Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Personal Pension Policy (CAS-90770-L3S2)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Ms D’s complaint is upheld and, to put matters right, the Administrator shall make good any financial loss it has caused Ms D. In addition, the Administrator shall pay Ms D £1,000 for the serious distress and inconvenience it has caused her.

Complaint summary

Ms D has complained about the service provided, and delays caused, by the Administrator during the transfer of the Policy. She says:-

• She provided identification documents (ID) on 13 December 2021 to transfer her former spouse’s pension with the Policy into her name. However, her ID documents were lost, and the Administrator did not locate them until 21 February 2022. 
• She was unable to formally request the transfer of the Policy to PensionBee due to the delay, as it was not put into her name until 8 March 2022.
• She has claimed that this resulted in a substantial loss in the value of the Policy, and she would like to be compensated for the financial loss suffered and for the distress and inconvenience caused.