregators to beat insurers.

Insurance group finder and how to save on insurance
Similar questions
Two months ago my son had an accident in his 2006 Vauxhall Corsa resulting in no structural damage but a broken plastic front end. The insurer wrote off the car as uneconomic to repair. He was paying his...
My car was stolen and the insurance company accept it was a professional theft (non-keyless car taken without keys), however, they refuse to pay out after two months 'in case the car is found'. The police...
My daughter's 2013 Ford Kuga was stolen two days ago from outside her bedroom window at night. We're stumped how the thief gained access without setting off the factory alarm. It was parked in a communal...