Fixed penalty notice and car insurance

Geoff1976

I was driving the works van doing deliveries last week and was pulled over by the police and offered a fixed penalty notice for doing 32mph in a 30mph limit. I cant say for certain I was not doing 32 but in my opinion I was doing 30. I have spoke to a friend in the police and an grudgingly going to accept the penalty notice but my question is to do with notification of car insurance provider. My friend in the police told me whatever I do, don’t tell your car insurance as they will put up your premium but you are not duty bound to declare fixed penalty notices only convictions and as I am not going to court and being found guilty it is not a conviction. Although I trust my friend I still have a worry he’s mistaken does anyone know if this is the case or if I don’t notify I will invalidate my insurance? Thanks in advance for any reply’s

Browntoa

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3391622/is-my-sp30-a-conviction-for-car-insurance

Yes , it's an SP30 offence

shaun_from_Africa

Don't do anything until you receive the paperwork through the post as it's possible that you will be offered a speed awareness course.
If this is the case and you do the course then you only have to inform your insurer if they ask (I think that it's only Admiral that do ask at the moment).

If you take the points and associated fine then you do have to tell your insurance company. Even though you wouldn't have gone to court, it's still a motoring conviction and failure to inform them could invalidate your insurance as far as it covers you. ( but they would still pay out for 3rd party losses).

AdrianC

Geoff1976 wrote: »

My friend in the police told me whatever I do, don’t tell your car insurance as they will put up your premium but you are not duty bound to declare fixed penalty notices only convictions and as I am not going to court and being found guilty it is not a conviction. Although I trust my friend

Don't. He's an idiot.

Speed Awareness Courses do not have to be declared unless the insurer asks, but the insurer most certainly asks about any FPNs. You have three points and an SP30 on your licence. When you give your licence number to your insurer, they will see that. They will not care particularly whether it was via court or an FPN, but they will care that you lied when they asked you...
(Wording from Meerkats)

Have you had any driving related convictions, endorsements, penalties, disqualifications or bans in the past 5 years?


Offence codes and penalty points are recorded against your driving record. Details for the last four years can be found by visiting https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence. However, please note that insurance providers require you to declare up to 5 years of your driving history.

Trying to claim that FPNs aren't a "conviction" because you didn't go to court is sophistry at best, but it's completely irrelevant when the question actually asks for "convictions, endorsements, penalties"

neilmcl

Your "friend" doesn't know what he's talking about, good to see we have such people in the police. It's an endorsable offence, of course you need to notify your insurer.

Also, I don't think you'll be receiving an offer of a course, the offence has already been dealt with via the FPN, I could be wrong though.

waamo

Having your insurance cancelled because you've lied to them causes a whole world of pain.

If that happens future insurance premiums can become eye wateringly expensive. Not only that you may find many companies refuse to insure you.

Geoff1976

Thanks for the reply!!!8217;s, that was basically the worry that I had but couldn!!!8217;t find any info in my terms and conditions to say one way or another. Once paperwork is thru I will inform my insurance provider. I live in Scotland and they don!!!8217;t offer speed awareness courses at the moment

George_Michael

Geoff1976 wrote: »

My friend in the police told me whatever I do, don’t tell your car insurance as they will put up your premium but you are not duty bound to declare fixed penalty notices only convictions and as I am not going to court and being found guilty it is not a conviction.

Please tell me that your friend is not a police officer but is a civilian working alongside the police.
Even then, they shouldn't be giving such bad advice but if it's fully trained and qualified police officer telling you this then I think they need a new job.

z1a

I thought minimum speed for prosecution was 35mph.

AndyMc.....

neilmcl wrote: »

Your "friend" doesn't know what he's talking about, good to see we have such people in the police. It's an endorsable offence, of course you need to notify your insurer.

Also, I don't think you'll be receiving an offer of a course, the offence has already been dealt with via the FPN, I could be wrong though.

More than likely he was given a TOR at the roadside rather than a FPN.

Mercdriver

Geoff1976 wrote: »

I was driving the works van doing deliveries last week and was pulled over by the police and offered a fixed penalty notice for doing 32mph in a 30mph limit. I cant say for certain I was not doing 32 but in my opinion I was doing 30. I have spoke to a friend in the police and an grudgingly going to accept the penalty notice but my question is to do with notification of car insurance provider. My friend in the police told me whatever I do, don’t tell your car insurance as they will put up your premium but you are not duty bound to declare fixed penalty notices only convictions and as I am not going to court and being found guilty it is not a conviction. Although I trust my friend I still have a worry he’s mistaken does anyone know if this is the case or if I don’t notify I will invalidate my insurance? Thanks in advance for any reply’s

Pepipoo would be interested in seeing evidence of a 32 in a 30. It is theoretically possible, but highly unusual since the starting point for enforcement in a 30 limit is 35. If you were only stopped last week then you should await more paperwork, as no action might be taken when the officer puts the paperwork in. Even if something comes it might be an idea to question on the basis of the normal procedure to only enforce from 35. Are you quite sure it wasn't a 20 limit?

Also when to notify your insurers depends on the wording in your policy. many don't require notification until renewal, some at conviction/endorsement of licence following FPN.