Hi guys

I hope you can help me.

Recently I was involved in an RTA on my motorbike. The police said at the time it wasn't my fault. The driver of the car scarpered and was untraceable. The police have closed the case.

I am third party fire and theft on my insurance policy. Excluding commuting.

I therefore have been advised that I can't claim on my insurance for the damages. (apart from the MIB but that's a separate thing)

On the day it happened I was riding to university. I did not realise at the time that this counts as commuting (nor infact that I wasn't covered for commuting).

When I asked the claims lady at the insurance company about this she said "oh that doesn't matter, you're not making a claim, just make sure that you sort it out before you ride again". I'm not sure if I trust this though...

I also looked more carefully through my docs - there are a few other errors (1.I don't rent, I live with my parents , 2. i have use of a car (my own, in my name) where the policy says I don't. 3. I'm now a student (i was employed at the time of the policy but went back to uni). These errors were an honest mistake. I used one of those comparison sites to get the quote, which isn't really an excuse because it is my own fault that I didn't properly look through my policy when it arrived.

I will not ride the bike again until something is sorted out.

My question is, what are the insurers likely to say when i present them with all these errors on my part?

Do you think that there is any chance the insurance company will sting me for commuting when I wasn't covered for commuting (retrospectively and even though I am not making any claims nor are there any claims against me)

Thanks guys.

anyone?

Hi there.

Can't you consider these 'errors' as up-dating your circumstances on your policy? In any event, I would contact your insurers and give them this 'new info' such as going back to uni ect.

As for the 'excludes commuiting' but, why would you have such a restriction on your policy in the first place? Again, you should clarify this with your insurers and if possible get this restriction lifted because I would imagine it could mean that 75% of the use of your journies would not be covered by your policy. How many times do you use your bike for any other activity other than commuting?

As far as your RTA is concerned, you should be able to claim via the MIB as you have mentioned.

 

As for the 'excludes commuiting' but, why would you have such a restriction on your policy in the first place? Again, you should clarify this with your insurers and if possible get this restriction lifted because I would imagine it could mean that 75% of the use of your journies would not be covered by your policy. How many times do you use your bike for any other activity other than commuting?

When I was full-time employed I didn't use my bike for commuting, but then i changed to being a student. On the day of the accident I used my bike to get to uni (forgetting that uni counts as commuting) as I was going to show the bike to someone who wanted to buy it.

I am aware that I would be unable to claim for the accident should it have been my fault... what I'm wondering is would the insurance company tell the police that i was commuting even though i wasn't really covered for this?

Premiums are calculated on a variety of factors, the most common been age, driving convictions, use of vehicle, postcode etc.

Insurance companies use statistics to identify who is more likely than who to have an accident, so the answers you give at the time of the proposal form the basis of your contract.

Someone who uses a vehicle for SDP (social domestic and pleasure) use will not be on the road as much as someone who uses it for commuting to and from work, and in turn they won't be on the road as much as someone who uses it for commercial travelling in connection with their job (ie business use).

So, the lady at your insurance was correct in what she told you, it didn't matter on this occasion since you are not making a claim, but it is something you need to sort out.

I'd start by ringing your insurance company and tell them that your circumstances have changed, that you are no longer employed but a student, ask them if travel to and from uni is classed by them as commuting (some insurers only class commuting as travel to and from work).

Giving the correct information now to your insurers probably wont affect your premiums by much (if by anything), and then you know you are safe to ride your bike again.

Since the purpose of the journey you had the accident in was to show someone your bike, it can only be classed as SDP use anyway so don't worry about that, also it's very very unlikely your insurers would inform the police that you were using the vehicle for commuting and therefore technically not insured, the only time that would be likely to happen is if it was investigated as part of an ongoing enquiry to a serious incident (ie you kill someone or seriously injure them etc). Since the police have checked your insurance details and closed their file as other driver untraced then it's done and dusted.

You now need to pay for your bike repairs

Claim from the MIB for injuries

Tell your insurers about the changes/differences.

Mossy

I've phoned the insurers and everything is up to date. no price change. They didn't mention anything about the accident the other week.

I have learnt a very valuable lesson, readthe bloody policy when it arrives in the first place!:-|

Thanks for your help Mossy and sailor sam