Car Insurance - New born Child

[Willeh85]

Hello all.

I am about to enter fatherhood any day now and my insurance is also up for renewal soon. I've noticed that while doing quotes for sports cars I cant possible afford (come on we all do this) insurers ask you if you have any children under the age of 16, and if you click yes this puts the premium up.

For reasons out of my control my child is going to be living with the mother when its born and I'll have him/her a couple of nights a week perhaps less. Mother will more than likely drop the baby at mine and pick it up, and he/she probably only be in my car on the rare occasion I pick him/her up or have to nip out to the shops.

So my question is do I have say 'Yes I have a child under the age of 16' when asked even though the child wont be living with me full time as I think my answer should be 'No'.

Thanks

[S10GTA]

It asks if you have a child under sixteen. You do.

[Happy82]

Willeh85 said:

Hello all.

I am about to enter fatherhood any day now and my insurance is also up for renewal soon. I've noticed that while doing quotes for sports cars I cant possible afford (come on we all do this) insurers ask you if you have any children under the age of 16, and if you click yes this puts the premium up.

For reasons out of my control my child is going to be living with the mother when its born and I'll have him/her a couple of nights a week perhaps less. Mother will more than likely drop the baby at mine and pick it up, and he/she probably only be in my car on the rare occasion I pick him/her up or have to nip out to the shops.

So my question is do I have say 'Yes I have a child under the age of 16' when asked even though the child wont be living with me full time as I think my answer should be 'No'.

Thanks

Are you definitely the father?

[Willeh85]

S10GTA said:

It asks if you have a child under sixteen. You do.

I think you've misunderstood the point / the question.

[S10GTA]

Willeh85 said:

S10GTA said:

It asks if you have a child under sixteen. You do.

I think you've misunderstood the point / the question.

No, I think you have.

[Willeh85]

Happy82 said:

Are you definitely the father?

Yes definitely mine Happy

[Willeh85]

S10GTA Although I would be fathering a child, I won't be the resident parent so it wont be living with me full time as exlained above.

It's like saying I've got £10. But its in my bank not in my cash in my hand.

[xreyuk]

Well, do you have any children under the age of 16? Yes, you do, therefore the answer is yes.

However if the question was "do you have any children under the age if 16 living with you?" your answer would be no.

[Happy82]

Willeh85 said:

Happy82 said:

Are you definitely the father?

Yes definitely mine Happy

Therefore you have a child and answer yes on the insurance. In my experience it usually brings the quote down though

[streaky]

xreyuk said:

Well, do you have any children under the age of 16? Yes, you do, therefore the answer is yes.

However if the question was "do you have any children under the age if 16 living with you?" your answer would be no.

If the question pertains to the risk presented by the child travelling as a passenger, surely the question should be phrased as: "Will a child aged under 16 travel in the vehicle?", regardless of relationship? If the question relates to the potential for an increase in any claim for death or disability of the driver as a consequence of being a natural, foster or adoptive parent, surely the question should include the words: "for whom you have a legal (or moral) obligation to provide financial support"?

Suppose you have an estranged partner with whom the child lives in (say) Australia and you have no obligation to provide support; would it be reasonable for the insurer to load the premium?

The 'why' of the question is as important as the 'what'. Can one of our insurance experts explain?

Streaky

[LoonR1]

streaky said:

If the question pertains to the risk presented by the child travelling as a passenger, surely the question should be phrased as: "Will a child aged under 16 travel in the vehicle?", regardless of relationship? If the question relates to the potential for an increase in any claim for death or disability of the driver as a consequence of being a natural, foster or adoptive parent, surely the question should include the words: "for whom you have a legal (or moral) obligation to provide financial support"?

Suppose you have an estranged partner with whom the child lives in (say) Australia and you have no obligation to provide support; would it be reasonable for the insurer to load the premium?

The 'why' of the question is as important as the 'what'. Can one of our insurance experts explain?

Streaky

I thought you'd know that the driver is unable to claim off his policy for any injury he causes to himself (apart from those bolted on products which are not connected to the underwriting of the motor policy).

The question is asked as the child is able to sue for injury if the father has an accident with the child in the car. As any child injury payout has, by law, to be awarded by a cort than the costs involved are much higher than if it's just Mr and Mrs OP involved in the accident.

The OPs question has been answered many times correctly already. The question is "Do you have any children under the age of 16?". To which the answer is "yes".

[TwigtheWonderkid]

streaky said:

The 'why' of the question is as important as the 'what'. Can one of our insurance experts explain?

Streaky

Plenty of possibilities:

1. possible increased passenger liability - higher risk
2. possible more cautious driving - lower risk
3. possibility of being asked to add said youngster in years to come - higher risk
4. possibility of cross selling other insurances to the policyholder, like life insurance or college savings plan - risk neutral but possible extra income
5. More drain on finances so increased risk of default on direct debit payments.

I guess each individual insurer will have their own reasons for asking, and I guess some won't ask at all.

[S10GTA]

Willeh85 said:

S10GTA Although I would be fathering a child, I won't be the resident parent so it wont be living with me full time as exlained above.

It's like saying I've got £10. But its in my bank not in my cash in my hand.

That doesn't matter. We can re-word it for you if you like.

Have you fathered a child?

[CAPP0]

S10GTA said:

Willeh85 said:

S10GTA said:

It asks if you have a child under sixteen. You do.

I think you've misunderstood the point / the question.

No, I think you have.

[voyds9]

S10GTA said:

That doesn't matter. We can re-word it for you if you like.

Have you fathered a child?

I haven't but my wife's child lives with us.

[JustinP1]

Willeh85 said:

S10GTA Although I would be fathering a child, I won't be the resident parent so it wont be living with me full time as exlained above.

It's like saying I've got £10. But its in my bank not in my cash in my hand.

Mate,

You have a kid. It's too late now. The cost of car insurance going up will be the least of your worries!

Start banking now for nappies, milk formula, clothes, and safety equipment. And maybe some toys and stuff.

When you look at the cost of that, you'll totally forget about your car insurance. And you can stop worrying about the £10 in your bank or your hand, as you'll have neither!

Trust me.

[S10GTA]

voyds9 said:

S10GTA said:

That doesn't matter. We can re-word it for you if you like.

Have you fathered a child?

I haven't but my wife's child lives with us.

Not asking you , I reworded it for the OP as he is struggling with the question.

[daz3210]

The question has already been answered for the OP.

But surely it is a rather daft question.

Whilst I have fathered a child (which doesn't live with me), I also have a 10 year old nephew. He is more likely to be in the car than my own kid.

So surely a more sensible question would be, would a child under 16 travel in the vehicle. But then are insurance co's usually sensible?

[Noger]

daz3210 said:

So surely a more sensible question would be, would a child under 16 travel in the vehicle. But then are insurance co's usually sensible?

That is effectively a warranty, rather than a material fact. We want to ask questions based upon material facts knowable by the insured, not some vague promise of future conduct.

Sensible ? Sometimes

Bound by all sorts of regulations about how we ask things. Always

[3Dee]

Noger said:

That is effectively a warranty, rather than a material fact. We want to ask questions based upon material facts knowable by the insured, not some vague promise of future conduct.

Sensible ? Sometimes

Bound by all sorts of regulations about how we ask things. Always

Designed to be vague as to it's implications? -Yes!
Designed to make sure we (the insurers) can load your policy even if your child lives the other side of the world and it is unlikely to ever visit you, but you will still be dinged as you have to answer the {generalised} question and then we can apply the answer however we like? - Ohhhhh YUS!