Auto Insurance Claims: car insurance, sledge hammer, intentional damage

Question
i have a car i am the owner and i pay the insurance monthly out of my bank when i went to get insured they told me the policy holder had to be the main driver which was my partner at the time so the policy went into his name,after a row my partner smashed into my car with his van then got out and smashed the windows every where with a sledge hammer and smashed doors boot and roof etc my insurance after 4 months tell me they cant pay out because they have contacted my ex partner and he does not want to take the claim further he has been charged with criminal damage for the car are they right that because the policy is in his name they cant pay me out even if i am the owner of the car and i pay the premiums thank you

Answer
If you are the owner of the car, then they were wrong in putting the policy in his name. Insurance policies always go in the name of the owner or insurable interest.
However, he would have had to be added to the policy as a listed driver in order to drive the car.

Most polices do exclude intentional damage to a vehicle caused by someone on the policy.