please help me! points and insurance

[tammy3000]

Hi, I crashed and wrote off my car last month - 1 other car involved, it was my fault. I was later told that because I hadn't declared the 3 points on my licence (i didn't know i had to!) my insurance would be invalid. So, my problem is this - a) i'm worried about being found out and b) i don't know how i can get car insurance again? I've been told that if i get insurance through another company and declare my points they will let my old insurance company know? Therefore i will have to wait until the points come off my licence - (they've been on for just over a year) before i can take out another policy. My old policy has already ended and my car was written off anyway. So, could anybody who works in car insurance please advise me on what to do?? Tammy x

[Andyvon]

Hi Tammy! It seems like you are in a bit of a pickle. My wife used to work in motor insurance and I have 26 years of experience with my own insurance.

May I take it that when you crashed your car you had a valid policy but your insurer didn't know about your points? If that is the case then the insurer won't cover you. I picked up speeding points years ago and I had to tell the insurer immediately. The reason being that my old policy was calculated on my clean licence. I then changed my risk status upon conviction and altered my cover. If I didn't tell them, I would be committing the more serious offence of driving without insurance. I'm sorry to say, but it seems to me that you were driving without insurance for about a year.

I'm not sure about the other car you mention. Are they claiming from your insurer at the moment? If they are then your insurer will not cover you. You may have to pay repairs/damages from your own pocket if the driver pushed the claim but I'm not sure of the situation. That's a worst-case thing.

Your best bet for new insurance is to be straight and tell the insurer about the points from a year ago. Tell them a sob story and maybe plead ignorance. They are not ogres and if they had your premium and you don't claim they will probably just tick you off.
If you spin a yarn about not having a car for the period the insurance was running you will be further in the mire if caught. That will be seen as attempting to pervert justice etc.

I think your best bet Tammy is to contact your insurer and be straight with them about your points. You will have to pay a higher premium but at least you will be legal. You will have to forget about your wrecked car. However, if you are currently being claimed against by another driver, then maybe offer to settle their costs privately. That won't involve the insurance or police.

Hope this helps Tammy. Its messy but I'm afraid that's

[homer75]

Hi Tammy, I assume your claim is being dealt with or has been dealt with as the accident was a month ago. If I were you I would say nothing ( 3 penalty points would not affect your premium anyway as most people have them due to the 'safety' cameras which are polluting the country ). When you renew with another company just let them know of your points and don't worry - they will not go to the bother of contacting a previous insurer - all you need to show them is your renewal notice if you are claiming a no-claims discount and if not, nothing. You will need to declare the accident of course. Take no notice of Andy Von Doom and relax - you are not an axe murderer ( or maybe I am being too presumptive ? )

[tammy3000]

Hi guys. thank you so much for your replies.
the situation is this - i am scared to tell the insurers as i know i couldn't personally cover the costs myself - the people in th eother car all said they 'had bad necks'. i know its what people do these days but i really couldnt personally afford to pay. so should i just keep quiet?
my insurers haven't as yet asked for a copy of my licence but can they or will they after the event? i'm really worried.

i've been told if i get new insurance the new insurers (who i will obvously have to be honest with) will put my points on a systems and my old insurers will find out? is that true?

sorry to go on but i just don't know what to do ; (

[tammy3000]

Also, what will happen if they find out? will i be charged? what will happen about the costs i can't afford to pay?
i've been told about a body called the MIB who take over from claims like this - will they cover and i have to repay them? if so at what rate?? i only finished uni a couple of years ago and have no money! i'm scared.

[homer75]

Listen you quivering jellyfish of a woman ! Do NOTHING and just forget about the whole incident. You are worrying yourself sick over nothing and Von Doom has just wound you up no end.

[oldhenry]

All folk in accidents have bad nexks cos their solicitors tell them to have a bad neck, it is fraud usually but perpetrated by solicitors.
The MIB pick up cases where the accident was caused bya person that had no valid insurance , everyone else pays for this of course.
Normally the insurance company ask if you have accidents/convictions as a routine matter?, it is odd if they don't- .
But the MIB should pick up the tab if your insurance won't pay.
doubt the police will give a hoot, too many real crinimals out there murdering folk.
You need to declare your accident and conviction in trying to get a new policy, and if you have ever been refused a policy - but this is not the case here is it?

[tammy3000]

Thank you thankyou thankyou - you're right - i am a quivering jellyfish of a woman! i will do nothing and wait to see what happens - so am i right in thinking that if the insurance company DO ask for my licence then the MIB will cover it and i won't? i'm really not trying to be selfish and had i known that i had to declare points before i would never have even drive down the road! i just have no money and can't afford to pay.
no in answer to your question i have never been refused a policy, never missed a payment and been with the same insurers for about 4 years - i just didn't know about the points thing.
thank you so much for your answers - i just need to know exactly what to expect!
tammy xxxxx

[homer75]

I doubt very much that you will be asked to produce your licence. If it really did come to a crunch - which I sincerely doubt - you could tell a little white lie and say that you wrote to them at the time and just assumed that everything was ok. They are not all that efficient anyway in my experience. When you get another car just go to another company and obviously you should declare your 3 points and your accident. You are a very small fish in a huge pond so relax and please try not to worry yourself sick over this. What's tthe worst that could happen ? and trust me - jail food and accomodation these days is to die for ! Calm down !

[nicksmum]

A few years ago my husband had an accident and it turned out he wasnt insured.The MIB took everything over for us,they payed out the third party and then claimed the money back from us.At the time we were really short of cash so they agreed a low amount which we paid back over a couple of years.My husband was prosecuted but as he genuinely believed he was insured he got off very lightly with a �40 fine and 6 penalty points.

[Nemesis1968]

Tammy3000,
I am in a similar situation to this story, can you please tell me what the outcome was and did the insurance find out about your points in the end or did you get 'away' with it so to speak? (They are quick eneough to take our money but any reason for not paying, there onto it!)
Does anyone else know the answer to this question,
Some help would be great...

Thanks!