beware on renewing your car Insurance or it could be Void when it comes to making a accident claim

Sledger

 
Just been on line renewing my insurance and it came up in subsequent discussion any accident regardless of blame or a claim not being made must be declared. Not sure where they draw the line on this but  worth reading the entire link and wonder how many drivers fall into this category of their insurance being null and Void if they end up in a accident   " https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=254beb2963b0cea6JmltdHM9MTcxNzcxODQwMCZpZ3VpZD0wYjZkODk5MC03NTVjLTY4ODctMTc3Zi05ZGUzNzQzZjY5ZWMmaW5zaWQ9NTQ5Nw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=0b6d8990-755c-6887-177f-9de3743f69ec&psq=Motor+Insurace+how+much+will+my+cheap+car+insurance+increase+after+a+claim&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2FyLmNvLnVrL21vdG9yLWluc3VyYW5jZS9mYXFzL2hvdy1jYXItaW5zdXJhbmNlLXdvcmtzL2hvdy1tdWNoLXdpbGwtbXktY2FyLWluc3VyYW5jZS1nby11cC1hZnRlci1hLWNsYWltIzp-OnRleHQ9SW4lMjB0cnV0aCUyQyUyMHRoZSUyMHByaWNlJTIwaW5jcmVhc2VzJTIweW91JTIwY2FuJTIwZXhwZWN0LGRyaXZlcnMlMjB3aWxsJTIwc2VlJTIwYW4lMjBhdmVyYWdlJTIwaW5jcmVhc2UlMjBvZiUyMCVDMiVBMzEwMi4&ntb=1  "

What about if I don’t make a claim?

Sometimes, if there’s been an accident and only minor damage has been done to the vehicles involved, it’s tempting to “avoid getting insurance companies involved” - with the person responsible directly paying for repairs.

The thing is, while this might seem like a hassle-free option, you may still find that it increases your insurance. Why? Well, you’ll still be legally required to declare it as an accident when you renew your insurance – so it will still be viewed as an accident in your driving history.     "

I reported a silver Birch tree with many dead branches where one fell on a vacant car space in Aldi but they fobbed me off and never actioned it.   So if a branch fell on your car and you made a case against Aldi whether successful or not, would just by lodging the case have to be declared as a accident to your insurer at renewal.? 

bluelad1927

I thought it has always been the case that questions have to be answered accurately. Nothing has changed 

lisyloo

what do you mean where they draw the line.
If they ask you if you've been in an accident it's either a yes or a no.
It's always been the case that you have to tell the truth.
If a branch fell on your car and you suffered a loss then yes you'd need to declare it.

DullGreyGuy

lisyloo said:

what do you mean where they draw the line.

There is a valid question of where the line is drawn... get a punctured tyre from a pothole or nail on the road? Kerb your alloys when parking? Get hedge rash on the wing mirror from driving down a single track road with poorly maintained bushes? Scuff the splitter by taking a speed bump too fast? Small stone chip thrown up from the car infront?

The one a call centre agent had a while back... a police pursuit driver who has made tactical contact, declarable on his personal insurance?

Worse still is home insurance, a chipped mug? a single spot of coffee/red wine spilt on a rug? Spot of paint on a sofa? Small dent in wooden flooring where you dropped a hammer?

Most will say let common sense prevail but as the old saying goes, common sense isn't very common

FreeBear

DullGreyGuy said: The one a call centre agent had a while back... a police pursuit driver who has made tactical contact, declarable on his personal insurance?

Tactical contact would be a deliberate act and not an accident surely.

Sledger

Does this mean if I did not declare a ding in my drivers door from a car passenger exiting in the next car park bay to  mine as an  accident  which is a daily common occurrence and somehow my insurer got wind of it.

If I  then hit somebody up the rear but never admitted blame although it was clear I was 100% at fault, the other parties Insurer is unable to claim against my insurer as my insurer pulls the  null and Void card for failing to declare the ding. 

I just applied on line and declared 8 years NCB and now get  this in the  35 page Policy "Proof of your no claims discount We do not need proof of your no claims discount. However, you should keep a copy of your last renewal notice, proof of no claims discount or letters showing your proof amount from your previous insurer, as we may ask to see it in the future" 

Had I been issued with bus lanes /disabled Parking / parking  PCN where all were challenged and won on MSE and Pepipoo  forums would I have to STILL declared them  purely by being issued although I won making them invalid in the first place   "Details of any motoring convictions, driving licence endorsements, fixed penalties, or disqualifications in the last 5 years   " 

user1977

FreeBear said:

DullGreyGuy said: The one a call centre agent had a while back... a police pursuit driver who has made tactical contact, declarable on his personal insurance?

Tactical contact would be a deliberate act and not an accident surely.

True, but I doubt the question only mentions accidents.

DullGreyGuy

FreeBear said:

DullGreyGuy said: The one a call centre agent had a while back... a police pursuit driver who has made tactical contact, declarable on his personal insurance?

Tactical contact would be a deliberate act and not an accident surely.

Vandalism and theft are deliberate actions but both have to be declared too... normally they ask about "losses" from an "incident" to avoid people claiming something wasnt an accident and therefore not declarable. 

Sledger said:

Does this mean if I did not declare a ding in my drivers door from a car passenger exiting in the next car park bay to  mine as an  accident  which is a daily common occurrence and somehow my insurer got wind of it.

If I  then hit somebody up the rear but never admitted blame although it was clear I was 100% at fault, the other parties Insurer is unable to claim against my insurer as my insurer pulls the  null and Void card for failing to declare the ding. 

I just applied on line and declared 8 years NCB and now get  this in the  35 page Policy "Proof of your no claims discount We do not need proof of your no claims discount. However, you should keep a copy of your last renewal notice, proof of no claims discount or letters showing your proof amount from your previous insurer, as we may ask to see it in the future" 

Had I been issued with bus lanes /disabled Parking / parking  PCN where all were challenged and won on MSE and Pepipoo  forums would I have to STILL declared them  purely by being issued although I won making them invalid in the first place   "Details of any motoring convictions, driving licence endorsements, fixed penalties, or disqualifications in the last 5 years   " 

In principle they could void a policy for non-declaration of prior claims. In that event they remain the RTA insurer of the vehicle for your rear ending and so would still have to deal with the third party claim against you however they'd have a statutory right of recovery against you personally as the driver... so the TP isn't disadvantaged but it ultimately comes from your pocket. 

If the fixed penalties have been revoked then they wouldn't need to be declared. 

Aretnap

Sledger said:

Had I been issued with bus lanes /disabled Parking / parking  PCN where all were challenged and won on MSE and Pepipoo  forums would I have to STILL declared them  purely by being issued although I won making them invalid in the first place   "Details of any motoring convictions, driving licence endorsements, fixed penalties, or disqualifications in the last 5 years   " 

You don't get any of those things for parking or bus lane contraventions.* A decriminalised PCN doesn't have to be declared, revoked or not.

* (A handful of exceptions apply such as parking on a zebra crossing zig zag which can still get you a visit from the police and points in your licence)

lisyloo

Sledger said:

Does this mean if I did not declare a ding in my drivers door from a car passenger exiting in the next car park bay to  mine as an  accident  which is a daily common occurrence and somehow my insurer got wind of it.

If I  then hit somebody up the rear but never admitted blame although it was clear I was 100% at fault, the other parties Insurer is unable to claim against my insurer as my insurer pulls the  null and Void card for failing to declare the ding. 

I just applied on line and declared 8 years NCB and now get  this in the  35 page Policy "Proof of your no claims discount We do not need proof of your no claims discount. However, you should keep a copy of your last renewal notice, proof of no claims discount or letters showing your proof amount from your previous insurer, as we may ask to see it in the future" 

Had I been issued with bus lanes /disabled Parking / parking  PCN where all were challenged and won on MSE and Pepipoo  forums would I have to STILL declared them  purely by being issued although I won making them invalid in the first place   "Details of any motoring convictions, driving licence endorsements, fixed penalties, or disqualifications in the last 5 years   " 

In theory if they've asked about "losses" then they could take it into account, but I think there's legal precedent that if it was an innocent mistake they only be able to charge you the extra premium if they would have insured you e.g. you didn't realise there was a ding.
If you deliberately lied e.g. there is evidence of a complaint or claim, then they could void the claim or pass costs onto you where a 3rd party is involved.

In reality, dings, stone chips, minor spills, chipped mugs, snagged tights are not going to be recorded or claimed for so in practice aren't going to come into it.
If of course you actually claim for a chip or a spill or make a complaint which is on record somewhere then you'd have to declare it.

I agree about the grey areas e.g. what if I snag a brand new pair of £2 tights. Is that a loss?

DullGreyGuy

Its not legal precedence its the statute of Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 (CIDRA)

Under CIDRA if it's careless and they would have insured you otherwise then cover is reduced by the proportion of underpayment of premiums but in practice some insurers will give you the option to pay the premium adjustment to reinstate the full cover. If they wouldn't have insured you they can cancel the policy

If its intentional or reckless non/false declaration then they can void the policy 

Obviously there can be a bit of a debate over what is careless and what is reckless - its one area with fairly inconsistent application when it comes to the ombudsman when it comes to modifications on vehicles that were bought secondhand. Clearly some ombudsmen are more lenient on what they think the average person should know was never going to be an original feature whereas others do say that the average punter should know that a Mini would never have come with a whale fin spoiler as a standard feature. 

As always some people really do try it on, a Ford Mondeo driver claiming they didnt realise the BMW branded alloys weren't a factory fitted item etc.