Motor
Convictions and past claims have a longer memory than you do
The questions asked at quotation reach back years and are checked against shared databases. Forgetting is treated much like concealing.
The options around disclosure of driving history are set out side by side below, with the conditions that genuinely favour one over the other.
The difference in one place
- Insurers ask about claims regardless of fault, not only about ones you caused.
- Shared databases let insurers verify claims history independently of your answers.
- A policy voided for non-disclosure must itself be declared to future insurers.
What the questions actually cover
Motor proposals typically ask about accidents, claims and losses over a period of several years, whoever was at fault. They ask about motoring convictions, fixed penalties and, in many markets, prosecutions that are pending rather than concluded.
They often ask about non-motor claims, about medical conditions relevant to driving, and about previous refusals of cover. Each question is drafted deliberately, and answering the question you expected rather than the one asked is a frequent error. Where wording is ambiguous, the safer approach is to disclose and let the underwriter decide what is relevant.
Why fault does not matter to the question
People routinely omit non-fault claims on the reasonable-sounding basis that they did nothing wrong. Insurers ask anyway because claims frequency, whoever caused them, correlates with future claims frequency. A driver who has been hit twice while parked is statistically different from one who has never claimed at all.
That may feel unfair, but the question was asked plainly, and omitting the answer is what creates the problem. Disclosure does not automatically raise the premium, whereas non-disclosure can remove the cover entirely at the moment you need it, which is a poor trade for a small saving.
The databases behind the questions
Most markets have shared claims databases that let insurers check what you declared against what was recorded. Licensing authorities in several countries allow insurers to verify licence status and endorsements electronically. These checks often happen after the policy is issued, which is why a discrepancy surfaces weeks into the cover.
On an ordinary week, the insurer then adjusts the premium, imposes terms, or in serious cases cancels or voids the policy. Because verification is routine, the practical value of omitting something has fallen close to zero.
What voiding actually means
Cancellation ends a policy from a future date, while voiding treats it as never having existed at all. A voided policy leaves you uninsured for the whole period, which can matter if a claim occurred during it.
Future proposals ask whether cover has ever been cancelled, voided or refused, and that question has no time limit in many markets. Answering yes narrows the insurers willing to quote and raises the price for a long time afterwards.
The consequences of the disclosure failure therefore outlast the incident that would have been disclosed.
Deliberate, careless and honest mistakes
Consumer insurance law in several countries distinguishes between deliberate misrepresentation and an honest mistake. Where the failure was careless rather than deliberate, remedies are often proportionate rather than total.
That can mean the claim is reduced to reflect what the insurer would have charged, rather than refused outright. Where the failure was deliberate or reckless, the position is far worse and voidance is the usual outcome. These rules vary substantially by jurisdiction, so do not assume the protection that exists in one country exists in yours.
Checking your own record
Ask your previous insurers for confirmation of your claims history in writing, which most will provide on request. Check your licence record where your country provides online access, since endorsement dates are easy to misremember. Keep a note of dates for each incident, including ones where you did not claim, because some questions cover those too.
For most people, when quoting online, read each question fully rather than selecting the answer that resembles last year one. If a broker completes the form for you, check what was recorded, because responsibility for the answers remains yours.
Side by side
| Consideration | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| What the questions actually cover | Insurers ask about claims regardless of fault, not only about ones you caused. |
| Why fault does not matter to the question | Shared databases let insurers verify claims history independently of your answers. |
| The databases behind the questions | A policy voided for non-disclosure must itself be declared to future insurers. |
The takeaway
Answer the question actually printed, not the one you expect, and keep the evidence of what you declared with the policy documents.
The version you keep doing is the version that works.
Questions readers ask
Do I have to declare a claim I did not make but reported?
Often yes. Many questions ask about incidents and losses, not just about claims paid, so read the exact wording before answering.
How long do convictions stay declarable?
It varies by country and by offence, with rehabilitation periods set in law. The proposal form period is what governs the answer.
Also by Bao Tran
- The average clause: how underinsurance shrinks a small claimHome & Contents
- Theft claims and the words forcible and violentHome & Contents
- Working from home changes what you must tell your insurerHome & Contents
- Landlord and tenant: who insures what in a rented homeHome & Contents
