Complaints procedure

Novus Underwriting Limited

We are committed to giving you a first class service at all times and will make every effort to meet the high standards we have set. If you feel we have not attained the standard of service you would expect or you are dissatisfied in any other way, then this is the procedure that you should follow.

If you have a complaint, you should first ask the firm to put things right. Making a complaint does not affect your right to take legal action.

1.      Stage One – Initiating Your Complaint

You should first contact the firm/party responsible for dealing with your complaint as shown in your Policy Wording. They should confirm receipt of your complaint within five working days. They have up to 8 weeks to investigate and issue you with their final response but will always aim to do this sooner. We expect that the majority of complaints will be quickly and satisfactorily resolved at this stage, but if you are not satisfied, you can take the issue further.

Where it is necessary, we have an internal escalation process for ensuring that a senior member of staff reviews your complaint.

2.      Stage Two – Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)

If the matter remains unresolved, you may be eligible to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Please refer to the eligibility criteria below. The FOS is an independent body that arbitrates on complaints about general insurance products. You can ask the FOS to review your complaint if for any reason you are still dissatisfied with the final response or if a final response has not been issued within eight weeks from your first complaint:

The Financial Ombudsman Service

Exchange Tower

Harbour Exchange Square

London E14 9SR

Tel: 0800 023 4567 (from a landline) or 0300 123 9123 (from a mobile)

Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Please note that you have six months from the date of the final response in which to refer your complaint to the FOS. The FOS will only consider complaints after a final response has been issued. Please quote your policy number in any communication. Following this procedure will not affect your legal rights.

Financial Ombudsman Service UK – Eligible Complainant

You can use the FOS as a recourse in the event of dissatisfaction if you are one of the following:

·        a private individual acting outside your trade, business or profession (a consumer); or

·        a ‘micro-enterprise’ i.e. a smaller business that has a has a turnover or annual balance sheet that does not exceed €2 million and employs fewer than 10 persons; or

·        a small business which is not a micro-enterprise and has an annual turnover of less than £6.5 million and employs fewer than 50 persons; or has a balance sheet total of less than £5 million; or

·        a charity which has an annual income of less than £6.5 million at the time the complaint is made; or

·        a trustee of a trust which has a net asset value of less than £5 million at the time the complaint is made; or

·        a guarantor of a person which was a micro-enterprise or small business as at the date that the guarantee or security was given