Insurance question with 12 Points and no DQ

[Pizzaman19]

Hi all. Before I begin I acknowledge my actions were my fault.

I had on my license an SP30 and SP50 Fixed Penalty £100.
Then I was caught doing 53 in a 30 (road had 3-4 lanes and I was confused about the speed limit but still acknowledge that I exceeded the speed limit.

I received a letter telling me that my offence was too serious to be dealt with by fixed penalty points and that I would need to attend court. I have never been in a situation like this before in my life and in all honesty I was horrified and terrified and embarrassed at the same time my stress levels were through the roof.

I attended court and gave my plea of exceptional hardship due to my elderly mother relying on me for support. My plea was upheld and I was not disqualified, however I was given six points SP30 which brought me up to 12 points and no disqualification.

My insurance is now due for renewal and I am duty bound to inform my insurer about the points and I am very afraid that they may not offer me insurance after this and it crossed my mind and some an anxious way that they may cancel my policy if they don’t ensure drivers with 12 points.

Firstly, I have no interest in being dishonest or misleading my insurer but I am considering the option of allowing my policy to lapse without disclosing and trying to find another policy and fully disclose.

I would rather be able to tell my insurer, but I do not want to risk having a policy cancelled for any reason at all.

I repeat I do not and will not do anything illegal or fraudulent hence I am asking advice.

Thanks

[Monkeylegend]

Might be worthwhile putting your details in here and if you get a reasonable quote let your current policy lapse or cancel it yourself.

https://thecomparisonexpert.com/Insurance/Convicte...

[littleredrooster]

You do not have to inform your existing insurer until renewal time, and at that point they may decide not to offer you a renewal. This is not a cancellation of policy, just get onto the usual comparison sites and find another insurer who will accept your points.

Edit to add: My insurance was due in March, my existing insurer decided that they no longer wanted to insure BEV or hybrid cars so I had to find another insurer; this was not a cancellation of policy.

Edited by littleredrooster on Saturday 5th April 21:57

[martinbiz]

Monkeylegend said:

Might be worthwhile putting your details in here and if you get a reasonable quote let your current policy lapse or cancel it yourself.

https://thecomparisonexpert.com/Insurance/Convicte...

One the most misleading and badly written pieces of information that all ins CO’s are guilty of. OP your ins refusing to renew your policy because you have now accumulated 12 points is NOT cancelling it

[s p a c e m a n]

You don't have to tell them until renewal time.

My wife once managed to get 12 points and do both a speed and red light course so I tell people that technically she 18 old school points

Her insurance only went up by a couple hundred quid, I was expecting it to treble.

[Pizzaman19]

Thank you for sort of setting my mind at ease with respect to them cancelling my insurance. I was worried that they would cancel it because of 2 reasons.

1) I hadn’t told them at the time I got the points
2) because they may not insure anyone with 12 points.

I hasten to add that my vehicle is a modified VW transporter. It has an elevating roof some custom paint work a stainless steel exhaust a rearview camera and 20 inch alloy wheels all of which are declared. My current insurer is specialist one for modified vehicles. That might make it harder for me to find cover if they refuse to renew my insurance with 12 points.

Not finding insurance would be devastating as we just bought a new family home and are renovating it ourselves. Just imagine not being able to go to the tip or to buy materials. I do hope I manage to get insurance renewed with the same company.

Any recommendations for alternative companies welcomed

Thanks again

[Gt6turbo]

littleredrooster said:

You do not have to inform your existing insurer until renewal time, and at that point they may decide not to offer you a renewal. This is not a cancellation of policy, just get onto the usual comparison sites and find another insurer who will accept your points.

Edit to add: My insurance was due in March, my existing insurer decided that they no longer wanted to insure BEV or hybrid cars so I had to find another insurer; this was not a cancellation of policy.

Edited by littleredrooster on Saturday 5th April 21:57

That is not correct. It depends on the contract with your insurance company some do require you to tell them at any time you get points.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Gt6turbo said:

littleredrooster said:

You do not have to inform your existing insurer until renewal time, and at that point they may decide not to offer you a renewal. This is not a cancellation of policy, just get onto the usual comparison sites and find another insurer who will accept your points.

Edit to add: My insurance was due in March, my existing insurer decided that they no longer wanted to insure BEV or hybrid cars so I had to find another insurer; this was not a cancellation of policy.

Edited by littleredrooster on Saturday 5th April 21:57

That is not correct. It depends on the contract with your insurance company some do require you to tell them at any time you get points.

They can ask, but they cannot demand. Regulations that govern insurance do not require convictions obtained mid term to be disclosed until renewal.

[Gt6turbo]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

They can ask, but they cannot demand. Regulations that govern insurance do not require convictions obtained mid term to be disclosed until renewal.

It is a contract. If in the contract it explicitly states , then the op has to. Advising the op he doesn't without knowing the contract is poor advice. OP needs to check the exact wording on his contract.

You cannot offer advice without knowing the exact terms stated.

[Pizzaman19]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Gt6turbo said:

littleredrooster said:

You do not have to inform your existing insurer until renewal time, and at that point they may decide not to offer you a renewal. This is not a cancellation of policy, just get onto the usual comparison sites and find another insurer who will accept your points.

Edit to add: My insurance was due in March, my existing insurer decided that they no longer wanted to insure BEV or hybrid cars so I had to find another insurer; this was not a cancellation of policy.

Edited by littleredrooster on Saturday 5th April 21:57

That is not correct. It depends on the contract with your insurance company some do require you to tell them at any time you get points.

They can ask, but they cannot demand. Regulations that govern insurance do not require convictions obtained mid term to be disclosed until renewal.

I read the small print and it says - your obligations

At the start of the policy you must give complete and accurate answers to any questions we may ask you.
 You must let us know if your circumstances change either before your policy starts or during the period of insurance.

To me the key works is “either”

So my understanding is before renewal is acceptable

Edited by Pizzaman19 on Saturday 5th April 22:49

[Gt6turbo]

A company cannot have unfair terms in a consumer contract, so it could be in the contract but actually is unfair to the consumer.

The issue is offering advice without knowing the contract. The truth is you inform the insurance company they will most likely cancel it anyway.

Best advice is, op check exact wording on the contract and then speak with qualified legal advisors.

[Pizzaman19]

Gt6turbo said:

A company cannot have unfair terms in a consumer contract, so it could be in the contract but actually is unfair to the consumer.

The issue is offering advice without knowing the contract. The truth is you inform the insurance company they will most likely cancel it anyway.

Best advice is, op check exact wording on the contract and then speak with qualified legal advisors.

Exact wording -

-At the start of the policy you must give complete and accurate answers to any questions we may ask you.
- You must let us know if your circumstances change either before your policy starts or during the period of insurance.

It does not say immediately. It says “either”

Surely they would say immediately if that was what was required?

[Oceanrower]

Gt6turbo said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

They can ask, but they cannot demand. Regulations that govern insurance do not require convictions obtained mid term to be disclosed until renewal.

It is a contract. If in the contract it explicitly states , then the op has to. Advising the op he doesn't without knowing the contract is poor advice. OP needs to check the exact wording on his contract.

You cannot offer advice without knowing the exact terms stated.

Just my advice. I really wouldn’t try to argue with Twig about insurance stuff.

It’s kind of his specialty…

[Pizzaman19]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

They can ask, but they cannot demand. Regulations that govern insurance do not require convictions obtained mid term to be disclosed until renewal.

Just to be sure here are the wording from the section titled “your obligations” this extract being the relevant one

You must let us know if your circumstances change either before your policy starts or during the period of insurance.


Clarity would be ideal as I want to be legal but don’t want my policy cancelled if I can legally avoid it

Thanks

Edited by Pizzaman19 on Saturday 5th April 23:13

Edited by Pizzaman19 on Sunday 6th April 16:09

[Sebring440]

Pizzaman19 said:

Insurance question with 12 Points and no DQ

What's a "DQ"?

Pizzaman19 said:

- You must let us know if your circumstances change either before your policy starts or during the period of insurance.

"During the period of insurance". Has the change occurred "During the period of insurance"?

Pizzaman19 said:

Not finding insurance would be devastating as we just bought a new family home and are renovating it ourselves. Just imagine not being able to go to the tip or to buy materials.

With all these points on your licence, and in light of the above, you've been caught speeding again?

[Pizzaman19]

Oh no. I just read the last attachment from the 6 or so they sent last year and now I really need good advice

Here it says “as soon as possible”

CONTRACT OF MOTOR INSURANCE CONTINUED
Changes to your details
You must tell your insurance adviser as soon as possible if any of the details on
your proposal form or statement of fact change including:

Details of any motoring convictions, fixed penalty offences or licence
endorsements for any person who may drive the car.

If your change of circumstances means that we can no longer provide cover, we or
our authorised agent will give you notice of cancellation, see Cancelling your Policy
(Outside the Cooling-off Cancellation Right).
If you do not tell your insurance adviser of a change we will be entitled to do one
or both of the following:
- reject or reduce payment of your claim.
- cancel the policy and/or treat it as though it never existed.

I can’t believe this was not more obvious.

This now sounds like if I try to renew and advise them of the driving conviction that they will cancel if they can no longer provide cover.

Now I’m seriously panicking. I had no intention of not disclosing I just thought it would be ok to do it before renewal.

What can I do ? I do not want the policy cancelled and I genuinely believe that I could inform them at renewal.

Edited by Pizzaman19 on Saturday 5th April 23:52

[E-bmw]

Pizzaman19 said:

I read the small print and it says - your obligations

At the start of the policy you must give complete and accurate answers to any questions we may ask you.
? You must let us know if your circumstances change either before your policy starts or during the period of insurance.

To me the key works is “either”

So my understanding is before renewal is acceptable

No, sorry to say this but you are completely incorrect, you don't get to chose which one to comply with, you have to comply with both.

So, for instance:

If you took out the policy for 1 months time to coincide with the finish of your previous policy, and in that month something changes you would need to inform them.

If something changes during your policy period you would also need to tell them.

So.

If you don't want to fall foul of their terms and possibly be cancelled you basically need to get on the meerkats etc, find a policy that works going forward & cancel your current policy.

[E-bmw]

Sebring440 said:

Pizzaman19 said:

Insurance question with 12 Points and no DQ

What's a "DQ"?

Dis
Qualification.

[cossy400]

OP get looking for a new policy elsewhere there must be another insurer that will cover your van?

Re-insure and cancel yourself sooner rather than later.

Hard knocks but sell the van and insure something else.

Tough choices have to be made im afraid.

Sorn the van and cancel your policy.

[TonyF1]

You should probably have disclosed based on your policy wording but that’s water under the bridge.

Not sure why you are panicking though as wouldn’t you go through comparison website and go with whoever was cheapest. You can still do that but maybe avoid your current insurer should they be cheapest?

Hopefully lesson learnt and be more observant in the future as you’ve managed to wrack up a lot of points. If you can’t then knock off the speed.