Many motorists are driving around unaware that they are invalidating their insurance. There are a number of ways that you can accidentally invalidate your insurance, which would make driving the car illegal, prevent any kind of payout in the event of an accident and make it harder to get insured in the future.
So, what are a few of the main ways that people invalidate their insurance without realising it?
Job Changes
One of the most common reasons that people invalidate their insurance without realising it is a change in their job without letting their insurer know. Your occupation is a key factor in establishing insurance premiums, so it is important that your insurer is kept up to date with any changes that you make whether this is a promotion or changing companies.
Moving House
Similarly, many people will move home and forget to tell their insurance company. Your postcode is an important factor when setting an insurance premium, so you should always notify your insurer and you might find that this helps to bring down the costs of your policy if moving to an area deemed “less risky”. Essentially, you need to inform your insurer of exactly how you use your vehicle and any changes to this.
Not Declaring Incidents
Many people make the mistake of not declaring incidents, which will invalidate your insurance. Even if it is a minor incident with no damage and you do not intend on making a claim, you still need to let your insurance company know what happened.
Car Modifications
Modifying your car and failing to tell the insurance company is a common way that people invalidate their insurance. This is not just big modifications either as even having a SatNav fitted can affect your insurance premium.
Fronting
Car insurance can be a major cost for young drivers, which is why many parents will name themselves as the main driver on their child’s car and then name their child as a named driver to keep costs down. If the main driver listed is not really the main driver, this will not only invalidate your insurance but could result in fraud charges and a fine. This is known as fronting and something that all parents need to be aware of. There are other ways that a young driver can reduce their insurance premiums, such as driving a small car, taking a defensive driving course and reducing their annual mileage.
These are a few of the main ways that people invalidate their insurance by accident. It is important to be aware of these because not only can this stop you from getting a payout in the event of an accident, but it is also illegal and could result in legal action. On top of this, invalidating your insurance could make it harder to get insured in the future, so you want to avoid this at all costs.
