Car insurance - no electoral roll trace.....

[Deleted User]

Hi all

Long story but if I move house I need a car to get to work.

I've got quotes for cars I'd like using my current address. I've got a pretty bad claim record (2 at fault accidents, 1 proven not at fault, 1 malicious damage (drunken idiot hit car overnight)).

When I put in my current address I get quotes of anywhere upwards of £1,400 (black box) or £1,900+ (normal but 3k excess).

I assumed it was my accident history, however when I try my 'new' address the price is down to like £700 with £500 excess. I'd now assume that's a lot to do with the credit search as obviously I'm not at the new house yet

Where would I stand if I brought the insurance before I moved? If it was starting on a future day (say 15th Aug) and I pickup the car on 15th Aug then there can be no question of doing anything wrong??? Obviously I'll take the hit for BR next year at renewal when they do a credit search

Does anyone have experience with ex-BR and car insurance? I'd be amazed if that price difference is due to the area - even though there was a claim at this postcode for the damage.

A4445

Never had an issue getting insurance, I've got 9 years no claims and I pay about £350 per year. I've paid monthly for my insurance for the whole time. I don't think the BR makes any difference to prices.

[Deleted User]

Interesting - I don't think where I live now is terribly high risk compared to where I want to move to. I'll try with some different local postcodes when I'm on the computer tomorrow - if the street round the corner is approx the same it must be a postcode thing, if it's slashed then I guess it's the electoral roll/credit checking. It seems too big a drop! I'll check when I'm n computer

NotEvanAPot

Regardless of when you purchase, if you move, you need to update your insurer with both your correspondence address and the address where the vehicle is kept overnight.

Years ago I worked a role of investigator for the large insurance company with the nautical name, so have a bit of inside knowledge and the below isn't to horrify or shock.

Failing to do so can invalidate your insurance in the event of a claim (and an insurer will look for any reason to wiggle out of being liable), they can also cancel your insurance. Should you have a policy cancelled due to such a reason as falsified or fraudulent details provided (failing to update is included within this), your name goes on ze list! This list advises ALL insurers that you have had a policy cancelled due to fraud. 99% won't then touch you with a barge pole, the other 1% can charge you what they like, as car insurance is a legal obligation to have in the UK. You will also legally be obliged to answer the question regarding cancelled insurance honestly, and it is an EVER question, like bankruptcy and mortgage applications.

In summary, don't do what it reads like you're intending, you will get found out, you will regret it and all the moaning in the world won't give you the tens of thousands of pounds you will spend in the following years with high risk insurers because of an attempt to save a few hundred.

Please don't take this post as finger pointing or demeaning, it's intended purely to educate.

[Deleted User]

Hi, thanks for that. I was worried about the 'have you ever had insurance voided' question & databases - but you could say it's legitimately waiting to purchase my car (I don't have one at the moment) to avoid a £25 change of details fee in a matter of weeks.

I think you've got the idea that I want to move and then NOT tell them I've moved. When they check any claim, all my info would 100% match up - it's where I was living etc. It's only the fact they couldn't credit score me that they will probably raise.

Say I move in on 1st Aug, then I buy a car and the insurance etc on the 3rd August. I'd be putting the address that I'm physically living at (and this is where the car will be kept overnight etc) - albeit I've been there for just for 2 days.

If they can't perform a credit check on me, and still let me buy insurance paying in full (so I've not 'lied' or misled to get credit) - is it really my problem??

One group of companies are hiking it from £751 (where I want to move to - no credit link yet) to £3,685 (current address).

Also I've tried the street round the corner from my current address, it's £951 - so there's no way £2,700 = risk based pricing based on the postcode, it's got to be to do with Bankruptcy/poor credit dragged up via the CRA match.

I appreciate maybe they want to know (and gain money from that knowledge!) - but if they allow a system whereby they get a null match against the CRA & Electoral Roll (due to someone recently moving) and don't do anything to chase it up, of course people are going to do it.

I think I might just avoid the car altogether - the risk of the 'ever voided' might be too high. It seems crazy it's up to me to ensure they have correctly matched my Credit File before purchasing though!

If I buy the car today - £3,685 p/a insurance, plus £25 admin fee when I move it to the new address.

If I wait until I'm living at my new address, and buy it then, £751..... mental!!!

[Deleted User]

As a strange twist to this - it's £749 (not including any discounts etc) to rent a car for 59 days, inclusive of insurance etc. That works out at £4,633 per year inclusive of insurance, mot, servicing etc etc.... tempted to take that instead!

May even work out cheaper than buying a similar car (2012+ which would be on Finance) buying insurance (whichever address I use!)... And it gives the 100% certainty I can't get in to any trouble, or potential trouble, with any insurance companies.

I assume they're much like the banks with CIFAS - judge, jury and executioner - no amount of arguing is going to change that (as NotEvenAPot says above) - if they want to say I've lied about my address, they will. If they don't, they won't. Which seems crazy!

I'm also writing a complaint in to EUI (who insured me in the past), asking why somebody with my details, but a different first name and slightly different DOB is £2,700 cheaper. I'd assume they'll say credit scoring - in which case I'll ask the question of why it's fair that someone in my position, but moving house (and so answering 100% honestly) can 'save' £2,700

NotEvanAPot

Credit score will only have an influence on premium if seeking to pay by instalment. This is categorically correct. Creditworthiness is not a risk calculated upon, as doing so would be discriminatory.

If you're doing the checks through comparison websites, be aware that they are owned by insurers (not all), and several searches with vastly different details will get the alarm bells ringing when you choose to buy should you go with the cheapest (say Admiral when using confused.com).

[Deleted User]

I'm seeking annual payment, as I know monthly will be ridiculous.

I had issues with EUI years ago for that very reason you say!! It was only tweaking mileage etc (what if I drive to the train station and get a train etc) - but after I brought it it got blocked and I was told to phone (they then put it through no problem).

Thanks, I'll go direct and then phone if it's still coming up with such crazy prices.

It seems mad that it's £3,600 (me at my current address) - down to £951 (Me, 1 mile down the road), which is the price I'd expect for a non-BR.

I will phone and ensure they know I want to pay annually and see if they can shed any light on it!!

A4445

I pay monthly and the APR wasn't bad at all, I don't think it was any worse than pre BR

[Deleted User]

That's really lucky - The APR at most insurance companies is in the 20-30%+ range anyway, so if they aren't loading for BR that's ok.

Just spoken to Admiral - explained I've got 2 quotes so the bloke was laughing and saying well why, which one are you going for the cheapest!? So I explained it's £1,500 difference between the 2 (these are 2 fresh quotes I've just done) and asked if they credit score.... no.

Asked if Bankruptcy was an issue.... no (unless you pay monthly). "We don't ask that so you don't have to put it" and he advised just using the quote I've got now as I'll be totally honest - I'll be giving my correct name, correct DOB, correct address, correct location of vehicle overnight.... it's up to them to generate a price based on that.

I still think credit scoring has come into it somehow, because there's no way my quote would be that high here otherwise - but he's said take the £900 quote at the new house.

Only issue now is getting the car on finance with any luck... apparently one lender are offering 7.5k @ 32% APR, which is incredibly cheap given the circumstances!!

TheGardener

I pay upfront to avoid the outrageous fee's - Budget wanted to charge interest on a 'fixed sum loan' for instalments AND £4.55 per month for the privilege of paying in instalments :eek:

Although my existing insurance instalments plan at the point I went BR was not challenged by the insurers - when it came to renewal time I couldn't get instalments - there seem to be mixed experiences for BR's on that one.

However, I moved approx. 8 miles from my original address and was horrified at the rise in my premium based on postcode so I wouldn't rule it out that its a post code thing.