Car Insurer wants an annual mileage estimate - what is the right answer?

cracklefish

This year NFU have asked me to tell them my estimated annual mileage.

No doubt this is a ruse to increase the premium.

Is there a price break, if I say 10,000 miles would I be better saying 9,999?

If I say 10,000 and have an accident during the year will they use the mileage to date and extrapolate a figure then use that to say I have exceeded my quota so they won't pay out?

If I am on a journey and see that I have just exceeded my 10,000 miles what happens if I have an accident before I can call them and revise my estimate?

Over the last 3 years I have done 25,000 5,000 and 15,000 so what should I estimate for this year.

I don't suppose I would get a refund I over estimated!

Anybody work in a call centre and know the best answer?

dunstonh

No doubt this is a ruse to increase the premium.

or a reduction

Estimates are a reasonable assumption. If you are found to be a little out then its not a problem. If you are way out then you at worst your claim could be invalidated (unlikely) or more likely you would have to pay the outstanding premium you should have paid with the higher mileage and all future insurance applications would require you to declare that (and you would suffer increased premiums because of it).

If I am on a journey and see that I have just exceeded my 10,000 miles what happens if I have an accident before I can call them and revise my estimate?

Over the last 3 years I have done 25,000 5,000 and 15,000 so what should I estimate for this year.

What is your estimate for this year?

Have you phoned them to ask them what they would recommend? (take a date, time and name and log it)

vaio

Use the web and do dummy quotes with different mileages, then you can pick which is appropriate,

Having said that, I doubt it makes a whole lot of difference to the premiums

nomoneytoday

I would go for 15000 - it's the average of 25, 5 and 15 over 3 years, so would be reasonable IMHO

lisyloo

It's not a ruse, it's important inforamtion on which they base their risk premium. It a very common question.
Note that people that drive less are not necessarily at less risk of having an accident. There is a relationship but it's bit necessarily linear.

Over the last 3 years I have done 25,000 5,000 and 15,000 so what should I estimate for this year.

Presumably your circumstances changed to give these varying mileages.
So what you do is estimate for you current circumstance/job.
Should your circumstances change such that your mileage will change drastically then you need to call your insurer and make an amendement.
Should you go over by 50 miles then it shoudl not invalidate a claim. It's an estimate. However if you are over by 10,000 then that's bad.

lynni_2

If you do 10000 tell them 7000

vusys1

i have never seen a policy cancelled,voided or claim not dealt with due to the mileage.

mikey72

I have had policies where the mileage is purely an estimate, and they don't take any figures, but would look at the mot's possibly if you claim. I have had others that insist on the mileage at the start of the policy, and make it clear that after say 6000 miles the policy expires unless you advise them and pay the increase in premium. (the original difference between the 6000 and the next one up I choose, + a £20 admin fee in my case)

WhiteHorse

lisyloo wrote: »

It's not a ruse, it's important inforamtion on which they base their risk premium. It a very common question.

This is correct. It's obvious that the more miles you cover, the higher the risk. 13,000 is considered average.

SammyS1987

Try to make it as accurate as possible but do always put the figure as one mile less as the thresholds are set by the 1000. So if you do 5000 put 4999 or 10000 put 9999 etc.

ariba10

I belive they can always check it by looking at the MOT.

And that is available to them online.