motor insurance query - drink driving ban

[46cheryl46]

My son has just lost his licence for 15 mths for drink driving.
His current (1st) motor insurance policy has 5 months left to run. What should he do with it??
Should he cancel it straight away and see if he can get a refund as he obviously can't drive it for over a year.
Or, should he leave it to run until April anyway?
If he does this, will the 1 years no claims bonus count for any reduction when he comes to shop around for insurance again in 15 months time? (or is the gap too big anyway)
I don't condone what he has done, but I'm trying to plan for the future to get him sorted out,as I know his premium will will escalate.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

he will not receive any no claims bonus from it,are you having a laugh,you must inform them about his dd and they will cancel the policy,whether you get a refund or not i dont know,read the small print.

[46cheryl46]

Thank you (I think!) for your reply. I wasn't having a laugh, just trying to get some good advise about the best thing to do. It's a bad enough situation without sarcy. comments.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

my answer wasent saucy it was plain speaking,i know the situation must be a bit bad for you,but your son surely knew the outcome of drinking and driving,and more bad news for you,if it was his 1st policy,i presume its his 1st year of driving as well,which means he will have to re sit his theory and practical tests all over again,im not sure but i think thats the case

[seatrout]

I imagine the insurance company will say that what he has paid covers him for the insured risks up to the point he was banned.

I cannot imagine that they will give any refund. He will find it difficult to get insurance in the future - it will be expensive and a 1 year NCD wont matter in the slightest.

The best thing he can do is take advantage of the drink drivers rehabilitation course if this was offered at court

[46cheryl46]

Thank you.
He does know it was stupid and regrets what he's thrown away. But it's done now and cannot be changed, and he now has to sort his life and his finances out.


I wonder how many people reading this will think the same as you and that he has got his just desserts - and so perhaps doesn't deserve advice? I wonder how many of those same people have driven when just a little (or a lot) over the limit - but they didn't get caught!!!

[46cheryl46]

Thanks very much Seatrout,
He has opted to take the rehab course which will help. But as you say insurance in the future will be expensive anyway.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

its a good job he dident kill anybody,he deserves all hes got, im afraid.i know it might sound harsh,and im sorry for that but, we hear so many people being killed by drunk drivers.

[Loosehead]

They're are very sanctimonious on here about driving offences, anyway at the moment DD is bad but you wanna get them on speeding! They'll cut your goolies off with a rusty knife. Some good advice above, no point keeping the poilicy on, just cancel it for whatever refund you can get. You don't have to tell them about the conviction becaue you are not going to be insured with them anyway, just cancel the policy and say he can no longer afford to drive or something. Cross the insurance bridge next time you come to it.

[46cheryl46]

Thanks Loosehead,


We were just in the process of writing such a letter - I thought it would be better not to mention reasons why.

As you say we'll worry about the increased premium when the time comes.
(Don't you just love what teenagers put you through! -although some people on this site ought to watch their halos don't slip and choke them!!)

[solera]

Check the policy for any non disclosure clause ready for the future, you may find it extremely difficult to get any insurance at all or be limited to third party only no fire or theft.

[46cheryl46]

Thanks Solera

I'll give it a good read through again. I know now that the policy becomes invalid if the insured person is no longer eligible for a licence - so really he's no longer covered anyway.
I know he will have to disclose the conviction when he re-applies (probably to a different insurer) so everything should be above board. With the cost of insurance for young people as it is, I don't suppose he'd be able to afford anything more then 3rd part T & T cover anyway!

[homer75]

Because he has been banned I don't think he will have to resit test - when he get s licence back he will have no points but endorsement stays on for 11 years ( valid for 10 ). Insurance will be very expensive as he will have to declare the endorsement when he looks for insurance again and the insurer will load the premium heavily.

[tigga]

homer75's understanding of the test situation seems quite right to me, im sure the retake-test deal only applies if you get 6pts or more in first 2 years (on which occurence they 'revoke' your full licence). The disqualification is deemed a punishment in itself so he will get a full licence back.

When he does get it back, he can search (in motoring magazines etc) for companies whom specialise in convicted and high risk drivers, ive no clue how that could possibly work for the insurer - but they do actually beat quotes from the mainstream companies.

We all make mistakes, i just hope he realises who will be there for him more than any mate or girlfriend !.

[Loosehead]

are you sure tigga/Homer I mean it's better to get banned for DD and keep your license than risk a couple of speeding tickets, weird!

[ugly_bob]

I know it's a slightly different situation, but when my dad got banned for DD a few years back, his insurance was actually cheaper when he got his license back.
He went back to his original ins co, they said they wouldn't touch him for 5 years, but we've a sister company that specialises in this sort of thing.

[emma0606]

I would cancel the policy and get back what you can from it. He will find an insurance company to insure him again despite what others have said. My friend gets his ban lifted in three weeks for drink driving and unfortunately he isn't deemed a competent driver at the moment so by law he has to sit his practical test again.
I wonder if Normanthedog will have a few over xmas and consider getting behind the wheel?!Hope you find a soloution.

[46cheryl46]

Many thanks to everyone who has offered constructive advice.
It's not a great situation to be in I know. But if the future can be looked at as being positive, then my son (and anyone else in the same position) can plan ahead to straighten things out.

The alternative scenario would be to leave things looking bleak and impossible. This is when people start to think that they've got themselves into such a mess, that there's no way forward anyhow - so they carry on regardless. By this I mean driving without insurance/licence. Until getting caught again - then there's a bigger fine, longer ban.. never be able to afford insurance again... so may as well carry on...

While people are still responsible enough to want to straighten things out, they should be encouraged not criticised.
Thanks again

[tigga]

Yes loosehead, checked it out - the only difference is when you tot up 6 pts or more in first two years, you dont get banned. you just lose the full entitlement and in theory can retake your test immediately.

[The Mack]

Glad to see your worried about the important aspect of this ..the money. loved the halo comment, we all drink and drive and consider it simply part of a night out who cares if someone gets hurt or dies just as long as you have not had to pay for a cab home. a while ago i saw an email showing a pretty young girl who's face had been rebuilt due to Drunk driver. Not quite like nicking a mars bar is it?