Car insurance voided due to me not knowing it was imported. Help!

A_Rich

Hi all,

I bought my car 10 years ago from a large dealership. No problems until this week when my insurance company needed some extra documentation due to some changes on my policy. They've come back and said that apparently the car is an import and because I didn't state this they are voiding my insurance. I went back to the people who sold me car and they checked their systems and their records say it is a UK car and don't believe it is an import. Back again to insurance company who disagree! They say that on the V5C as the date of registration and date of registration in UK are different it means the car is an import. I didn't know this and nothing on any documents I have from buying the car say the word import on. In fact, the only notes I have in "special notes" are "was registered and/or used elsewhere in the UK. Declared manufactured 2010". 

I tried to speak to DVLA but they won't help me find out the history of the car due to COVID situation and I'm now in a position where I have a black mark against my name for life because of having this insurance cancelled and all the quotes are over £1000 (my usual was around £300). 

Has anyone else had this problem? Is this my fault for not being aware of the date of registration issue (I don't know many people that were aware of this)? This is a genuine mistake so its seems really unfair to have this black mark against my name for the rest of my life.

Would really appreciate advice!

A_Rich

To add to this: The dealership have just come back and have found out the car was from Jersey so they don;t count it as an import.

Hasbeen

Where was the car originally registered UK and then sent over to Jersey?  If registered first in Jersey then I would say an import?

But you state in V5  in special notes "was registered and/or used elsewhere in the UK. Declared manufactured 2010". 

I think the criteria for insurance companies is if the car was originally registered in the UK and then sent abroad its not an import'

TELLIT01

All you can do is provide all the information from the dealership as to its movement history and take it from there.  Cancelling after 10 years seems ridiculous on the face of it.

sheramber

 OP has owned the car for 10 yeas but doesn't say how long he has been insured with the current company.

TELLIT01

sheramber said:

 OP has owned the car for 10 yeas but doesn't say how long he has been insured with the current company.

I haven't a clue how long my cars have been insured with the current company either.  As long as it's been continuously insured I don't worry.

huckster

Channel island cars are not normally an issue for UK Insurers.  My Dad bought one years ago and had no problems, Many UK dealers sell them, as they have very low mileage, even if a couple of years old,
Channel Islands are not part of the UK and they are re-registered by whoever brings them into the UK.  
Go back to the Insurers with the information and ask that they check with their underwriting managers.  Should not be classed a as an import.

Hama4075

Even if technically the car is counted as an import, I don't think they can void your policy.  I've been looking into this for an issue of my own and found information from the Financial Ombudsman very useful.  I can't post a link, but search for "Financial Ombudsman non disclosure".

They say, "Customers are only expected to answer questions to the best of their knowledge and belief".  If you took reasonable care when you answered, and couldn't have been expected to know differently, then the insurer isn't allowed to void your policy.

If you were careless (and it doesn't sound like you were) they can only void the policy if they wouldn't have provided cover under any terms, had they known.  If they'd have provided cover but with different terms or a different premium, then they should offer you those terms or premium now, rather than void.

I would raise a complaint through the insurer's own procedure and if they still decide against you, go to the Ombudsman.

A_Rich

Hi everyone, thank you for all of the replies (new to here to didn't realise I had replies until now!)
Car insurance came back 3 weeks after I made a complaint and said  its my fault I didn't declare was an import and I have to declare cancelled insurance to all new insurers. Apparently its obvious on the V5 which I completely disagree with. From my understanding, car was registered in Jersey originally then brought over to the UK for resale 6 months later just before I bought it. Hasn't been registered or driven anywhere else.
I have asked to escalated this higher and will take it to the ombudsman if I need to. It seems the Jersey issue is a really blurry line and the fact that the 2 registration dates are the only way you can tell on my V5 that the car is imported seems madness and not obvious at all..

A_Rich

Hama4075 said:

Even if technically the car is counted as an import, I don't think they can void your policy.  I've been looking into this for an issue of my own and found information from the Financial Ombudsman very useful.  I can't post a link, but search for "Financial Ombudsman non disclosure".

They say, "Customers are only expected to answer questions to the best of their knowledge and belief".  If you took reasonable care when you answered, and couldn't have been expected to know differently, then the insurer isn't allowed to void your policy.

If you were careless (and it doesn't sound like you were) they can only void the policy if they wouldn't have provided cover under any terms, had they known.  If they'd have provided cover but with different terms or a different premium, then they should offer you those terms or premium now, rather than void.

I would raise a complaint through the insurer's own procedure and if they still decide against you, go to the Ombudsman.

Thank you! So car insurance company say that as they don't insured imported cars they wouldn't have ever offered me the policy in the first place which creates the issue. They did say they could see that I had made no financial gain from not declaring this information (so my insurance wasn't cheaper as a result). I was insured with them for 2 and a bit years so have also lost my no claims bonuses for those years.

Jumblebumble

A_Rich said:

Hama4075 said:

Even if technically the car is counted as an import, I don't think they can void your policy.  I've been looking into this for an issue of my own and found information from the Financial Ombudsman very useful.  I can't post a link, but search for "Financial Ombudsman non disclosure".

They say, "Customers are only expected to answer questions to the best of their knowledge and belief".  If you took reasonable care when you answered, and couldn't have been expected to know differently, then the insurer isn't allowed to void your policy.

If you were careless (and it doesn't sound like you were) they can only void the policy if they wouldn't have provided cover under any terms, had they known.  If they'd have provided cover but with different terms or a different premium, then they should offer you those terms or premium now, rather than void.

I would raise a complaint through the insurer's own procedure and if they still decide against you, go to the Ombudsman.

Thank you! So car insurance company say that as they don't insured imported cars they wouldn't have ever offered me the policy in the first place which creates the issue. They did say they could see that I had made no financial gain from not declaring this information (so my insurance wasn't cheaper as a result). I was insured with them for 2 and a bit years so have also lost my no claims bonuses for those years.

Have they refunded all your premiums?
Next step formal complaint and if unsuccessful  the ombudsman
Dont forget to highlight  that your V62 says
"was registered and/or used elsewhere in the UK. Declared manufactured 2010". 
and you thing the ombudsman should interpret that you understood  it had always been registered and used in UK and therefore was not an import according to the DVLA who should know.
I advise you not to get into discussions about whether you knew it came from Jersey or if Jersey is in the UK