Car Insurance and convictions

Pov06

Hello,

I wanted to ask you a question regarding car insurance.

I was caught drink driving in May 2008. Most insurance companies ask if I have been convicted in the last 5 years.

Do I count the last 5 years from the day I was pulled over or from the date my ban ended, or from the date the ban started?

Thanks in advance.

Henry Ford III

Beginning of your conviction I'd imagine.

meathstevie

To leave the company no leeway to cancel your insurance you should tell them when you were convicted, for what and what the penalty was. In that way you leave no information undisclosed and there can be no issues afterwards. If you don't make a full disclosure you can face all sorts of troube from being accused of fraud to having your insurance cancelled.

Yakuza

I'd agree with the above post, you should always disclose stuff they would deem relevant. As soon as the Spent Convictions Bill (2012) becomes law (don't hold your breath), then any convictions (for minor offenses) over a certain number of years old (depending on the conviction) will be extinguished and you won't have to disclose them from that point on.

Wheres My ForkandKnife

As they ask if you have any accidents,claims or convictions in the last five years I would also assume it would be from the date of conviction but this is only a guess. I can see your predicament, you want to be honest but you dont want to be screwed either.

Your best bet would be to contact a broker as they are middlemen who will know if it needs to be declared or not.The will also know which companies to approach as not all insurance companies ask if it is the last five years, some are ten years and some are forever.

ABajaninCork

Doesn't a DD conviction impact the insurance for 11 years?

The conviction might be spent, but it still impacts the insurance AFAIK.

Wheres My ForkandKnife

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Doesn't a DD conviction impact the insurance for 11 years?

The conviction might be spent, but it still impacts the insurance AFAIK.

Why?Genuine question btw.

I think you are pulling the 11 year figure out of the air.

If you are convicted if is up to each individual insurance company how long they want to penalise you for.I think the minimun is 5 yrs but some companies will never quote you even if the conviction was 30 yrs ago

ABajaninCork

No, the 11 year figure isn't out of the air. I don't know what the law is here (which is what I should've said in my OP), but in the UK, it DOES impact the insurance. You have to declare the conviction whether it is spent or not.

I assume it's the same here?

Wheres My ForkandKnife

ABajaninCork wrote: »

No, the 11 year figure isn't out of the air. I don't know what the law is here (which is what I should've said in my OP), but in the UK, it DOES impact the insurance. You have to declare the conviction whether it is spent or not.

I assume it's the same here?

I think its different here.If you are convicted and get your licence back that it the end of the matter legally.

You then have the problem of getting insurance afterwards which will not be pretty no matter what the rules.

Each insurance company has different rules on how long they will continue to load you.As I said some companies will never insure you again.I am open to correction on this but that is my understanding of it.

I'm sure there was a very similar thread here on this only recently.

oldyouth

Are you sure about 'most companies ask about convictions in the last 5 years'. In my experience, Insurers ask about accidents in the last 5 years, but don't set a limit on convictions. In that case, you must disclose them as far back as they occurred.

And yes, Insurers do use old convictions in their decision making, spent or not.

Wheres My ForkandKnife

I can think of two companies who ask if you have has any accidents, claims or convictions in the last five years.Equally I know one who asks if you have ever had any convictions and this company will never insure someone with a DD conviction. It depens on the company.

However I am not an expert on this and if I were the OP I would approach a broker and find out for certain.