Black Box Violations
Author
Discussion

S70JPS

Original Poster:

621 posts

242 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
My son who is normally very sensible has after passing his test last Wednesday has set his black box off multiple times in 1 day had his insurance cancelled. Any advice on options as the initial look says £5K. The original policy was through our well known company.

ha03274

104 posts

131 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
Going to be an expensive lesson I fear especially as he will now need to declare that he had his insurance voided in the past on new applications.

Patio

1,552 posts

33 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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Black/back box?

Hope it wasn't too painful

vaud

57,662 posts

177 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
S70JPS said:
My son who is normally very sensible has after passing his test last Wednesday has set his black box off multiple times in 1 day had his insurance cancelled. Any advice on options as the initial look says £5K. The original policy was through our well known company.
What do the terms say? 1 day of pings leading to immediate cancellation seems strict.

Do you have access to the data for the pings? I'mm not saying he is lying, I just remember being 17 and being economical with the truth when it came to my driving...

Haltamer

2,617 posts

102 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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Ow, Impressive.

What activations were they? Any hope it was due to an incorrect limit or something on the providers side? (Unlikely, but worth a shot)

If you can, cancel the insurance before they do it for you - From those I've heard of in similar situations, it's usually a few day process before they action the cancellation, though some companies have started doing immediate cancellations.

If you can manage that, it at least saves you the "Refused or cancelled insurance" box for the rest of time - It'll be an expensive lesson though!

98elise

31,174 posts

183 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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ha03274 said:
Going to be an expensive lesson I fear especially as he will now need to declare that he had his insurance voided in the past on new applications.
Agreed, it's going to be an expensive lesson. Is there an expiry time on declaring cancelled insurance (like accidents)?

I was fortunate in that my daughter was obsessed with getting good scores so the black box did its job.

ncjones

305 posts

237 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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Presumably the black box had been installed previously, whilst he was learning, as it’s already fitted??…. in which case it’s more likely driving related than a faulty one?

If policy has not yet actually been cancelled the advice above seems sensible, get in first and cancel it yourselves.

My daughter passed last Thursday and it was only another £70 to get a policy without a box. I was in two minds, but opted to pay more as I’ll still occasionally use that car!

My daughter’s boyfriend has a black box in his car and has found it pretty lenient. In 4 months he’s only had one amber warning and that was for driving too long with out a break (mostly when stuck in Boardmasters car park!). He now regularly does 80 on the motorway and it’s not flagging. It does seem therefore your sons has either been very harsh or he’s driven really badly to get that notification so quickly.

98elise

31,174 posts

183 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
ncjones said:
Presumably the black box had been installed previously, whilst he was learning, as it’s already fitted??…. in which case it’s more likely driving related than a faulty one?

If policy has not yet actually been cancelled the advice above seems sensible, get in first and cancel it yourselves.

My daughter passed last Thursday and it was only another £70 to get a policy without a box. I was in two minds, but opted to pay more as I’ll still occasionally use that car!

My daughter’s boyfriend has a black box in his car and has found it pretty lenient. In 4 months he’s only had one amber warning and that was for driving too long with out a break (mostly when stuck in Boardmasters car park!). He now regularly does 80 on the motorway and it’s not flagging. It does seem therefore your sons has either been very harsh or he’s driven really badly to get that notification so quickly.
My daughter's black box was also quite lenient (direct line). I could drive it quite normally and get a good score. It was as if it measured you against other drivers rather than simple numbers/triggers.

Bennet

2,133 posts

153 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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ha03274 said:
Going to be an expensive lesson I fear especially as he will now need to declare that he had his insurance voided in the past on new applications.
I'm pretty sure that the "voiding" of a policy is when you try to make a claim, but they find out you deliberately lied about something when you entered into the agreement (such as modifications or you driving history.) They void the policy to say that it never truly existed in the first place.

The OP's son hasn't committed fraud.

HD Adam

5,155 posts

206 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
S70JPS said:
My son who is normally very sensible has after passing his test last Wednesday has set his black box off multiple times in 1 day had his insurance cancelled.
Top Lad



Never has the phrase "fk around & find out" been more appropriate.

Hopefully it's a learning experience for him.

S70JPS

Original Poster:

621 posts

242 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
The black box was activated on Saturday and the offences are inexcusable but harsh over Saturday night and Sunday. I'm not sucking this one up though.

HD Adam

5,155 posts

206 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
S70JPS said:
The black box was activated on Saturday and the offences are inexcusable but harsh over Saturday night and Sunday. I'm not sucking this one up though.
And nor should you.

Time for that "You're a grown up now" conversation and how his lifestyle choices will affect the rest of his life.

Been there, done that. Good Luck.

TheLurker

1,537 posts

218 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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Go on then... what were they?

I have to say I'm glad I learnt to drive before they became a thing.

ridds

8,365 posts

266 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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Why anyone fits those things is beyond me.

The savings never outweigh the punishments for even minor indiscretions. imho

georgeyboy12345

4,176 posts

57 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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Time to get an e-bike

Drawweight

3,457 posts

138 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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TheLurker said:
Go on then... what were they?

I have to say I'm glad I learnt to drive before they became a thing.
Would at least one be driving during outwith certain hours?

Some restrict you to daylight only.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

31,658 posts

257 months

Monday 18th September 2023
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ridds said:
Why anyone fits those things is beyond me.

The savings never outweigh the punishments for even minor indiscretions. imho
Because some parents might want to be alerted that their kids are acting up? Plus, I'd imagine (mostly) just having the box fitted makes for safer driving?

vaud

57,662 posts

177 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
S70JPS said:
The black box was activated on Saturday and the offences are inexcusable but harsh over Saturday night and Sunday. I'm not sucking this one up though.
What do the terms of the policy say?


WestyCarl

3,837 posts

147 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
ridds said:
Why anyone fits those things is beyond me.

The savings never outweigh the punishments for even minor indiscretions. imho
Because some parents might want to be alerted that their kids are acting up? Plus, I'd imagine (mostly) just having the box fitted makes for safer driving?
I know someone who told their daughter a black box was fitted, but wasn't actually, just to "encourage" safer driving.

TwigtheWonderkid

47,772 posts

172 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
ridds said:
Why anyone fits those things is beyond me.

The savings never outweigh the punishments for even minor indiscretions. imho
Because, despite what you say, most providers treat minor indiscretions in an appropriate way. And the KSI stats for young drivers with a black box policy show a 45% reduction, and lots of parents would actually pay extra to reduce the chances of their kids being involved in a KSI incident. But to achieve that and save money for the privilege is a win win.