Insurance Mileage

[beagrizzly]

Obviously I'm going to read my policy, and possibly just ask my insurer, but in the meantime, in case anyone knows:

If I state an expected annual mileage when arranging my insurance, is there any leeway in this figure, or if I go over 10k, for example, am I instantly uninsured?

Seems to me that there should be a bit of give and take as it's not easy to accurately forecast, although insurance companies love to latch onto anything that means they don't have to pay out, so maybe I know the answer already.

[WyrleyD]

I asked the very same question last year when my expected mileage (10,000) was going to exceed 12,000 due to a lot of unexpected journeys to Yorkshire and back. A lot of the replies on here said it shouldn't be an issue but like you, I was worried that they might decline to pay out if the policy mileage was exceeded. I 'phoned my insurance company (LV=) to check and they immediately increased the premium and charged an amendment fee on top. On reflection I should have kept schtuum.

[Dingu]

beagrizzly said:

although insurance companies love to latch onto anything that means they don't have to pay out, so maybe I know the answer already.

Discussed and overhyped a lot more than the reality.

You appear to know the answer though. A few hundred miles or even 1,000 I wouldn’t worry about too much personally though.

As someone else will probably point out how would they know if you breach it anyway? Just because the vehicle covered more than 10,000 miles since the last MOT doesn’t mean they were all covered under your insurance policy. Another policy could be in force for another person, whether a full year, short term or some form of DOC cover.

[paintman]

Safer to ask them.

I've currently got two vehicles on agreed mileage. I've never been asked to supply an odometer reading either at inception or at renewal.

But easy for them to just run your reg through one of the online MOT checker sites, see your mileage between MOTs & then probably try & refuse to pay out on the grounds that your historic average monthly mileage shows you go over the agreed figure.

The fun will no doubt start when you try to convince them otherwise.

[MrGTI6]

They tend to ask how many miles you expect to drive. I often find I've covered three or four times more miles than expected.

[Tribal Chestnut]

Had a similar discussion with an insurer 2 or 3 years ago when my renewal was due. They had issue with the fact that my vehicle had done more than my agreed 10 or 15k. Explained to them that some of it was not on public roads and some was whilst a friend was driving it - they didn’t seem to have any further problem once I’d explained.

[sixor8]

I have 2 x Classic cars on classic insurance and the mileage is very important. The premiums are low because my low usage (1500 and 2k miles respectively)

On a 'daily' car or 'normal' insurance its more of an estimate of your behalf and if you go over a bit, it wouldn't be an issue. After all, they don't ask for the current mileage at inception, unlike classic cover. It's not as important. However, if you've told an insurance company you expect to do 4k miles and then do over 10k for example and have a claim, it'd be a dim view that you hadn't informed them. I reckon 10% - 20% over would be fine but others may have experience of this.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

beagrizzly said:

If I state an expected annual mileage when arranging my insurance, is there any leeway in this figure, or if I go over 10k, for example, am I instantly uninsured?

It's an "expected" annual mileage. If you expect to do 10K, then that's the truthful answer. If you ended up doing 11K, then the answer still wasn't untrue. You did expect to do 10K, but the reality was 10% more.

If you crash a month after taking out the policy, and you've already done 5k, then your answer was probably a lie, and questions will be asked.

[OutInTheShed]

I always estimate a bit more than the average of the past few years, so if I do a few more miles this year, it averages out.
For a normal SDP+commuting policy, even with business use, it only seems to have an impact if you start saying 20 or 25,000 miles a year or something.
You don't get much discount for only saying 8k instead of 12k, if any.

You could try a comparison site, see if it makes much difference.

If your increased mileage is a result of a change of job or other circumstances, maybe that should be notified?

[Bobtherallyfan]

MrGTI6 said:

They tend to ask how many miles you expect to drive. I often find I've covered three or four times more miles than expected.

It doesn’t take long on the internet to find that your insurance policy is therefore probably invalid…commonsense really…..higher mileage = more risk and all insurance policies clearly state that any material changes should be notified.

[alscar]

OutInTheShed said:

I always estimate a bit more than the average of the past few years, so if I do a few more miles this year, it averages out.
For a normal SDP+commuting policy, even with business use, it only seems to have an impact if you start saying 20 or 25,000 miles a year or something.
You don't get much discount for only saying 8k instead of 12k, if any.

You could try a comparison site, see if it makes much difference.

If your increased mileage is a result of a change of job or other circumstances, maybe that should be notified?

Ignoring the mileage point , a change of occupation itself should be notified. Probably doesn’t happen often but say office job to nightclub bouncer etc.

[kiethton]

alscar said:

OutInTheShed said:

I always estimate a bit more than the average of the past few years, so if I do a few more miles this year, it averages out.
For a normal SDP+commuting policy, even with business use, it only seems to have an impact if you start saying 20 or 25,000 miles a year or something.
You don't get much discount for only saying 8k instead of 12k, if any.

You could try a comparison site, see if it makes much difference.

If your increased mileage is a result of a change of job or other circumstances, maybe that should be notified?

Ignoring the mileage point , a change of occupation itself should be notified. Probably doesn’t happen often but say office job to nightclub bouncer etc.

Should it?

My view was that they quote you for what you are (or could become) for the year ahead. Surely this is no different to getting points, where you don't have to tell them until the next renewal?

[Mineral1]

kiethton said:

Should it?

My view was that they quote you for what you are (or could become) for the year ahead. Surely this is no different to getting points, where you don't have to tell them until the next renewal?

I thought you had to tell them immediately?

[alscar]

kiethton said:

Should it?

My view was that they quote you for what you are (or could become) for the year ahead. Surely this is no different to getting points, where you don't have to tell them until the next renewal?

They quote you for what you are not what could you could become - if the job change is material then as most of these threads end up discussing why give them a chance to deny a claim ?
Insurance companies are generally not liked but “ good faith “ cuts both ways.
Some insurers won’t insure certain occupations so I think that’s why it’s different to the points getting which of course you are absolutely correct about.
In reality maybe my example given earlier never happens in which case it’s a moot point anyway.

[Dingu]

Mineral1 said:

kiethton said:

Should it?

My view was that they quote you for what you are (or could become) for the year ahead. Surely this is no different to getting points, where you don't have to tell them until the next renewal?

I thought you had to tell them immediately?

Read your respective documents to find out. Often changes are immediately notifiable.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

kiethton said:

alscar said:

OutInTheShed said:

I always estimate a bit more than the average of the past few years, so if I do a few more miles this year, it averages out.
For a normal SDP+commuting policy, even with business use, it only seems to have an impact if you start saying 20 or 25,000 miles a year or something.
You don't get much discount for only saying 8k instead of 12k, if any.

You could try a comparison site, see if it makes much difference.

If your increased mileage is a result of a change of job or other circumstances, maybe that should be notified?

Ignoring the mileage point , a change of occupation itself should be notified. Probably doesn’t happen often but say office job to nightclub bouncer etc.

Should it?

My view was that they quote you for what you are (or could become) for the year ahead. Surely this is no different to getting points, where you don't have to tell them until the next renewal?

Convictions, or accidents in other cars, don't need to be disclosed until renewal. Changes of occupation, address, car, need to be advised immediately.

[Tribal Chestnut]

Change of car or address are things that you’d be absolutely foolish not to notify as they’re pretty fundamental to the policy and it’s in your best interests to declare them….as for a change of occupation, not so much, unless pretty substantial and likely to have a material bearing on a claim, as opposed to just upsetting an algorithm. At the very least you’re going to have your pants pulled down for one of those ‘admin’ charges that they thrive on.

[E-bmw]

As others have pointed out your ins. co will have the answer for you, your car & your insurance.

For me, when I changed job & went over, I just phoned them, gave them the new estimated mileage for the new commute & that was the end of it.

They said there should be a £3.60 charge, but that it would be waived.

[beagrizzly]

Thanks all.

I guess my concern is that if I have a crash in the last few weeks and it's slipped over, they would be able to tell(ish). Last MOT was similar date to insurance renewal, and they'd be able to get the current miles - especially if it was in for repair (or write off). Unless I persuade them that I managed to do 1000 miles in three weeks, which would be high for me.

Anyway, don't yet know if I'm likely to go over. I guess I'll address it if it looks likely nearer the time.

[BertBert]

Do read the thread. It's not a limit unless it is a specific limited mileage policy.

Even then different things can happen if you exceed a limited mileage policy. On one I had the excess simply increased over the limit. That's from the chap that often fks it up if you get my drift.