Is my car insurance invalid if I've forgotten to tell them I've moved house?

Anonymouser

I don't know if anyone can help me with this, I suspect not...

When I bought my car last summer, I was living with a friend. Then I moved into my own flat, a few months later. It seems I forgot to tell my insurance company, or the DVLC or DVLA. I thought I had, but looking at my records, clearly I forgot to get round to it.

The reason this has suddenly become relevant is that I've gone round the corner to where my car was parked (left it there Tuesday night) and it's not there. I've rung TRACE and the local council car pound and it's not been towed, so it must have been stolen.

I think I'm in a lose-lose situation now. Either I lie about where I live to the police and insurance company when I make the claim, which is fraudulent, or I come clean with the insurers and they may well refuse my claim.

It's actually a slightly nicer area that I've moved to, and I guess it would have actually reduced my premium a little bit. But my previous experience of insurance companies makes me think they will take any excuse not to pay out on a claim, and I know I should have told them I've moved and it's basically my fault.

AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!

Can anyone advise please?

Quentin

Your first thought (about just telling lies) is a non starter, as you realise.

So all you can do is report the theft to your insurer and clarify your address if necessary.

Anonymouser

Thank you. Have you any idea how they are likely to respond to that? Are they likely to be understanding about it, or just refuse to pay out?

I've done some research by getting a couple of comparison insurance quotes and the area the new flat is in, is a lower-risk area than the old one.

Quentin

As long as your failure to inform them isn't seen as some sort of fraud you should have no big problem - they will want any admin fee involved and any premium increase/reduction will be sorted out.

Hadrian

Quentin wrote: »

As long as your failure to inform them isn't seen as some sort of fraud you should have no big problem - they will want any admin fee involved and any premium increase/reduction will be sorted out.

"INSURE" wanted, and got £38 for me telling them over the phone in 30 seconds that I'd changed address. I was, and still am furious. They certainly will NOT be getting my custom again at renewal. :mad:

ollirian

Whatever you do - do not lie!
I doubt they would not pay out due to a change of address.
Your premium would just go up

Quentin

Hadrian wrote: »

"INSURE" wanted, and got £38 for me telling them over the phone in 30 seconds that I'd changed address. I was, and still am furious. They certainly will NOT be getting my custom again at renewal. :mad:

You should have known you would face this charge if you made changes!

They make it clear enough, and you accepted the ts + cs when you took out the policy:

Any amendments to your policy incur a broker fee of £35 plus any insurer charge.

MrRedundant

As long as they would have insured you anyway and you can convince them its an oversight you should be fine.

davidgmmafan

Quentin wrote: »

You should have known you would face this charge if you made changes!

They make it clear enough, and you accepted the ts + cs when you took out the policy:

We're back to the same old argument made elsewhere though. They all have similar charges, they say its for admin which I don't believe.

Of what value is consent when there is no choice? The work involved is totally disproportionate to the charge.

raskazz

davidgmmafan wrote: »

Of what value is consent when there is no choice?

There is a choice. There are plenty of insurers with lower admin fees than £38.

davidgmmafan wrote: »

The work involved is totally disproportionate to the charge.

Not really, not if you consider the average cost of policy administration rather than the marginal cost.

agrinnall

raskazz wrote: »

Not really, not if you consider the average cost of policy administration rather than the marginal cost.

You may be right but if the broker is charging £35 and the insurer £3 is the broker really doing over 11 times as much work as the insurer?