Before I totally nut off at the Insurance Co..

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

As you know the insurance co. have had my claim for over a month. They wrote my bike off on 18 September 2006. They requested my traffic infringement record - to ensure I was not a disqualified driver/rider (yeah right). To their horror my traffic offences read as follows:
Jul 01 35 demerit points
Jun 02 35 dp
Oct 02 20 dp
Oct 03 20 dp
May 05 35 dp

At the beginning of the week I asked for a copy of my policy - to date not received - requested another copy.

I have been with the insurance company since 2001. All premiums paid on time etc.

The claim is now with the underwriters!! I asked why - because of my speeding tickets.

I have never ever been informed that I have to notifiy them of infringements, or advised that that is in my policy.

I was also advised that I had helmet cover then 3 weeks later was told I didn't!

Not all the infringements are on a motorbike - I owned a car as well. They obviously are not aware of this fact YET. It doesnt state on the form from Land Transport whether it is car or bike that the infringement refers to.

I have never ever claimed on insurance before or had an accident.

I am trying very hard to remain calm but do not trust myself yet to write a diplomatic reply.

Any advice on this matter or how I be polite would be appreciated.
Also I obviously should have my premiums on hold cos I no longer have a bike so should not be paying for insurance. Premiums are paid 2 months in advance!!

I have been without wheels for 6-7 weeks now and I am seriously unimpressed.

[Finn]

Easy tiger. Your claim moving through the Underwriters in normal practice. Try to be calm when dealing with them. All insurance company processes suck big time. They are very manual and prone to problems. Keep putting pressure on them though.

Good luck.

[Drum]

Do you have to tell the insurance company every time you get a traffic infringement??

[Sniper]

You are lucky you have even got them. Someone reversed into MissSnipers bike and fucked it up and Im still waiting for them to contact us. Its been 3 weeks.

[James Deuce]

Do you have to tell the insurance company every time you get a traffic infringement??

Check your policy. Not the same for every insurance company, but there are certainly some who demand to know.

[Motig]

As I understand it when you insure its for the whole year so even if you write the vehicle off a day after insuring it and your paying by instalments you still have to pay the premiums for the whole year.Sorry.

[Swoop]

Quoting from my policy renewal,


Notice of disclosure:
You must advise us of any changes or further information relevant to the renewal of this insurance.
Important facts include traffic offences, including fines. If you do not provide us with correct information, or with information of a kind that could reasonably affect our decision whether to continue to insure you and your motorcycle, then you may lose your cover.

Love and kisses,
Arsehole Association.

[pyrocam]

I did claims handling for 2 years and had a recent claim myself.
its common to advise your insurance company ON RENEWAL or at the time of a claim (because it asks you on your claim form)

You ussually dont need to advise them as you get them (in fact ive never heard of it)

dont worry about your claim going to the underwriters, if your really worried ask if you can go in and speak to them, I did with my claim and they have been REALLY good to me.

curiously what is your insurance company?

[Beemer]

Do you have to tell the insurance company every time you get a traffic infringement??


I think you'll find that ALL insurance companies have fine print that states you must advise them - usually at the time of renewal - of anything that could affect your insurance - that covers modifications to your vehicle as well as any vehicle-related offences - such as speeding tickets, dangerous driving or drink driving charges, etc. It makes not one bit of difference if you racked up the demerits in a car, on a bike, driving a truck or a bus - they are ALL traffic offences. It's not like it makes a difference if you shoplift from the Warehouse or from Kirkcaldies, does it? This disclosure is required because if you are a driver with a clean record, the amount they charge you in premiums and the amount of excess you pay is going to be different from what they would charge someone with several driving convictions. It's the same for house or contents insurance - someone who lives in a brick house gets charged less than someone who lives in a wooden house - because the fire risk is lower.

If you have collected that many demerits in five years and not told them, they could - but probably won't - refuse to cover you. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they make you pay a higher excess and perhaps refuse to cover you in future though.

[jetboy]

I think you'll find that ALL insurance companies have fine print that states you must advise them - usually at the time of renewal - of anything that could affect your insurance - that covers modifications to your vehicle as well as any vehicle-related offences - such as speeding tickets, dangerous driving or drink driving charges, etc. It makes not one bit of difference if you racked up the demerits in a car, on a bike, driving a truck or a bus - they are ALL traffic offences. It's not like it makes a difference if you shoplift from the Warehouse or from Kirkcaldies, does it? This disclosure is required because if you are a driver with a clean record, the amount they charge you in premiums and the amount of excess you pay is going to be different from what they would charge someone with several driving convictions. It's the same for house or contents insurance - someone who lives in a brick house gets charged less than someone who lives in a wooden house - because the fire risk is greater.

If you have collected that many demerits in five years and not told them, they could - but probably won't - refuse to cover you. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they make you pay a higher excess and perhaps refuse to cover you in future though.


When you complete the proposal form for any insurance policy there are usually disclosure questions you must answer, generally about your claims, infringement and criminal history. These must be answered correctly to the best of your knowledge (or that you could reasonably be expected to know) otherwise the insurer has grounds to void any claim or even cancel the policy outright.

Please bear in mind that this is not to judge you, it is simply so the insurer can correctly asses the "risk" it is insuring.

So to answer the question - you should disclose ANYTHING that would affect a prudent insurer's decision to insure you or not. This includes (but is not limited to) all criminal convictions and traffic offences (incl tickets), even right down to your insurance history (whether or not you have had a policy cancelled, refused renewal, special conditions imposed).

Remember, it is better to disclose everything then to have a claim declined.

[jetboy]

As you know the insurance co. have had my claim for over a month. They wrote my bike off on 18 September 2006. They requested my traffic infringement record - to ensure I was not a disqualified driver/rider (yeah right). To their horror my traffic offences read as follows:
Jul 01 35 demerit points
Jun 02 35 dp
Oct 02 20 dp
Oct 03 20 dp
May 05 35 dp

At the beginning of the week I asked for a copy of my policy - to date not received - requested another copy.

I have been with the insurance company since 2001. All premiums paid on time etc.

The claim is now with the underwriters!! I asked why - because of my speeding tickets.

I have never ever been informed that I have to notifiy them of infringements, or advised that that is in my policy.

I was also advised that I had helmet cover then 3 weeks later was told I didn't!

Not all the infringements are on a motorbike - I owned a car as well. They obviously are not aware of this fact YET. It doesnt state on the form from Land Transport whether it is car or bike that the infringement refers to.

I have never ever claimed on insurance before or had an accident.

I am trying very hard to remain calm but do not trust myself yet to write a diplomatic reply.

Any advice on this matter or how I be polite would be appreciated.
Also I obviously should have my premiums on hold cos I no longer have a bike so should not be paying for insurance. Premiums are paid 2 months in advance!!

I have been without wheels for 6-7 weeks now and I am seriously unimpressed.


You should still be paying your premiums if the claim is a "total loss" because even if the bike is a write off, the insurer upheld their end of the insurance contract by paying you (assuming they pay out on the claim), so you need to uphold your end (by paying your premium).

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Because they haven't paid out on my bike yet - can I go and get the bike? - they are fart-arsing around and legally it is still my bike.

[jetboy]

You would need to confirm this with your insurer as it depends what clauses they have in their policy wording. If the claim was not a total loss then yes, you should be able to cancel the claim but with a write off it gets a bit more difficult.

[slimjim]

Because they haven't paid out on my bike yet - can I go and get the bike? - they are fart-arsing around and legally it is still my bike.

hey if you getting too stressed out, ask your lawyer to deal with the company, and also request that it shall have his fee's paided as well, let your lawyer deal with it, sometimes they seem to work wonder's,

[KLOWN]

As you know the insurance co. have had my claim for over a month. They wrote my bike off on 18 September 2006. They requested my traffic infringement record - to ensure I was not a disqualified driver/rider (yeah right). To their horror my traffic offences read as follows:
Jul 01 35 demerit points
Jun 02 35 dp
Oct 02 20 dp
Oct 03 20 dp
May 05 35 dp



how have you not lost your license? at my count thats over 100 demerit

[Sniper]

how have you not lost your license? at my count thats over 100 demerit

demerits expire after 2 years from the date obtained

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Not all of those were on a bike - some were in my car, the insurance company were relieved to hear that when I emailed them this morning!

[Sniper]

Not all of those were on a bike - some were in my car, the insurance company were relieved to hear that when I emailed them this morning!

As bad as it sounds, unfortunatly that doesnt matter. If you go over 100 demerits in 2 years on a bike or in a car, you lose your license for both straight away. Do not pass go, do not collect $200

[slimjim]

how have you not lost your license? at my count thats over 100 demerit
,
na only lose it if stopped by cops, given a ticket, and total i think must be all add up in two year's,

[JeremyW]

I feel your pain. I had a call from insurance to say they were reviewing whether they would cover me even though they have approved repairs.

So know I am probably gonna have to fork out for repairs they approved! Bloody pack of bastards.

I think I will wait a while before I call again.

[Beemer]

,
na only lose it if stopped by cops, given a ticket, and total i think must be all add up in two year's,

Yes, but seeing as you don't get demerit points for speed camera offences, these are ALL cop-issued tickets by the look of it. They expire in two years from the date of issue, but not disclosing these to an insurance company is asking for trouble.

I remember working for an insurance company years ago that had an agency in a small town. Completed proposals were sent to the main office and processed every week on a certain day and at that point the excess was arrived at. There was a case where a young guy got insurance the week before at the agency then wrote off his car, killing his girlfriend in the process, that weekend. We had to assess the risk, using the information he had provided, and without taking into account the fact he was now a driver we may not have insured if the accident had happened prior to him completing the insurance form.

It's the same as how you have to tell your insurance company if you have a burglary, even if you don't put in a claim. If you live in a high-risk area they could put extra on your premiums and excess. If you don't tell them your house has been broken into six times and then put in a claim when the burglars actually take something of value the seventh time, you may find you have no cover.

All driving offences are relevant, even if they are minor speeding offences, because it shows a willingness to act in a manner that is not conducive to safe or prudent road use.