The “Insurance Rip-Off” petition, championed by consumer rights advocate Which?, is currently a hot topic for those working in the insurance sector, as well as the policyholders they serve.
You may have heard about it following the recent coverage on ITV, or the various posts being shared by industry professionals across LinkedIn and Facebook.
However you’ve heard about it, you’re here to learn more. And we’re here to get things cleared up and answer some of your burning questions.
In this blog, we’ll be taking a deeper look at the Which? “Insurance Rip-Off” petition and campaign, giving you answers to key questions like:
The “Insurance Rip-Off” petition is an effort made by consumer rights champion Which? to ensure fair pricing for insurance policies and fair treatment for those pursuing an insurance claim.
The petition was launched in the summer of 2024 after Which? conducted research into complaints upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) against various insurers, and found that a huge two thirds cited “negative emotional impact” as part of their complaint, with a marked rise in distress and inconvenience reportedly experienced by policyholders.
Following this, a subsequent Which? study (November 2024) explored the way insurance is explained and sold to customers, revealing significant shortcomings across the board. From sales processes that seek to misrepresent the level of cover, giving policyholders false confidence in their level of coverage, to the many loopholes seemingly baked into policies and claims procedures, the work carried out by Which? has revealed that, when it comes to making a successful insurance claim, policyholders are pretty much set up to fail.
The “Insurance Rip-Off” petition has recently hit 170,000 signatures, which have now been delivered to the Financial Conduct Authority in an effort to spark action. It now has 180,000 signatures in its sights.
Ready to take a stand against miscommunication, misselling, and mistreatment in the insurance buying and claims process? Add your signature to the Which? petition.
In short, all insurance. The Which? studies have revealed failings in the way insurance business is conducted across the board, but here are a few telling stats they’ve uncovered…
In a survey of 3,538 adults who had bought car, home, pet, or travel insurance, and a monitored group of 24 home and travel insurance customers shopping around for insurance products, Which? research showed:
“When quizzed about their expectations of insurance policies, respondents were found to often overestimate policies, and also the role of the regulator in maintaining standards of cover. Many were also unaware of typical exclusions in home and travel insurance cover.” (Source: Which?)
Additionally:
Unfortunately, neither of these beliefs are accurate. Which? conducts a telling annual review of available insurance policies, and it has consistently shown that “cover levels and features vary drastically between insurers”.
Whilst the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set guidelines for the expectation of insurance firms to design products with the needs of its customers in mind, unfortunately the regulator doesn’t oversee or dictate minimum levels of cover in policies, which means there are now a lot of insurance products out there being marketed as “affordable” but offering very low levels of cover, with a fundamental lack of transparency about what they’re actually delivering for customers.
In the unfortunate event of a claim, say on a home insurance policy, this can mean a lot of policyholders suddenly find themselves in the position of being underinsured, and therefore having to dig deep to pay for repairs out of their own pocket, or else face a lengthy and complicated claims process with a FOS complaint to boot.
Chapter 8 of the Financial Conduct Authority handbook on conducting insurance business outlines how insurers are expected to act when handling an insurance claim.
According to the handbook (8.1.1.), insurers must:
However, in our 16+ years in business, we’ve come to learn that insurers will often do whatever they can to bend the rules, forcing policyholders to jump through hoops to get their claim accepted, face lengthy delays, and even accept cash settlements way below the value of their claim, leaving them to finance the bulk of the repairs themselves.
Reviewing the facts, it’s probably fair to say that the Which? campaign has been needed for a long time — misrepresentation of insurance products and policies during the sales process, and the mishandling of valid claims, is nothing new. The fact that this is now a widespread topic of discussion amongst people in and outside of the industry, and is being raised as an issue directly with the FCA, can only be a positive thing.
Further stats from the Which? study are helpful here in painting a fuller picture of why the need right now is so high:
As argued by Which?, insurers won’t change themselves. While customers continue to be mislead in their insurance purchasing decisions, and these companies continue to profit, the level of service continues on a sharp decline, while the level of consumer risk continues to rise.
But the industry regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, has the power to hold firms to account. And that’s exactly the aim of the Which? insurance campaign — to call on the FCA to “get tough” with poorly behaving insurance companies.
All of this isn’t to say that you’re guaranteed to have a bad time whenever you need to make a claim on your insurance — but the research suggests that, unfortunately, it’s highly likely.
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself and make sure your insurance policy is working for you, which will help to alleviate some headaches if/when the time comes to make a claim.
This is especially key if you’ve purchased your insurance policy online, through an internet-based provider or one of the popular comparison sites.
This is because providers like these tend to take advantage of the two-click policy purchase process, rarely taking the time to contact customers and offer informed, qualified advice based on their requirements, not just price.
In such set-ups, it’s easy for insurers to build loopholes into their policies in the knowledge that the majority of policyholders won’t read and understand the whole document. Elements that used to be standard cover are often stripped out, leaving customers with insurance policies that don’t offer the level of coverage they believe they’re purchasing, with no one there (or no desire) to flag that the policy they’ve selected might not be right for them.
In 2025, shopping for an appropriate insurance policy can be a bit of a minefield. The instinct for most people is to search online, but it’s rare that an online search will yield reliable results — something that’s only learned when it’s too late and you come to make a claim on a policy that doesn’t offer the coverage you thought it did.
The main aim for a lot of online insurance providers is not to support customers in creating the right policy for their needs — rather, it’s to capture as much market share as possible. This means a race to the bottom on prices, with no real transparency offered on what the quoted price will actually cover.
The best way to combat this is by speaking with a qualified insurance broker. They’re the ones who know the market, will take the time to understand your insurance needs, and can provide trusted advice and guidance to make sure you end up with the right level of coverage.
If you ever do need to make a claim, it’s important to know that you have the right to enlist the support of an independent loss assessor. A loss assessor will act in your best interest and liaise directly with your insurance company to secure the best possible outcome from your claim. They can even step in to reverse a negative claim outcome. We’ll provide a bit more info on this in the following section.
If you’re currently facing a difficult insurance claims process and don’t want to go it alone, you might consider teaming up with a trusted loss assessor, who will lighten the load and handle the claim on your behalf.
Whilst it’s generally recommended to bring in a loss assessor as early as possible (i.e. before you’ve even submitted your claim to your insurer), they may be able to get involved and provide support at later stages of the process, even if your insurer is already reviewing your claim.
There’s a lot of misunderstanding about what loss assessors do and who can appoint them. Some insurers even try to dissuade their customers from involving an independent loss assessor in their claim — but this is purely due to the fact that, in the majority of cases, working with a loss assessor tends to lead to significantly better outcomes for the claimant.
A loss assessor will be able to:
In our 16+ years of experience as the Northwest’s no. 1 property insurance repairs specialists, we’ve seen time and again how beneficial it can be to have a loss assessor on your side. That’s why it’s a core part of our process.
If you’ve experienced extensive damage to your property and need to make a claim on your home insurance to cover the repairs, get in touch with our team. We’ll arrange to attend the property within 48 hours to complete a thorough and accurate damage assessment, we’ll bring in a trusted loss assessor who will take care of everything on the claims side, and once settlement has been agreed, we’ll complete all of your property repairs to a high standard — and it won’t cost you a penny.
Need our help? Get in touch.
The Which? insurance campaign is gaining momentum. Add your signature to the petition to show your support and encourage the FCA to seek fairer treatment for policyholders across the UK.
Sign the petition here.
Dealing with a home insurance claim is rarely easy. Thankfully, we’re here to help.
With vast experience supporting claims and completing repairs for all extents of property damage, we’re always on your side and here to make the repair process as straightforward and stress-free as possible — all completely free of charge.
Need our help? Book your free survey today.