Complaints Procedure

Our objective is to provide a high standard of service to you at all times. However, we recognise that things can sometimes go wrong. When this occurs, we are committed to ensuring that your complaint is dealt with promptly and fairly.

1.      How to make a complaint

If you wish to make a complaint about our service please contact our Complaints Manager at:

Amethyst Insurance Brokers Limited	Telephone: 01664 490 900
F4-04, The Tower	Email: info@amethystinsurance.co.uk
Pera Business Park Melton Mowbray
LE13 0PB

Please quote your policy number or the reference we have given you.

2.      Our complaints handling procedure

• If a complaint is resolved less formally by the close of 3 business days, we will not have to send a ‘final response’ letter to you. However, we will send you a ‘summary resolution communication’ which will explain that we consider the complaint resolved and that, if you are an ‘Eligible Complainant’, you may have the right to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service if you are unsatisfied (see section 3 below).
  • If a complaint is not able to be resolved informally, we will provide you with a letter of acknowledgement within 5 business days of receipt of the complaint.
  • If we believe the matter is the responsibility of another firm, either in whole or part, we will refer your complaint to that firm within 1 business day (or the part of your complaint they are responsible for) and inform you of this in writing. We will provide you with the other firm’s contact details, who will then assume responsibility for your complaint or their part of it (we will continue to deal with the part we are responsible for if applicable).
  • We will fully review your complaint and endeavour to provide a response to you within 14 calendar days of receipt of the complaint.
  • If we are not in a position to issue a response within 14 calendar days we will issue a letter to you providing an update on the investigation of the complaint and a date you can expect to receive a response.
  • A final response should be issued to you within 8 weeks of receiving the complaint.
  • The final response will explain whether the complaint is accepted or rejected, what remedial action is being offered and what options are available to you, particularly if the complaint is unable to be concluded.

3.      What to do if you are still not satisfied

If you are an ‘Eligible Complainant’ and are still not satisfied, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (‘FOS’) but you must do so within 6 months of the date of our final response. You can contact the FOS using the following details:

The Financial Ombudsman Service	Telephone: 0300 123 9123 or 0800 023 4567
Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange Square	Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
London E14 9SR	Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Eligible Complainants include:

• Consumers (private individuals acting outside their trade, business or profession);
  • Micro-enterprises which employ fewer than 10 staff and have turnovers or annual balance sheets below €2m;
  • Small businesses which have annual turnovers below £6.5m and either employ fewer than 50 staff or have annual balance sheets totals below £5million

The FOS explanatory leaflet “’Want to take your complaint further?” is available at the website shown above.

4.      Your Rights

Your rights as a customer to take legal action remain unaffected by the existence or use of any complaints procedure mentioned in this document. However, the FOS will not adjudicate on any cases where litigation has commenced.