Insurance policy clause retrospectively added

[TNGL]

Background: I've had black boxes in my cars since I started driving (through Tesco). I currently pay £400 per year on my A5 compared with £1,400 (minimum) for a non-black box policy. The only thing besides the massive cost saving that has kept me with Tesco is there has never been a clause explicitly stating they will cancel the policy due to speed.

Every other month I tend to receive an email telling me I have scored 'red' for speeding (with red being bad). This time, I have received two emails in a row (i.e. one last month and one this month telling me to slow down).

However, I have now noticed they have retrospectively updated my policy documents to include this clause:


It seems I am not alone in this and I have found a thread on another forum saying they've also noticed this clause has been added.

I don't speed too often and so I've never been bothered by the red scores (especially knowing they wouldn't cancel my policy for it), however, with the threat of cancellation being dangled in my face I am now thinking to look elsewhere and pay the extra (God knows what my premium would be if it were to be cancelled).

How is this allowed? Is this even legal? I can't remember receiving any correspondence about this and I read the documents with a fine comb when my policy first incepted.

 

[VaderDSL]

What is the procedure defined in section 12.6 of the T&Cs? It's quite heavily mentioned so I assume it outlines the way in which they can go about cancelling the policy.

 

[TNGL]

What is the procedure defined in section 12.6 of the T&Cs? It's quite heavily mentioned so I assume it outlines the way in which they can go about cancelling the policy.

It's a very generic cancellation section, however, it has been adjusted to include that they may cancel the policy in line with their unacceptable driving behaviour condition:

Spoiler

 

[DereksDontRun]

https://www.tescobank.com/assets/sections/box/pdf/tesco-box-insurance-policy-booklet-0518.pdf
the pdf suggests it was last modified in April 2018 and I'm guess the bottom of each page is the revision date, suggesting May 2018 (bottom of the page 180525 - 25th of May 2018), so bob on a year ago.

Have you renewed your policy with Tesco in the last year? If so, they could well have changed the policy then and you've only checked it when you 1st took it out, before then?!?

So you have a black box and are knowingly speeding? The point of the black box is so they can monitor your driving, so have you to keep it "legal". Whether they originally suggested they wouldn't complain about speeding or not, I'm pretty sure I would be careful what i did with one of those boxes in my car.

If they do cancel your policy then your non box policy may well cost a lot more, as you'll have to tick the "every had insurance cancelled or declined" box. So, erm, just grow/man up and tone it down...

 

[Jez]

This isnt helpful, but LOL

Signs up for a monitored tracked GPS policy, and then regularly knowingly speeds, and continues to speed despite multiple warnings

 

[Nasher]

Thing is though they won't just get you on speeding. But cornering "to fast", accelerating quickly and braking hard. Don't use these schemes unless you drive like an old lady.

 

[DereksDontRun]

This isnt helpful, but LOL

Signs up for a monitored tracked GPS policy, and then regularly knowingly speeds, and continues to speed despite multiple warnings

yup, it's pretty funny...

Cant even claim it was a one off emergency if there's a pile of warning letters. Cue a topic in a month or 2 along the lines "despite many warning letters my black box policy was cancelled due to regularly speeding and now I can't get any insurance for under 2k"

 

[tom_e]

Thing is though they won't just get you on speeding. But cornering "to fast", accelerating quickly and braking hard. Don't use these schemes unless you drive like an old lady.

Where does it say that? It only mentions going 20mph over the limit.

 

[Hades]

I really can't see the point in speeding nowadays. Little benefit and too many risks (both you yourself/other drivers and to your license and bank balance). Just slow down.

 

[Semple]

This isnt helpful, but LOL

Signs up for a monitored tracked GPS policy, and then regularly knowingly speeds, and continues to speed despite multiple warnings

Was my thoughts exactly, OP if you want to keep your premium as low as possible with a black-box type policy, then you're going to have to ensure you stick to every speed limit no exceptions. If you don't want that nagging/telling off, then swap back to a non-monitored policy.

BTW, how old are you? and how long have you been driving?

I thought for most drivers over the age of 25 there was little difference in cost between a normal policy and a black-box policy.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

This isnt helpful, but LOL

Signs up for a monitored tracked GPS policy, and then regularly knowingly speeds, and continues to speed despite multiple warnings

Yup. OP expresses outrage when policy works as advertised.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I really can't see the point in speeding nowadays. Little benefit and too many risks (both you yourself/other drivers and to your license and bank balance). Just slow down.

Personally I don't think its changed.

In regards speeding to me its time and place.

Motorway virtually empty almost zero risk. But same motorway during rush hour, with close to or exceeding maximum capacity (if applying safe gaps etc) then I have low tolerance for people insistent on speeding.

My commute is back roads, and now the weather is good, I could in theory push a little more, grip is definately massively up (although farmers are mud laying on the roads again in places, but its dry). BUT the roads are now invaded with MAMILS (middle age men in lycra) all cycling around, often in small groups. So road conditions are better from a car handling point of view, but risk is up more due to higher hazard risk. So I find I am going faster in the bits with more visibility, and slower in the bits with less than I do when its winter and wet.

 

[DereksDontRun]

Where does it say that? It only mentions going 20mph over the limit.

I would guess it's the lower paragraph regarding racing formally or informally - traffic light gp... So, if a g-meter can see rapid acceleration/braking between traffic lights then they could argue you're racing other drivers? Also the g-meter would register sharp cornering, etc, and equally flag as bad, as a risk to passengers etc.

 

[Dis86]

OP in not seeing the irony...

Questions legality of something designed to counter him breaking the law.

 

[TNGL]

The main concern is if they can retrospectively add the clause. When I last checked, it didn't contain this clause and the emails never contained this threat.

Generally I don't speed at all but when I do it seems to heavily penalise me for this.

23 so a significant black box non black box differential exist.

 

[Maundie]

This isnt helpful, but LOL

Signs up for a monitored tracked GPS policy, and then regularly knowingly speeds, and continues to speed despite multiple warnings

This is my thoughts as well, if they are warning you yet you continue to ignore the warnings then you have only yourself to blame (although in this day and age it always has to be someone else's fault doesn't it?), the risk of them cancelling the policy and then you having to declare a cancelled policy on a quote is what would have me getting the Black Box removed.

 

[mjt]

Insure the car in your mum's name?

 

[DereksDontRun]

The main concern is if they can retrospectively add the clause. When I last checked, it didn't contain this clause and the emails never contained this threat.

Generally I don't speed at all but when I do it seems to heavily penalise me for this.

23 so a significant black box non black box differential exist.

but, when did you renew the policy? it looks like that wording was there in May last year, so if you've renewed in the last 11 months then I'm guessing you missed it.

 

[InvaderGIR]

Insure the car in your mum's name?

 

[Scania]

Suck up the cost of a non black box policy if you intend to carry on speeding - where & when you do this is irrelevant to your insurer - and if you do intend to carry on occasionally speeding then do it before they cancel as this will hit your premium massively.

Or,just drive within limits, which is the whole point of a black box policy.