Insurance claims history - is there a cut off?

tails_naf

In the process of renewing my motor insurance, as I signed the forms I noticed the following in the fine print.

"You must provide details of any claims, regardless of date, or your insurance policy may be void. Insurance companies maintain a register of all claims (which is checked in the event of a claim), and if an unreported past claim is found, your policy may be cancelled"

The first thing that struck me is - if this register exists, then why is it not consulted before accepting a person for insurance?

Anyway, I contacted the broker and they confirmed I should provide all details of all claims, no matter how old - just in case.

Now the thing is I have had 2 minor claims - one 12 years ago and one 10 years ago - and a clean record since then. However, I don't have the exact details of the claims - I know both were small (of the order of 1,000 - 2,000) but don't even know the exact dates / don't have records to consult.

So given this - how am I supposed to comply with this request? I had thought anything over 5 years usually does not count - so does this cut-off exist?
Is there a way I can lookup this register myself?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am fast approaching my renewal deadline.

Henry Ford III

Disclose dates and rough claim details. They'll make no difference to your premium at this stage.

darragh o meara

Tell them what you know. From experience, they'll use whatever excuse they can to avoid paying out in the event of a claim. If they succeed you'll have a job getting insurance again. Your better to tell them than having it comes back to haunt you.

I'm sure they can check out previous claims on their register if you don't have the exact details.

Graham

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Disclose dates and rough claim details. They'll make no difference to your premium at this stage.

For your sake, don't give them rough anything.

Check with your insurers (at the time you claimed) for the exact dates/amounts. If they're unhelpful, submit a Data Protection Access Request to each of the relevant insurers (€6.35 maximum fee per insurer if I remember correctly).

Most insurers subscribe to insurance link which keeps records of previous claims. You can submit a Data Protection Access Request to insure link too:

http://www.inslink.ie

oldyouth

This appears to be a broker who uses insurance companies that have varying disclosure periods for claims (3yrs, 5yrs, unlimited etc.), so they are covering all possibilities. I have never met an an insurer who takes claims over 5 years in to consideration when deciding on acceptance or rating, but if the question is there, you must answer it.

Insurers actively use the insurance data base and do repudiate claims for non-disclosure, so be careful

tails_naf

Thanks a lot for your replies! I'll submit what I know, and I'll also mention that these are my best recollection and request that the insurer look up the register for full details. I will also contact inslink to see if they can send me my claims history - and once I get that, I'll forward it to the insurer also.

Henry Ford III

Graham wrote: »

For your sake, don't give them rough anything.

Check with your insurers (at the time you claimed) for the exact dates/amounts. If they're unhelpful, submit a Data Protection Access Request to each of the relevant insurers (€6.35 maximum fee per insurer if I remember correctly).

Most insurers subscribe to insurance link which keeps records of previous claims. You can submit a Data Protection Access Request to insure link too:

http://www.inslink.ie

An estimate is fine. Materiality and all that.

Graham

Henry Ford III wrote: »

An estimate is fine. Materiality and all that.

I have a friend who has just been through hell and back for 14 months that would disagree.

I'd be interested in knowing the specifics of materiality, a few days/weeks/months for dates? Tens, hundreds, a couple of thousand on the value of previous claims.

It's not the premium I'd be worried about, insurance companies will quite happily quote and take your money. It's only when you submit a claim that you'll find out their definition of materiality.

Henry Ford III

Graham wrote: »

I have a friend who has just been through hell and back for 14 months that would disagree.

I'd be interested in knowing the specifics of materiality, a few days/weeks/months for dates? Tens, hundreds, a couple of thousand on the value of previous claims.

It's not the premium I'd be worried about, insurance companies will quite happily quote and take your money. It's only when you submit a claim that you'll find out their definition of materiality.

Yes but a trivial fact - be it time, or amount, won't make any difference. Your pal must presumably have stated/omitted something significant.

materiality

Definition:

Measure of the estimated effect that the presence or absence of an item of information may have on the accuracy or validity of a statement. Materiality is judged in terms of its inherent nature, impact (influence) value, use value, and the circumstances (context) in which it occurs. Opposite of triviality. See also material fact.

Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/materiality.html#ixzz3BgYzvOSk

Graham

With no bad intent and nothing at all to hide, he provided 'rough details' of previous claims.

Thanks for the definition of materiality but that's not what I asked. Materiality is open to interpretation and not even your interpretation or my interpretation. Ultimately it's the insurance company that get to decide what is material. What talks_naf thinks is immaterial (the few quid or slightly rough dates) could well turn out to invalidate his policy precisely when he needs it most.

Most insurance companies/brokers even ask you to check that the 'Statement of Fact' and the details therein are correct as they form the basis of the contract. Notice it's called a 'Statement of Fact' and not a 'Statement of Rough Details'.

I'm not trying to be clever, or score points here. I just wouldn't want to see anyone else go through the pain my friend and his Mrs have been through, especially when it's so easy to check precisely the dates and value of previous claims. In my opinion, you would be nuts to give you insurance company 'rough details'.

Henry Ford III

I get your drift Graham, and I'm familiar with a statement of fact document.

The thing is though that for any sort of non disclosure declination the fact mistated or omitted would have needed to be substantial enough to have made a difference to how a "reasonable underwriter" would view a risk.

So a small timing or monetary detail either way on an old claim really isn't relevant.

The insurer obviously can move to repudiate a claim in such circumstances, but the policyholder can sue, and would in my view win. I'm not sure can the Ombudsman get involved?

Ultimately it's not some faceless zealot in a claims department who decides whether or not a claim will be met, but a judge. Having said all that it's easier to be accurate at disclosure stage. It can save a lot of hastle down the road.

Graham

Henry Ford III wrote: »

it's easier to be accurate at disclosure stage. It can save a lot of hastle down the road.

This

Much easier than two years of your life hoping the Ombudsman (yes he can get involved) or Courts agree with the policyholders definition of what's material.