Service Decision Reference 2023-0260

• Case Outcome: Rejected
• Year: 2023
• Date: 29 November 2023
• Reference: 2023-0260
• Subject Matter: Service
• Finantial Sector: Insurance
• Conducts Complained Of: Rejection of claim,Poor wording/ambiguity of policy

Decision Ref:

2023-0260

Sector:

Insurance

Product / Service:

Service

Conduct(s) complained of:

Rejection of claim

Poor wording/ambiguity of policy

Outcome:

Rejected

LEGALLY BINDING DECISION OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND PENSIONS OMBUDSMAN

The Complainant is a limited company trading as the organiser of a music festival abroad,

and is referred to as ‘the Complainant Company’. It incepted an Event Insurance Policy

with the Provider on 16 December 2019 and the complaint concerns the Provider’s

decision to decline the Complainant Company’s claim, in respect of losses it incurred as a

result of the forced cancellation of its musical festival.

The Complainant Company’s Case

The Complainant Company says that the musical festival it was organising was scheduled

to take place from 14 May 2020 to 16 May 2020 in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy.

The Complainant Company says that it received a letter dated 24 March 2020 from the

Mayor of Castiglion Fiorentino which stated (when translated):

“I hereby inform you that after careful evaluations made together with the

Municipality of Castiglion Fiorentino, it is necessary and unavoidable that [the

music festival] is cancelled. Despite plans made to host the event this May 14 - 16

2020, I am deeply sorry for this unavoidable directive but it is mandatory for our

Municipality”.

The Complainant Company says it was forced to cancel the music festival and that by way

of its Representative, it submitted a claim to the Provider on 1 May 2020 in respect of the

cancellation.