We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
A few questions on car insurance (for a couple)
Comments
-
So there is no concept of treating customers fairly?
If an insurer asks about modifications but does not explicitly ask about stickers, and stickers is not one of the possible modifications they list?0 -
SouthLondonUser wrote: »So there is no concept of treating customers fairly?
If an insurer asks about modifications but does not explicitly ask about stickers, and stickers is not one of the possible modifications they list?
If the insurer asks about modifications but does not list stickers etc as a declarable mod then the FOS would rule against them if they tried to void a policy at the point of claim due to stickers.
No idea what you mean by "so there is no concept of treating customers fairly?" ?All matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.0 -
What I mean is that trying to void a policy because of undeclared stickers seems like a sad and miserable excuse to refuse to pay up. It's one thing for an insurer to refuse to insure a given vehicle because they think it's too risky, but what is the justification for stickers?0
-
SouthLondonUser wrote: »So there is no concept of treating customers fairly?
If an insurer asks about modifications but does not explicitly ask about stickers, and stickers is not one of the possible modifications they list?
You may have linked that story to this thread, but you haven't really read the context have you?
"Her insurance company became aware of the stickers after she made a claim when thieves damaged her car outside her home in Cymmer, near Port Talbot, South Wales.
The insurance company contacted her, saying she had 10 days to explain why she had not told it about the stickers and warned "the policy may be declared void".
Age UK denied that the threat to withdraw the policy had anything to do with religion."
Firstly there is no indication in the article that they voided the policy. Secondly, rightly or wrongly, they saw the stickers as the reason her car was vandalised. She didn't just have a few windscreen stickers as you disingenuously suggested. She completely covered her car with stickers - more than 120 of them.
What she did was to increase her risk without informing them. Insurance companies charge according to how they assess the risks in covering the car.
I don't live too far from that area. It's a bit on the rough side. Not properly rough, but has its fair share of problems. High unemployment and higher than average welfare claimants. Crime levels are higher there too.0 -
SouthLondonUser wrote: »What I mean is that trying to void a policy because of undeclared stickers seems like a sad and miserable excuse to refuse to pay up. It's one thing for an insurer to refuse to insure a given vehicle because they think it's too risky, but what is the justification for stickers?
You're not getting this. It is the lie that causes the voidance. All you have to do is answer all questions honestly and you don't have problems.All matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.0 -
May I humbly ask why you feel the need to be so aggressive? Chill down and think happy thoughts!
I talked about cases of insurers refusing to pay and/or trying to declare a policy void. This is one such case. I also explicitly wrote that I don't know how the case ended, and I'd be curious to know. I never said that in this very specific case the insurer managed to void the insurance policy.
You are sure they saw the stickers as the reason for the car vandalised. Why do you say that? Why do you seem so sure that they were not trying to resort to any excuse, however dodgy, unfounded and ludicrous, not to pay up? No, insurers never do this...
Could you please be so kind as to elaborate how on Earth a sticker changes the risk profile?0 -
SouthLondonUser wrote: »May I humbly ask why you feel the need to be so aggressive? Chill down and think happy thoughts!
I talked about cases of insurers refusing to pay and/or trying to declare a policy void. This is one such case. I also explicitly wrote that I don't know how the case ended, and I'd be curious to know. I never said that in this very specific case the insurer managed to void the insurance policy.
You are sure they saw the stickers as the reason for the car vandalised. Why do you say that? Why do you seem so sure that they were not trying to resort to any excuse, however dodgy, unfounded and ludicrous, not to pay up? No, insurers never do this...
Could you please be so kind as to elaborate how on Earth a sticker changes the risk profile?
If you think that's aggressive...;)
It's not A sticker though is it? It's 120 large stickers. I suspect it was some of the local kidds that vandalised it as they thought it was a laugh. They chose the car because of the 120 stickers. Therefore her risk was increased by her action of putting so many large stickers on her car.
Also, it doesn't need to be for commercial profit for the use of a vehicle to vary from that for which it is insured.
You started this thread about yours and your partner's policy. You're the one that then decided that all insurance companies are evil and went off on a rant...0 -
SouthLondonUser wrote: »May I humbly ask why you feel the need to be so aggressive? Chill down and think happy thoughts!
I talked about cases of insurers refusing to pay and/or trying to declare a policy void. This is one such case. I also explicitly wrote that I don't know how the case ended, and I'd be curious to know. I never said that in this very specific case the insurer managed to void the insurance policy.
You are sure they saw the stickers as the reason for the car vandalised. Why do you say that? Why do you seem so sure that they were not trying to resort to any excuse, however dodgy, unfounded and ludicrous, not to pay up? No, insurers never do this...
Could you please be so kind as to elaborate how on Earth a sticker changes the risk profile?
Aggressive??? :rotfl:
Big "Kenwood" sticker in back window of old Corsa = please smash my windows and nick the car stereo that is worth more than the car.
Any sticker denoting political/religious/football team/country/county/town/etc preference = I hate that party/religion/team/etc etc so I'll accidentally 'key' this car as I walk past.
"Go faster" stripes on side panels = I really want you to believe that this car goes quicker than it actually does/ I want a car that looks "sporty" - so I will drive accordingly.
Big black stickers on windows (fake tints) = I can see F all out of these windows.
"My other car is a Porsche" type sticker = I know this is an old banger so who cares if I gather a few more dents & scratches as I drive around.
"Baby on Board" = I've got an expensive child seat that I probably leave in the car overnight - if you smash my windows you can sell it for £50 on eBay.
I could go on but you might think I'm being aggressive :AAll matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.0 -
SouthLondonUser wrote: »As for the insurance cover, it's not as black and white as you think it is. There would be an insurance contract in place. Interpreting the terms and conditions of the contract is for the courts. If the contract says: "social not commuting" and you commute every single day the interpretation is straightforward. If it says "social not commuting" and you drive to a conference, how "driving to a conference" shall be interpreted does not sound as straightforward to me.
It is black and white. You can turn to the dictionary for undefined terms before the court.
travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis
to make the same journey regularly between work and home
Commuting is periodically recurring travel between one's place of residence and place of work, or study
Most people driving to conferences, training etc will claim mileage expenses from their employer. Expenses claims are generally for costs reasonably and necessarily incurred in the course of the business. If expenses are claimed I think there is no doubt that the journey was 'business'.
The likes of Direct Line include business use as standard.0 -
Mercdriver wrote: »If you think that's aggressive...;)
It's not A sticker though is it? It's 120 large stickers. I suspect it was some of the local kidds that vandalised it as they thought it was a laugh. They chose the car because of the 120 stickers. Therefore her risk was increased by her action of putting so many large stickers on her car.
Also, it doesn't need to be for commercial profit for the use of a vehicle to vary from that for which it is insured.
You started this thread about yours and your partner's policy. You're the one that then decided that all insurance companies are evil and went off on a rant...
It wasn't 120 stickers, it was £120 - 'She paid £120 to cover her car in messages "spreading the gospel".'
That sounds to me like £120 spent on professionally produced vinyl adverts.
On the one hand, she's promoting her "business" of purporting to save "souls" while avoiding business use.
On the other, she may deserve a refund for making the car extremely unattractive to thieves.
I suspect the insurers just thought they had a "wrong un" but gave the wrong explanation to the press.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352.3K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.3K Spending & Discounts
- 245.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 601K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.5K Life & Family
- 259.1K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards