Insurance and speeding offences

If speeding ticket points don't count after 3 years, and can be removed
from the licence itself after 4, why do insurance companies ask for a
five year history?

Do they only use offences within the valid last three years (i.e.
current point total) to load the policy, or do they count anything
within the last five years? In which case, why five years? Surely
they're missing a trick and should ask for ten, no?

Thanks,

Si

 

Ok, thanks. That's what I figured as far as the offences go, but I
still wonder if insurance companies count expired offences within the
last five years?

For example: I've just got what I expect to be an SP30 (exact speed
isn't given until I identify the driver due to data protection), I've
already got one SP30 that will expire (after 3 yrs) just before my next
insurance renewal. So I'm wondering whether the insurers will still
count that as one offence.

Si

 

What did they say when you asked them?

 

Well, it all builds up a picture of you which allows them to assess the
risk you present. IME one speeding conviction made no difference.

However as far as I'm aware... I've not had more than one speeding
conviction in the last ten years so I don't know what multiple
convictions would mean.

 

What he says. Insurance companies are interested in your history to
understand what sort of risk they are covering. If you have one or two
speeding offences each year over a five year period they're likley to load
if they quote at all. One five years ago and one recent is unlikely to
bother them too much. They are aware of what counts as a valid endorsement
or not so if the only ones you have have expired they most likely won't add
a loading. It's always worth telling them if they ask though as it becomes
non-disclosure of a material fact in the event of a claim if you don't and
they find out. This would lead to them either bumping up the excess,
recovering payouts they make to third parties from you through the courts or
not paying out at all depending on the circumstances.

 

Thanks. I wouldn't ever consider non-disclosure for the reasons you
state. Just hope the new ticket is only an SP30 with 3 points. (I wont
know until I incriminate myself on the NIP and they send either the
summons or Fixed Penalty Notice.

Si

 

Simon Robbins came into sight through the beans and said

http://www.pepipoo.com/

 

They may not appear on your licence, but technically speaking they
remain on your record and must be declared for 5 years following the
date of conviction. The exceptions would be convictions resulting in a
custodial sentence of less than 18 months (7 years) and more than 18
months (10 years). This is set out by the rehabilitation of offenders
act.

Some I've looked at recently do ask for 10, which is pretty astonishing,
but makes sense in the context of what I've said above. But if they ask
for a 10 year history, and you had a conviction for careless 8 years
ago, it's been spent for 3 years and hence you don't need to tell them
at all. If you were convicted of, say, death by dangerous and jailed for
3 years (even if you were let out after 18 months on licence), you'd
still have to declare it.

Just pray you don't find yourself in a situation where it matters.