vehicle insurance surcharge

ceoils

My insurance renewel date is July.
I had 3 points on my license dated from october 2006, thus these points were no longer valid but still showing on my license. The insurers know about them from my previous declarations but they obviously became invalid in october 2011.
I recently was caught again for speeding and collected another 3 points thus my licence is now officially back up to 3 points total.
I thought I had better inform my insurers and they levied a £106 surcharge for the remaining term of my policy.
I have been told by friends that insurers ( Adrian Flux) are not allowed to increase the fee during a term, is this correct?

Now I could have not informed them and just declared at the renewal date that I had 3 points. I definately wont be renewing with them

Trebor16

Have you asked them for a full explanation of why you have been given this surcharge? it seems unusual given that 3 points for speeding with many insurance companies doesn't even push the premium up?

whatmichaelsays

Many insurers consider convictions within five years, not three. If this is the case, they will see that you have two convictions in that period and not one.

They have therefore assumed that your driving habits pose a greater risk to them and they have increased the premium accordingly.

System

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

Many insurers consider convictions within five years, not three. If this is the case, they will see that you have two convictions in that period and not one.

They have therefore assumed that your driving habits pose a greater risk to them and they have increased the premium accordingly.

The 5 years was up in October 2011 so only 1 conviction

Nilrem

ceoils wrote: »

I have been told by friends that insurers ( Adrian Flux) are not allowed to increase the fee during a term, is this correct?

I suspect that is true in some cases - IE if your circumstances don't change they can't say "right we want another £106 please".

BUT the material circumstances regarding your insurance policy have changed, as you now have a current speeding conviction.

That potentially changes your risk to the insurance company, in the same way that changing your car (or even just changing the stereo), your location or job can change the risk, in such circumstances IIRC the insurance company can ask for an additional fee, or offer to cancel the policy as the original circumstances in which you took out the policy and both parties agreed to the contract have changed.

As for not telling them, it's never a good idea to not inform your insurance company of a change in your circumstances, as that can end up with the insurance being voided.

Trebor16

The OP's previous speeding conviction reached the point in October 2011 where it no longer needed to be declared so in theory you would think that the insurance company would make an adjustment at that time to allow for that. But we know they don't and some want to have their cake and eat it.

It would be interesting for the OP to go to the brokers online quote facility and get a quote now and see what it comes up with. It might give them some ammunition to question the surcharge.