Estimate of annual mileage for insurance

ilikewatch

When I took out my current insurance policy in April I was asked to estimate my mileage for the year. If my expected mileage changes during the year (due to my work premises moving and increasing my commute) do I have to inform the insurance company? given that I gave an honest estimate of my anticipated mileage at the start of the policy.

AdrianC

ilikewatch wrote: »

If my expected mileage changes during the year (due to my work premises moving and increasing my commute) do I have to inform the insurance company?

Of course you do.

given that I gave an honest estimate of my anticipated mileage at the start of the policy.

Yes, you did - and that's changed. So you need to inform them of that change.

You have a duty - which you agreed to, in the policy Ts & Cs - to inform them immediately of any material change which changes their risk.

If they've given you a premium based on <extreme case> 5,000 miles per year, and a couple of weeks into the policy, something changes that means they're now expected to cover you for 40,000 miles per year, then is it not much better for you to ring 'em and find out if there might be an issue now, then for them to cancel your policy when you're involved in a collision a couple of weeks before the renewal, when they wonder why the mileage has gone up 30,000 miles since the MOT ten months previously?

forgotmyname

Depends on the insurer. But if they find out you said 6000 miles and did 12,000 miles you may not be covered.

Is it worth the risk?

ilikewatch

Thanks for the responses - they confirm my thoughts.

My concern is (to use an extreme example) that if at the start of the year I estimate my expected annual mileage to be 10k, but then after a few weeks a change in my commute means that my estimate changes to 40k, then a few weeks later another change in location revises the estimate back to 10k then I get bent over by my insurer twice to the tune of £25 for revising my details, plus pay an increased premium for several weeks on the basis that I will be doing 40k which never actually materialises. Anyway, I guess them's the rules...

DUTR

ilikewatch wrote: »

Thanks for the responses - confirm my thoughts.

My concern is (to use an extreme example) that if at the start of the year I estimate my expected annual mileage to be 10k, but then after a few weeks a change in my commute means that my estimate changes to 40k, then a few weeks later another change in location revises the estimate back to 10k then I get bent over by my insurer twice to the tune of £25 for revising my details, plus pay an increased premium for several weeks on the basis that I will be doing 40k which never actually materialises. Anyway, I guess them's the rules...

Nope you are correct on that logic, my last few MOT tests suggested I was doing little over 6K per annum, so my renewal I applied for 10k per year, I've had the car a month and it's covered 680 miles so that's looking like just over 8k, if the mileage is near 10k long before the renewal then I will have to review the insurance request.
So chances are if it's short term, and you have not exceeded the policy amount then carry on, some people don't use the car 52 weeks a year, but you know already if you start doing 700 miles a week then your 5k allowance is not going to last long.

harveybobbles

Slightly off topic, but when asked for anual mileage - I often wonder if it refers to the person or the car (Maybe its in the small print)

My own car last year did 30k - 20k of that was mine, the other 10k was done by my mate who uses the car at the weekend.

AdrianC

harveybobbles wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but when asked for anual mileage - I often wonder if it refers to the person or the car (Maybe its in the small print)

It refers to the exposure to risk of the insurer.

If your mate is driving on your policy, that's included.
If he's driving on his own, then it shouldn't be included - but I'd be surprised if his insurer would be happy with 10k of "Driving other car" exposure.