Irish
Irish Financial Services Ombudsman says complaints increased 15% in 2007
By Finfacts Team
Jan 10, 2008, 15:54

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Joe Meade
Irish Financial Services Ombudsman, Joe Meade, today published on his website significant decisions made in the July/ December 2007 period -15 instances where he upheld complaints and 5 complaints that were rejected . 4374 complaints were made to his office during 2007 – an increase of 15% over 2006.

Complaints upheld

• Bank Manager’s personal affairs mixed with the business affairs of a customer - €10,000 compensation

• Mis-selling of Insurance Investment Fund- €10,000 award as management misled its own sales team

• Credit Card Fraud and ‘on the town’ event merits compensation of €2,500

• Property Investment advice is still a problem- €55,000 awarded in two more cases

• Injured carpenter gets €10,000 award following ‘cold call’ insurance policy sale

• Insurance Policy review led to a proposed 300% increase in premiums

• Mortgage Protection Policy - €25,000 awarded in dispute over direct debit non payment of premium

• Travel Insurance - cancellation cost of €4,000 repaid

• Credit Card sent to wrong address - €4,500 compensation for fraudulent transactions

• Misleading Investment Advice by bank- €17,000 in compensation

• €8,000 award as Insurance Company did not seek Specialist Consultant’s opinion.

• Incorrect information supplied to holder of Approved Retirement Funds - €28,000 of management charges refunded

• Income Protection Policy - what constitutes farmers income

• Confusion as to bank transactions by an elderly customer

• Insurer forwarded an incomplete company file to Ombudsman and a recommended compensation award doubled to €500.

Complaints Not Upheld

• Death Benefit Claim of €800,000 - non disclosure of prior medical condition

• Dormant Bank Account of €25,000 is ownerless

• Forged or stolen cheques lodged to a bank account

• Disposal of shares by stockbroker- conflict of interest complaint

• Motor Insurance Policy- vehicle not in a road worthy condition.

Complaints Statistics

4,374 complaints were received by the Ombudsman in 2007. Account transactions, mortgages, lending problems, investments and credit card disputes were the main complaints received about Credit Institutions. Motor, travel, life assurance and investment policies were the main insurance complaints. Since its inception in April 2005 some 11,550 complaints have been received while only 893 complaints were not resolved at year end – 1,100 complaints were received in the last quarter of 2007.


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