Car insurance is a legal requirement that the vast majority of people know and respect. There are however a few areas which can cause you to unwillingly invalidate your insurance. Whether its a simple white lie to reduce your premium, exaggeration on the truths or simply forgetting to carry out maintenance. In this blog we take a look at the simple ways in which your insurance can become invalid unknowingly.
If you have ever been in an accident involving an uninsured driver you will understand just how frustrating it can be to lose your no claims and go through the process. Likewise if you ever have an accident and suddenly find yourself uninsured can also be just as distressing and cause considerable problems.
Here's a quick look at some of the top common causes for insurance to be invalid
For many insurance companies it is an essential requirement to ensure the car is in good roadworthy condition. If you notice a bulb is out, or there's a noise from a wheel you could be invalidating your insurance by not getting it checked and repaired asap. It has been known for an insurance company to use an advisory note from an MOT as evidence that a driver knew of a problem and failed to get it checked or repaired.
If you leave your car unlocked whilst you run into a newsagent, drop some post into the letterbox or whilst it's on your drive then technically your vehicle will be uninsured. In order for most policies to stay live they require the vehicle to be secured at all times, even whilst on private property. Locking your car is a good habit to get into.
Your personal details on the insurance policy need to be kept correct, this includes the name, address and occupation of the policy holder and any named drivers. If the insurance company find any of these details to be incorrect then they are likely to cancel the policy and leave you uninsured. It's always worth checking the policy documents when you start, or upon renewal to ensure the data they hold against you is correct and factual.It's also worth noting that any sub information such as the drivers occupation, location of vehicle overnight etc should also remain correct. If the insurance company find out that you don't actually keep your vehicle on the driveway overnight, or you are in fact an engineer and not a fitter then this can cause your insurance to be invalidated and cancelled.
If you are involved in an accident that requires insurance cover and you are wearing what is deemed to be inappropriate footwear then there's high chance they won't pay out. Some examples of bad footwear could potentially be flip flops, high heels or large platforms. Instead you should drive with a solid, comfortable flat soled shoe, if your prone to wearing fancy footwear, then keep a pair of comfortable driving shoes in the car.
Any pets in transit should be secured and under control at all times, having your dog or cat roaming loose around the vehicle is not only a distraction but its dangerous for both yourself and the pet and likely to get your insurance invalidated. There are a range of solutions from pet seat belts to cages, holders and straps to keep your pet safe and secure.
It is a legal requirement to disclose any driving related points, fines and convictions to your insurance company. Failure to do so will get your insurance cancelled and cause you even more issues in obtaining insurance in the future. Remember that non driving convictions don't have to be disclosed unless asked for, BUT if you don't disclose when asked will also cause the insurance to cancelled.
