Big Mistake in Car Insurance....help please x

pinktilgate

Hello everyone!

I've made a huge mistake with car insurance so please be gentle with me.....also it's a long one so bear with me!

I am a named driver on my mums car insurance (Dial Direct), and mum was a named driver on my Dads Motability car insurance.

The policy for the car which I am named on is due for renewal mid September. I renewed it online last year for us, but my mum had an accident in the Motability car last year. We didn't advise Dial Direct about this. My Dad was terminally ill (he just recently passed away), this totally slipped our minds. We never received any documentation regarding the accident in the Motability car.

Now that my Dad has passed away, the Motability car is going back and Mum has just bought herself another car, which will mean I will now be the main driver on our original car. She needs to buy insurance for her new car.

Do I need to call Dial Direct to tell them that I will now be the main driver, and that we didn't declare accident?

As the policy is up in less than a months time, I won't be renewing it with them as it is more expensive. Am I best just to cancel the policy and take out new insurance now? I know we have messed this up big time and I'm afraid that we will be in trouble! My Dad would have normally sorted all the out for us, but because he was so ill, and now has passed I have no idea What to do.

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Xx

Quentin

You do need to tell them now about the change of main driver.

Regarding your non disclosure that's your mother's call on whether to correct it now

FutureGirl

If you have an accident within the next month, they will find out about the previous, undeclared accident, which could leave you uninsured.

pinktilgate

Thanks for your replies.....

My thinking was that as there is less than a month to go on the policy, and I paid it annually last year, that I could just cancel the policy now, and purchase a new policy with another company?

Quentin

No reason not to do this (you won't get any NCD for the current part year and will have cancellation charges to pay).


If they discover your mother didn't disclose the accident, cancelling now won't prevent them pursuing her for any premium increase owed if they decide to!

pinktilgate

Again thank you all for your help!

Talked it through with my mum last night, and she is going to contact Mobility to get the details of her accident, then contact the original insurer on our car and tell them that she didn't disclose the accident. She is happy to pay outstanding premiums.

Thanks again!

nofixedabode

Perhaps do a dummy quote to see what the increase might be, if you haven't called already that is. Then perhaps not drive it for the rest of the policy to be on the safe side...

magpiecottage

You should make clear to the insurer the reason why it was was not disclosed at the time - i.e. the particular circumstances.

They might want proof of that - and for you to pay any extra premium that ought to have been paid at the time - but the fact that you are seeking to correct it now should be sufficient to persuade them (or if necessary FOS) that the non-disclosure was inadvertent.

After all, if you had sought to deceive at outset then you would not be declaring it now.