Points V Driving awareness course?

Quentin

swingaloo wrote: »

.......Ive said that I thought her insurance premium may not rise as much if she takes the course as opposed to points, but is this true as surely she needs to let her insurance company know even if she does do the course in which case it will rise anyway.......

Going from nil to 3 points makes little difference to premiums.

She can get a good idea by doing dummy quotes online with and without the points in her history.

Aretnap

Unless the insurer specifically asks, there is no need to tell them that she's been on the course. AFAIK Admiral and its associated brands are the only insurer that does ask, or at least the only one that adjusts premiums for them.

Now that "alternatives to prosecution" are subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and become spent after 3 months, IMO there's no obligation to tell Admiral even if they do ask - but that's my own unqualified opinion and AFAIK hasn't been ruled on by the courts or the Financial Ombudsman yet.

3 points may have more effect than they used to on premiums. At least part of the reason is speed awareness courses. A while ago 3 points meant you'd been caught speeding once, probably not too far over the limit. Nowadays most people do SACs for a first offence, so 3 points usually means that either you were caught twice, or that you were a long way over the limit.

Strider590

If you go on the course you've still committed a driving offence, this is what insurance companies want to know.

In my book, unless you've got a licence full of points and you were just caught out the once, then take the points....... Your gonna get hammered just as much on the insurance either way and you won't have to listen to some hypocrite telling you how to drive.

I say hypocrite because any decent driver checks their car before driving, even just a brief once over of the tyres.

I regularly see these "instructors" on my morning commute.
I'd like to know HOW the F**K does one of those driving awareness "instructors" manage to drive around for 3 f**king days, without noticing a childs swim suit (yes really) hanging off the passengers door mirror??????

Johno100

Iceweasel wrote: »

Just in case I was misunderstood - what I was getting at was 'old school' folks like me would be more than happy to pay £80 and take a day off work to be able to continue to say that they had a clean licence.

And held it for x number of years.

Seems like a days pay is more important to some folks.

But ...... if a days pay really is a case of cash-strapped financial necessity, then that too is a sad reflection on the wages paid in the UK.

Of course some of our footballer personalities would just throw money at the problem and make it go away.

There is no easy answer to this -- is there?

It's really all down to an individuals circumstances. Being able to boast to friends, family and the bloke down the pub that you have had a clean licence for x years seems to be a high priority for you.

For others it simply comes down to pounds shillings and pence, and I'm talking about those for whom money is tight and also for those on a very good wage for whom the economic equation of losing a days wage as against a minimal (if any) increase in insurance premiums doesn't add up.

Iceweasel

Johno100 wrote: »

It's really all down to an individuals circumstances. Being able to boast to friends, family and the bloke down the pub that you have had a clean licence for x years seems to be a high priority for you.

For others it simply comes down to pounds shillings and pence, and I'm talking about those for whom money is tight and also for those on a very good wage for whom the economic equation of losing a days wage as against a minimal (if any) increase in insurance premiums doesn't add up.

Looks like I touched a nerve there.

Johno100

Iceweasel wrote: »

Looks like I touched a nerve there.

Not with me, clean licence for close on 30 years, but if I was caught it would be down to pure economics whether I went with the course or the points.

[Deleted User]

If I was given a choice I would always take the course over points. Not like I have ever been caught speeding anyway.

Iceweasel

Johno100 wrote: »

Not with me, clean licence for close on 30 years, but if I was caught it would be down to pure economics whether I went with the course or the points.

That goes to show how we approach this from different angles.

Have you ever applied for a job where the application form said you had to have a clean driving licence?

I used to be responsible for the bookings for school minibuses - all drivers had to have clean licences, for the authority I worked for.

I'm not sure of the discrimination element in 'demanding' clean licences, but many employers still stipulate it.

The fact I haven't had a speeding ticket since 1966 is in great part due to the importance of my licence in earning a living.

So the economics of it is high on my list of priorities.

No brainer for me - I'd take the course.

As for boasting - it would never occur to me that you were boasting about your 30 years, why on earth did you think I was? And how did blokes down the pub get into this thread.

All in your imagination I'm afraid. Other than that I make no assumptions about you, or anyone on this forum whom I don't know personally.

arcon5

Iceweasel wrote: »

But it's a sad reflection of society and how much importance is placed on having a clean licence these days, that it comes down to how much it costs to go on a course instead.

Hardly. The woman's already committed an offence - so having points on her licence or taking the course doesn't make any difference at all. Let alone a sad reflection on society. Somebody having taken a course and a clean bit of paper is no less than somebody taken the points and certain doesn't necessarily reflect their ability to drive.

Plus you don't know this womans lifestyle or job to judge her. Just because it's a non-brainer to you doesn't mean the same works for everybody else in society. It's a sad reflection of society when peoples minds are unable to stretch beyond their own bubble

Aretnap

Strider590 wrote: »

If you go on the course you've still committed a driving offence, this is what insurance companies want to know.

Utter nonsense. Most insurers ask a question about fixed penalties and convictions. A speed awareness course is neither a fixed penalty nor a conviction, so does not have to be declared. If they wanted to know about courses, they'd ask about them.

By your "logic" you would have to tell your insurers every time you break the speed limit and don't get caught, as after all you've still committed a driving offence.

In my book, unless you've got a licence full of points and you were just caught out the once, then take the points....... Your gonna get hammered just as much on the insurance either way...

Except you're not, but you should never let facts get in the way of a good rant.