put Independent Means down.
This doesn't seem to be offered by all insurers.
put Independent Means down.
I didn't know that. This should be compulsory for all vehicles.
This doesn't seem to be offered by all insurers.
Similarly with mileage. They ask you estimate your mileage, but a year later then can say that you were way out and then you end up going to jail for fraud. Even if you overestimate "to be safe", you are still lying in their eyes.
Why?
Really ??
Having retired 10 years ago the mileage covered each year has slowly reduced until last year when I did less than 3000 miles. I had reduced my insured mileage in steps from 12k down to 5k each time getting a lower premium. This year I had a car change and found out that the current sweet spot is around 5000 miles. Any less than that and some insurers want a slightly higher premium, - maybe the stats indicate that drivers who do very low mileages are not getting enough driving experience to maintain traffic awareness.My current policy, based on an annual mileage of 5000, is considerably cheaper.
Going off-topic for a moment, I wish VED was mileage based.
Have you seen any evidence that it isn't permitted?... I haven't seen any written evidence to show that overestimating is permitted.
I haven't seen any written evidence to show that overestimating is permitted.
Humans are complicated things, which is why it's a contract of good faith and doesn't explicitly state everything. Courts would, in the event of a fraud case, take that into account. Like most offences, it requires an element of intent, it's not absolute like e.g. a Railway Byelaw offence of travelling without a valid ticket.
If you take out a policy and answer the questions honestly and to the best of your ability, and if one genuinely doesn't fit you at all you give them a ring and clarify it, you are not going to end up in Court, and if by any unlikely turn of events you did you would not be convicted. Laws against insurance fraud are there for big things, like taking out a building policy then setting fire to it, or taking out a life insurance policy on someone and then arranging for them to be shot.
Absolute worst case would be a cancelled policy. But that too hardly ever happens unless you're dishonest or don't read it properly.
It is stupid for insurance to work that way as there is unnecessary ambiguity. A better system would be to tell them the mileage every so often so they can adjust your premium up or down as necessary. The current system just criminalises people. Then this creates unnecessary work for the Ombudsmen when there is a dispute.
And how many people stick with their same insurance companies year after year? I don't know about anyone else but I have never been asked for my actual mileage at the beginning and end of the term - just the estimated annual mileage.
Until you make a claim or someone makes a claim against you. Then they might check that all the details you provided were correct.
That's where good faith comes in. If you estimate a low mileage at renewal as you're not working, working at home or get public transport to work but later start driving to a job 50 miles away every day you need to tell your insurer and pay any additional premium they decide to charge.
I don't think there is any doubting that. The big question is whether overestimated mileage needs to be reported.
Well said.
And how many people stick with their same insurance companies year after year? I don't know about anyone else but I have never been asked for my actual mileage at the beginning and end of the term - just the estimated annual mileage.
And that is just it - an estimate
Car insurance quotes give you options of homemaker and unemployed for your occupation. It is recommended by various websites to avoid using "unemployed" because it substantially increases your premium, but under what circumstances are you obliged to state "unemployed"?
You're not overestimating the mileage, you're asking for insurance cover for up to around X thousand miles, based on a reasonable good faith assessment of your need. As others have stated, you can get more insurance later if you need it, and in theory you could notify them if your need reduces, but it's unlikely to result in a refundYou can see the mileage on the last few MOTs by going online. Although that doesn't help you with a new car.
But what I mean is, where is it written down that you are allowed to overestimate your mileage?
I would imagine that this year, because of lockdown, a very substantial number of people have driven less than their estimated mileage.
There was a big thing about people getting refunds for reducing it. Personally I'm looking like going higher as I've been driving instead of going by train.
I would imagine that this year, because of lockdown, a very substantial number of people have driven less than their estimated mileage.
Unless the odometer is broken, which is not checked at the MOT test.Mileage is also made available publicly when you look up a vehicle’s MoT report on the gov.uk website.
That was me. I just said I was retired, at about 50.So if you are living by yourself and have plenty of savings so you don't need to work for the foreseeable future you have to be "unemployed"? That can't be right. Arguably, putting "unemployed" would be fraud as you are not claiming benefits or looking for work.
Direct line now offer money back if you drive less miles than you estimateBecause it sounds like a fairer system.
I haven't seen any written evidence to show that overestimating is permitted.
Which only applies to cars over three years old. If you buy new and change your car every three years you will never have any MOT history.Mileage is also made available publicly when you look up a vehicle’s MoT report on the gov.uk website.
\If you haven't done this put an older driver on your policy as a second driver, I saved £150 for my lodger by letting him put my name on the policy, I have only ever driven his car once and that was only to find a parking place.They say refund.. It was a blanket £25 from my insurer, which at an £800 something premium (under 25, first policy in my name, etc) was barely worth bothering with, especially as I came in about 2000 miles under my expected 5000 for the year! Better than nothing I suppose, but still
\If you haven't done this put an older driver on your policy as a second driver, I saved £150 for my lodger by letting him put my name on the policy, I have only ever driven his car once and that was only to find a parking place.
\If you haven't done this put an older driver on your policy as a second driver, I saved £150 for my lodger by letting him put my name on the policy, I have only ever driven his car once and that was only to find a parking place.