Car insurance asking for a lot of documents?

LibertyW1

Hi,

I purchased car insurance through Bell, part of the admiral group, over a month ago for about £1,300 (I'm 19 and drive a Cooper S). I then moved address for a couple of months so had to change this on my policy as my car has a temporary black box which would register that I wasn't keeping my car where I originally said, so I then paid an extra £800 just for this change of address.

As if this wasn't bad enough, about 2 weeks later I received an email asking for a copy of my drivers license front and back, my parents licenses front and back, a photo of the V5 log book, a bank statement and full driver's history for myself and my parents who are additional drivers on my policy. (confirmed this over the phone and email, it's legitimate)

I see this as really unnecessary but they're saying they will cancel the insurance in 7 days if I don't send all the documents as part of an "audit". This isn't the only issue, my bank statements would be at my old address as well as my license (same goes for my parents). (I'm only at this current address for 2 or 3 months so I can't change this with my bank or DVLA as I will be going back to my old address soon)

Do I have a leg to stand on or should I cancel the policy before they cancel it on me?

dacouch

Are you able to supply the documents they have asked for?

I doubt they will worry that your documents show your previous address

marcarm

willwigzell wrote: »

Hi,

I purchased car insurance through Bell, part of the admiral group, over a month ago for about £1,300 (I'm 19 and drive a Cooper S). I then moved address for a couple of months so had to change this on my policy as my car has a temporary black box which would register that I wasn't keeping my car where I originally said, so I then paid an extra £800 just for this change of address.

As if this wasn't bad enough, about 2 weeks later I received an email asking for a copy of my drivers license front and back, my parents licenses front and back, a photo of the V5 log book, a bank statement and full driver's history for myself and my parents who are additional drivers on my policy. (confirmed this over the phone and email, it's legitimate)

I see this as really unnecessary but they're saying they will cancel the insurance in 7 days if I don't send all the documents as part of an "audit". This isn't the only issue, my bank statements would be at my old address as well as my license (same goes for my parents). (I'm only at this current address for 2 or 3 months so I can't change this with my bank or DVLA as I will be going back to my old address soon)

Do I have a leg to stand on or should I cancel the policy before they cancel it on me?

You can, just change it back when you move back. You should by law change your address with the dvla on your licence and your cars v5.

You don't want a cancelled policy on your record as insurance will be next to impossible to get in the future.

You want them to cover you, you need to provide what they require. What happens if the new company you go to want the same things?

LibertyW1

I am only 19 so don't have a utility bill, I could get a bank statement but it would be at the old address. My parents also dont know their national insurance numbers so I can't access their driver history as requested, and they dont really want to hand that over as the insurance company can surely carry out their own checks from the pictures of their licenses?

bris

Their national insurance numbers are on their pay slips, or anything HMRC related. They can if they want to find them easy enough.

Fosterdog

If the new address is only temporary and your parents home us still your legal address then did you really need to update it with them? I can understand a call to explain you are temporarily at another address but that your original address is still your legal address and the address for both the car and insurance to be registered at.

That's what a friend did when she was at uni, still living at home but went on a placement to another area for a couple of months. She just had a note added that the car would not be kept on her parents drive for those two months but would be kept on road outside her temporary residence. I don't think she even had to pay an additional premium but she may have been in a lower risk area for that time rather than higher risk. I know it was something she had been worried about being a new driver like yourself.

ARandomMiser

willwigzell wrote: »

I then paid an extra £800 just for this change of address.

Is that a typo ?

z1a

ARandomMiser wrote: »

Is that a typo ?

Probably moved to a scummy area.

Ectophile

willwigzell wrote: »

Do I have a leg to stand on or should I cancel the policy before they cancel it on me?

If you can't give them the information they are asking for, then I suggest you cancel the policy before they do. That way, when you are asked if you have ever had a policy cancelled, you can truthfully answer "no".

rtho782

You started a policy at cheap address A.

The black box showed them you actually lived at more expensive address B. You did not notify them of this change as you were required to. This is a form of fraud.

They challenged you on this and charged you an increased premium. From their perspective, they have caught you out once, and now suspect there may be other things you have lied about or omitted to tell them, so they want to check.

If your parents are unable to supply driving record details, they should not be named on your policy. Your insurer is insuring them as drivers of your car and therefore has a right to request this. If you refuse to comply they are quite right to cancel the policy.

You need to provide what they request, or they will cancel your policy, record this cancellation on insurance databases, and it will cost you A LOT of money in the long term.

You are legally required to update the V5 and your driving licence when you move. Failure to do this is a criminal offence with a £1,000 fine. "I'm only moving short term" is not an excuse. Change it, then change it back.

To be honest the fact that most of your stuff shows address A is probably good - it shows you didn't just pluck that address out the air as a cheap address to put for your insurance.

Ectophile

rtho782 wrote: »

You are legally required to update the V5 and your driving licence when you move. Failure to do this is a criminal offence with a £1,000 fine. "I'm only moving short term" is not an excuse. Change it, then change it back.

You only have to give the DVLA an address through which you may be contacted. You don't actually have to be living there, so long as the person who does live there can let you know that a letter has arrived.