Wibblywobbly Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 Baz is absolutely correct, in the event of a claim the insurance company may ask for evidence of departure and return. Eg Ferry Tickets. They may also check with the ferry company to check that you were on board. This is fraud and not only may they not pay out, they may take legal action.People seem to think that there is some wacky world of insurance whereby as long as you get a piece of paper saying 'I am insured' then all is well. It's not. If the piece of paper was obtained by giving false information then the contract is null and void. It really is that simple. Every time you ring your insurance company they will ask you 'Have there been any other changes that may affect your policy'. This means 'any' other changes that 'may' affect your policy, not just the bits of information that the customer decides 'might' affect the policy, or the bits of information that won't affect the premium.The bottom line is that underwriters assess risk on the basis of a myriad of data. There are some very complex algorithms that are used to calculate premiums, some of which would appear obvious, others are not. Any information that is provided affects the risk, but not all information affects the premium. All factors are taken into account, and it is not unusual for a change on one policy to affect the premium, whilst the same change on another would not.By providing misleading information the underwriters are not able to assess the applicable risk, and the incorrect premium is calculated.I can also assure you that if you are on the phone providing information then every call is recorded and instantly accessible. If there is someone in the background prompting the caller with responses to questions, and those prompts can be heard, then they are also recorded. This often happens when a parent is insuring their childs car in their name (regardless of whose name the vehicle is insured in), and the parent doesn't know all of the details regarding what should be their own car. Not only will the advisor seek to obtain honest answers, they will also note their suspicions on the system. Over time the calls and the notes build up a picture, and the insurers will without warning either cancel the policy or refuse to renew it. An insurer does not need to justify why they have cancelled a policy, they can do so at any time without stating why. This is done more often than most people realise.Insurance companies do not operate in isolation, they are linked, and in the event of suspected fraud they work together to unravel the truth. There are many tools at their disposal, and they use them. The perpetrator(s) of the fraud do not realise this until they attempt to claim.Take my advice, be 100% honest, and if you are in any doubt about anything at all then ring your insurance company and establish what you are insured for. Why avoid paying £100 for something when the repercussions of not being insured could land you with a court case and personal liability of several million pounds due to a fatal road traffic accident. Insurance is cheap when you consider the alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Well that's me told off then.....What i am against is having to pay more for my yearly fully comprehensive cover to be valid on the Continent. You boys in the know....why would that be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote user="ericd"]What i am against is having to pay more for my yearly fully comprehensive cover to be valid on the Continent. You boys in the know....why would that be?[/quote]If you don't want to pay "extra" for your fully comprehensive cover to extend to the Continent, then I'm afraid the only answer is to buy at the outset a policy that includes the Continental comprehensive cover extension for the number of days that you need per year, rather than one that requires an additional payment. You have to shop around, but these policies do exist. In my case I still have to inform my broker when I am going abroad and to which countries.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I wanted to know why extending the cover to the Continent would call for additional premium? Fast buck for the Insurance people?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Increase in risk and exposure, cost of repatriating vehicle etc etc.But you can be sure that that represents a few pence of the administration charge, the rest these days is indeed fast bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Brit drivers coming off the ferry straight into traffic driving on the other side of the road......Unfamilar continental road layouts and strange road signage....Priorité a droite.....[:-))]And that's before they get onto the autobahns where they think there's no limit to how fast they can drive.......Cheap sangria, German beer in litre jugs, balmy evenings swigging Merlot at the local restaurant then piling their cars into the nearest tree.And of course, as everyone in the world knows, French drivers sitting on their rear bumper just waiting to crash into the back of them.....[;-)]Given the above, it's a wonder there are any UK insurers who don't charge an extra premium for continental cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 If a free period of full European cover is important to you then just the same as you would look for other factors in your insurance such as say a free replacement vehicle, breakdown cover, legal benefits etc. etc. choose a policy which offers it.In my experience most do so automatically although the period can vary from as little as 14 days to 90 days or more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 And then of course the UK drivers who think they are still on the M25 and sit in the middle lane all the way from Calais to the South of France. Totally agree SD I've just renewed my Motor policy and I think the extra £15 for enhanced European cover is money well spent, and is no way a fast buck for the insurance company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]Brit drivers coming off the ferry straight into traffic driving on the other side of the road......Unfamilar continental road layouts and strange road signage....Priorité a droite.....[:-))]And that's before they get onto the autobahns where they think there's no limit to how fast they can drive.......Cheap sangria, German beer in litre jugs, balmy evenings swigging Merlot at the local restaurant then piling their cars into the nearest tree.And of course, as everyone in the world knows, French drivers sitting on their rear bumper just waiting to crash into the back of them.....[;-)]Given the above, it's a wonder there are any UK insurers who don't charge an extra premium for continental cover. [/quote]..........But......I am French ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 .....Can someone explain how to quote someone else's post without it looking Egyptian...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote user="ericd"] ..........But......I am French ![/quote]Just because you can drive down to the Panama Dip and back without bashing into other cars doesn't mean you can cut it in France.........[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allanb Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote].....Can someone explain how to quote someone else's post without it looking Egyptian...?[/quote]A number of people have had that problem with Safari. If that's what you're using, can you switch to another browser? Firefox works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote user="ericd"].....Can someone explain how to quote someone else's post without it looking Egyptian...?[/quote]Normally just hit the Quote button.Are you using something other than Windows and Internet Explorer. I believe Apple Safari can be responsible for the sort of result you are seeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allanb Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]Brit drivers coming off the ferry straight into traffic driving on the other side of the road...... (etc, etc)Given the above, it's a wonder there are any UK insurers who don't charge an extra premium for continental cover.[/quote]I agree with SD's comments. It's interesting, though, that it doesn't seem to apply in reverse. My French insurer doesn't load my premium if I take my car to the UK; all he asks is advance notice if it's going to be out of France for more than 90 days (but even then, I don't have to pay any extra).As French insurers are not known to be more generous than British ones, I can only conclude that residents in France are presumed to be safer drivers abroad than residents in the UK.Are we all agreed on that, then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I suspect it's more likely because when the French go 'abroad' it's to other European countries with similar traffic conditions, etc rather than to the UK. French drivers are much safer than British drivers - they can drive with other car six inches from their rear bumper and not even break sweat......[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I rest my case ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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