divorced or single

gillianwagner

Is it legal to tick single instead of divorced? Why do insurance companies (home and car) charge more when divorce box is ticked than single box? I tried both and there was £15 difference for home insurance. Surely it should be the same. Also for car insurance my ex wasn't on my policy so the quote should be the same married, divorce or single

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]They perceive it makes a difference to the risk so if you provide a false answer they may not pay out saying you deceived them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]However you can be divorced and single at the same time so who knows.[/FONT]

dacouch

You are obliged to answer specific well worded questions correctly.

The variations of quotations you have made eg single and divorced will be recorded by many Insurers and some of these will cross check these with the data you supply when you take out cover.

Intentionally miss leading an Insurer gives them the legal right to decline a claim and / or void your policy

Tom99

dacouch wrote: »

You are obliged to answer specific well worded questions correctly.

The variations of quotations you have made eg single and divorced will be recorded by many Insurers and some of these will cross check these with the data you supply when you take out cover.

Intentionally miss leading an Insurer gives them the legal right to decline a claim and / or void your policy

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]But single and divorced are not mutually exclusive terms you can be both.[/FONT]

dacouch

Tom99 wrote: »

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]But single and divorced are not mutually exclusive terms you can be both.[/FONT]

If the question clearly asks whether you are married, single or divorced then you need to answer it correctly

Frogletina

dacouch wrote: »

If the question clearly asks whether you are married, single or divorced then you need to answer it correctly

I'm separated, and have been for many years. I usually put single, as I feel that is closer to my situation, if there is no option to put separated.

With many couples choosing not to get married these days, I feel the distinction between the above is quite meaningless, as they will remain single whatever happens with their relationships.

Is this just a ruse to trip up the unwary who give a 'wrong' answer.

dacouch

Frogletina wrote: »

I'm separated, and have been for many years. I usually put single, as I feel that is closer to my situation, if there is no option to put separated.

With many couples choosing not to get married these days, I feel the distinction between the above is quite meaningless, as they will remain single whatever happens with their relationships.

Is this just a ruse to trip up the unwary who give a 'wrong' answer.

If the Insurer is asking whether you are single, divorced or married then they want to know whether you are divorced, single or married.

In the OP's case it is because the Insurers have different rates for divorced and single which they are allowed to do.

As mentioned, it is possible that in the OP's case they could decline a claim if it was deemed he intentionally miss led the Insurer which obtaining quotes (Which are often recorded) in the different options could be deemed as being intentional.

If the Insurer do not offer the option of divorced or offer an option of separated then you only have to answer the question as they have put it.

If the Insurer is not offering different options then it would be difficult for them to argue with a divorced person who declares themselve as being single.

Kynthia

I don't know about insurance companies but i know that it's very important to answer correctly when it comes to pensions. People putting single when they're divorced, or divorced when they've just been separated for a very long time causes problems. No matter how single you feel, technically your status can't be single if you've ever married.

BooJewels

My guess would be that this may be something to do with records and how you bought insurance products in the past.

Where someone has been divorced, knowing this may be pertinent if there may be records of other parties with a similar name and sharing an address. It also may make it easier to trace if you were a named driver on a shared policy and the like.

I don't know why that should be more expensive if you're divorced, but I can see how the differentiation might be important. I've been married well in excess of 30 years, but on paper might appear never to have bought contents insurance in my own right.

System

Divorced isn't a status, it is a statement of fact about a past event.
Wallis Simpson was married when she met the future Edward VIII, but she was still a divorced woman because she had previously been married to, and divorced, someone else.
You can change the fact of being single by getting married, you can change the fact of being married by getting divorced or widowed, but you cannot efface the fact of having gone through the the process of divorce, even by dying.