Speed Awareness Course And Insurance

[developer]

Today I attended my speed awareness course, which was actually quite enjoyable, being very well presented by a couple of jovial "senior" guys.

At the end of the course, one of the guys confirmed that completing the course meant the speeding event that brought us there was now null and void- no points, no fine.

He went on to explain that 147 of the 148 UK insurance companies would not expect it to be reported to them at renewal time.

The one that did expect it to be disclosed was a senior Naval rank beginning with A.

I can't confirm he was correct, but that's what he said.

 

[portzy]

I've chopped and changed insurers quite a lot in the years since I did my course and none have asked for this type of information. Maybe, just maybe, they view such courses as a positive thing?

 

[MancMike]

I was told the same at my SAC recently.

So I've not told my insurer anything as they're not in the navy.

 

[b1g1an]

If your insurer has an any other pertinent info type clause, which they all do, they can use non disclosure of these courses as an excuse to reject any claim.

They know as well as you do you only go on these courses because you've been caught speeding so to them it's no different than actually having the points.

 

[developer]

He said they didn't have access to the police database and therefore would be unaware.

 

[regbuser]

Agreed John, my insurers have never asked for this across 4 vehicles and policies

 

[tec]

If they ask, then you have to declare.

The courses are not run by the Police, and for all you know, they may be sponsored by
the Admiral group in some way.

Can you live with non-disclosure, in the same way that some drivers fail to disclose 'invisible' mods to their cars such as remaps or DPF/CAT removals.

 

[ringway]

When I attended a SAC, the guys running the course said that the police were furious that insurance companies were asking for the information, which if released, would mean offenders would not attend the courses to be educated. At the time I was there, I was assured that there was no need to disclose anything to my insurance about my speeding incident - a whopping 37mph, travelling downhill, in what I presumed was a 40mph area in the Oxfordshire countryside. I had failed to notice the 30mph sign as I approached the village of Tame IIRC.

 

[Rory]

He went on to explain that 147 of the 148 UK insurance companies would not expect it to be reported to them at renewal time.

The one that did expect it to be disclosed was a senior Naval rank beginning with A.

I know that's correct for Admiral, but I'd also expect (although I don't know for sure) the same would apply to other Admiral Group companies, ie Bell, Diamond and Elephant .

 

[Rory]

..the Oxfordshire countryside. I had failed to notice the 30mph sign as I approached the village of Tame IIRC.

You'll probably get a spelling awareness course now for spelling Thame incorrectly.

 

[tec]

I had failed to notice the 30mph sign as I approached the village of Tame IIRC.

It's spelt Thame. I used to live there a long time ago now.

It's a town, not a village. I think it had 9,500 inhabitants when I lived there.

 

[ringway]

It's spelt Thame. I used to live there a long time ago now.

It's a town, not a village. I think it had 9,500 inhabitants when I lived there.

It's a nice village, ok, town... I used to visit the Thame Tandoori on my way back home, but it seemed to go off the boil a bit.

 

[MancMike]

Everyone and his dog knows it's spelled Thame goddamit!

(never heard of it)

 

[Rory]

Everyone and his dog knows it's spelled Thame goddamit!

(never heard of it)

I used to work there! (Well, HQ was there, gone now).

IIRC it used to hold some kind of record for the number of pubs it had.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

I am in the process of shopping around for insurance quotes on line and can confirm that Admiral and its associate companies do require you to declare whether you have been on a speed awareness course: but not as part of the on-line submission. Right at the end, after you fill in all the boxes, a message comes up to the effect that if you have been on a course you must inform them by telephone! Weird or what??

 

[portzy]

Just a thought;

If declaring this type of thing as being pertinent information which would or could affect the premium or future claims then, would it have a time limit?

 

[flango]

There's a big legal case going on at the moment on what questions insurance companies are allowed to ask and what you have to declare.. SAC is one of them' the argument is that if you have done a SAC yes you have been caught but learned the error of your ways and should not be further financially penalized in the future by increased insurance premiums.

The likely outcome is that the only things you will have to declare are FPN's and any court cases where points or disqualifications are given.

Tightening up on insurance companies and stopping them from not paying out because of small print clauses and unnecessary non declarations is long overdue

 

[BTB 500]

Insurance companies are surely entitled to ask about anything they consider to be a factor when calculating the risk of you being involved in a claim. I guess it all boils down to whether there's any actual (statistical) evidence that attending a SAC is more likely to modify your behaviour than points and a fine.

 

[ringway]

I guess it all boils down to whether there's any actual (statistical) evidence that attending a SAC is more likely to modify your behaviour than points and a fine.

A good point. If I had the 3 points on my licence instead of the SAC I would be conscious of that. However, the SAC was educational.
The only other instance I have been caught speeding was in North Wales.
Once again, heading downhill on a countryside road which I wrongly assumed was a 40mph area and was snapped travelling at 37/38mph.
A white police van (I saw it on the way to my destination earlier) just after the at the bottom of the hill as the road bent round.
A couple of hundred metres after the van was a village, so I can see why it was there, but talk about shooting fish in a barrel...

 

[flango]

Insurance companies are surely entitled to ask about anything they consider to be a factor when calculating the risk of you being involved in a claim. I guess it all boils down to whether there's any actual (statistical) evidence that attending a SAC is more likely to modify your behaviour than points and a fine.

They are at present but won't be in the future, part of the case is how they actually price premiums which at present is clearly not solely on risk.

Case in point my daughter (23) was on the insurance of SWMBO's Audi A8 running over 400 bhp for a £600 premium no insurer will touch her as a named driver at reasonable money on my 18 year old 230 CLK, tell me how that works ?