Car insurance question

pratty

Hi all,

I'm going into my second year of driving, and I recently got a car insurance renewal notice saying my annual premium would be going up from £996 to £1675! I'm a 38 year old male.

Last year I snagged my car on my gate post pulled the front bumber off. I told my insurer at the time and they wanted to write the car off leaving me with basically nothing since they valued it so low, so I payed to repair it myself, and didn't make a claim. So I expect the price hike was a lot to do with that.

I have cancelled the renewal and I'm currently seaching comaprision sites now for a new insurer. I'm getting much better quotes lower than my first year premium price, however that is without stating I have been in an "accident".

I wish to do things by the book but I am confused as to whether I have to mention the incident with my gate post or not. My initial assumption is that I do however the way it is worded by the comparison site doesn't differentiate my incident to an accident involving damage to any third party, so i feel like I'd be admitting to something much worse.

It also asks me to save my answer to that question specifically, so I'm cautious to do so to see how much difference it will make to my premium, incase I make some permanent declaration I can't take back if I didn't need to mention it.

Like I say I want to be honest and do things properly but I don't want to unnecessarily screw myself over.

Any advice would be very much appreciated, thanks.

John7

As far as I know, if you didn't make a claim against your insurance and there is no third party involved (who could claim against you) you have nothing to mention to any other insurer.

You will find that "most" insurers take the pee at renewal time and it is pretty much mandatory to search the market for the best deal. You'd be mad not to!

I've been driving for over 40 years and I ALWAYS check the market when renewal comes around. There is no "loyalty" benefit with motor insurers.

IronGiant

Not legal or official advice but my thinking is that if you remove your bumper on your own property in order to repaint it that isn't an accident.  Unfortunately that avenue is probably blocked now as you told your last insurer about it.  I would tell any new insurer about the damage that you fixed yourself, but don't flag it as an accident.

un1eash

Quote from go compare, "In the last five years, have you had or caused any accidents, claims or damage involving any motor vehicle (including cars, motorbikes and/or vans), even if no claim was made and regardless of blame?"

So yes to me you should declare the accident as your current insurer is aware of it. If you hadn't told them then 100% I wouldn't declare it.

pratty

Thanks John. I feel yours is the common sense answer, but is it the legal one?

In my research online I came across a similar question to mine on a forum, where the discussion became a debate over the difference between an "incident", and an "accident" which supposedly requires damage to a third party to be defined as such in this context.

The comparison site doesn't help by seemingly using the terms as interchangable, asking:

"Have you had any driving incidents or made any insurance claims in the last 5 years?"

With the best matching answer to my situation being, "Accident. At Fault."

John7

Wow! That is a shocker. The mere fact that you sought advice from your insurer and didn't proceed to a claim knackers your insurance premiums for the next 5 years. What a bunch of robbing gits!

John7

The way I would play this is to get the quotes without mentioning the damage. Then select your preferred  insurer and contact them by phone and discuss with them. Let them know that you damaged your car on private property, no one else was involved and no insurance claim was made. See what they say and take it from there.

pratty

Apparently from what I've read, people who mention an incident, however minor are more likely to make a claim  in future, probably just because they've already dipped their toe into the process and would be less reluctant to do so again. Same goes for people who weren't even to blame, at this point it seems to be simply the willingness to contact them after an incident, however minor.

pratty

Yeah that might be the best course of action, thanks again.

ChuckMountain

So somebody pranks and damages your car door with another door in a car park. Happens quite often I would imagine, so technically you should tell your insurers, because you know they need to load your insurance a bit more as you parked next to some Muppet and are a higher risk.....

The fact that you have told your insurers you need to inform the next one, otherwise you risk them sharing data which they do.  If they then accuse you of lying, they could cancel your insurance which is far more serious.  This could lead to refusal to insure you.

Have you added anybody on to your policy like parents that may occasionally drive the car, this may lower the price.