Insurance- forgot to tell them about my points...

[Tissy]

DH wrote off my very old car a few weeks ago in a relatively minor accident (he wasn't hurt). All was going to plan- insurance co. took car away, engineer looked at it and told me we would get £2000- I was pleased, as we wouldn't have got that as a trade-in value on a new car.Had to send off all my documents; MOT, Registration document, Driving Licence etc. Now sitting here waiting for the cheque to arrive.

BUT I heard a piece on Radio5 this am about insurance fraud- apparently a lot of people lie when they take out insurance by saying that they keep the car in a garage, or whatever, and this makes the insurance invalid (fair enough). What I didn't realise is that I should have told them about my speeding fine, I got three points and a fixed penalty a few months ago (first time ever). Having read my renewal notice, it looks as if it may be a "material fact", which if I failed to tell them, would invalidate my insurance, so I could lose the money I'm expecting for my car.

I'm a bit loath to phone and tell them now, in case someone in the Norwich Union Office hasn't noticed!

Has anyone any knowledge/ experience of this? Can I wave byebye to £200?

£2000, not £200!

I would keep quiet . But then, I have no morals

The worst thing that could happen is that the insurance company discover it for themselves, at which point I'd play the 'but it only happened a few months ago' card. Is it on your driving license?

And who goes over their insurance document with a fine tooth comb, anyway? It's up to them to sort that out.

My son wrote off his brand new car, insured in my name with him to drive. The insurance company ( Norwich Union) sent an investigator to talk to us both and wanted to check our licences, I too, hadn't told them about my three points and for a very scarey moment thought that they weren't going to pay out. They took photocopies of our licences, but didn't comment on my points - Whew! You are right, it can technically invalid your insurance, and if the insurance company don't want to pay out, they could use it against you.

I think they wanted to establish who the main driver was as it is common for parents to insure a car for sons' in their names with son to drive because it is so expensive, but the son is then the main driver, if that is the case, it is technically incorrect. Fortunately ( or unfortunately) my son had only passed his test a month previously, so couldn't really be classed the main driver at the time. Now it's a different matter and I am dreading the increase in the insurance.

I did have to chase them for the cheque several times, which apparently is quite common with NU, but on the whole they were pretty good. Only problem, if they write off the car they don't give you a courtesy car to tide you over.

Hope you get it sorted.

thanks...I didn't have the points when my insurance was renewed, and probably would have told them next time it was renewed, but it just didn't occur to me that a fine for speeding would be relevant to them( although I accept that if I was in the habit of speeding that might make me more likely to have accidents). This is my one and only endorsement in 20 years of driving.

I'll keep quiet for now and give them a bit longer to cough up...

I woder what happens if they do invalidate my insurane, as the car has already gone to the scrapyard...do I get it back?

Tissy - like you I have points and did not realise I had to tell insurance company. Anyway, DH told them next time he was on phone and they said, no problem. Didn't put up cost or anything. I would say nowt if i were you

mears, did you get caught in the roadworks on the A77?

No, outside the papermill coming off a night shift.

Saw blue flashing lights and thought I'd better pull over and let police get to their emergency not realising it was be

You get asked about points/accidents etc when you ask for an insurance quote. If you didn't have the points when you took out the insurance then it doesn't invalidate it does it?

Must admit I'd keep quiet until the cheque was in my hand but made sure I said in future.