Insurance Companies and Speed Awareness Courses

[{SAS}TB]

My car is up for renewal and going through the usual Confused.com etc I have good some (initially) good prices ~£275 for a 2010 A5 2.0 TFSI (211) S Line

All is ticketty boo until im just about to pay and I get



Now, when I did the speed awareness course back in September they made it explicitly clear that as we had chosen the course (over points and a fine) then we had committed (in the eyes of the law) no offence and did not need to disclose this to our insurance companies.

They even advised if asked to try another company and admit nothing as they (the police) would never release any details to insurance companies and the Insurance Regulator was "advising" insurance companies not to even ask the question.

I rang Admiral (who were the lowest quote) whom I now understand own / are part of the same group that own / run confused.com and they want to add £50.88 to my policy for the speed awareness course.

I explained what the course facilitator had said around they shouldn't even be asking the question only to be blanked and told "perhaps we can get that reduced if you take a multi car policy"

I basically told her she can forget any policy from me and hung up.

So, apart from views on whether you should disclose attendance on a speed awareness course, does anyone know of any companies who DON'T ask or do not apply a premium for people who have attended a speed awareness course ?

 

[{SAS}TB]

I think the course facilitator has been telling you porkies

A number of people I know who have attended (different) courses have all been told the same thing - its even in the printed literature from the course

In 2011, 770,000 people completed a National Speed Awareness Course (NSAC). These drivers were under no obligation to inform their insurers

http://www.cii.co.uk/media/4048082/..._courses_-_the_implications_for_insurance.pdf

Looks like things have changed or may be changing as insurance companies try to change this ..........

 

[{SAS}TB]

I honestly thought the course did make you think about what you had done and what risks you put yourself and others at if speeding

More so than taking the points and fine

You we're under no obligation to tell them (in 2011) but if they ask you a question you cannot lie. I haven't had an Admiral Policy in 3 years so I have no knowledge if there's a line in the policy that you have to inform them during the policy, but I imagine there now is.

Indeed and when I took the course last year it was still the same.

Looks like its not just Admiral but a few others (and looks like most if not all through confused.com as well) are now specifically asking the question - hence my post of people knowing companies who aren't

 

[{SAS}TB]

But you're still a higher risk than someone who doesn't speed.

Was, I'm now a convert who always sticks to the speed limit. Just like everyone else who hasn't been convicted or been on a SAC

 

[{SAS}TB]

Were Admiral still cheaper than anyone else even with the £50 hike?

Nope, there were about 5 or 6 within £10 of each other ~£275 - with the hike Admiral went to ~£325

ALL the quotes through confused had the "advisory" (in my first post)

Just tried Money Supermarket (no mention of SAC) and Zenith quoted within a few quid (~£275) and again no mention of SAC

 

[{SAS}TB]

I initially was going through an online application until the message I posted in the OP

So I rang with the quote reference and after the security / ID checks she said she had to check the policy details to progress.

The basics were run through and she got to convictions, including SACs and I said "well that's why I'm calling" and said I didn't think they could ask, against industry guidelines etc

So I was "asked" online and verbally on the phone

 

[{SAS}TB]

the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) owns the database containing the details of all attendees on the NSAC but this database is not accessible to police authorities outside of the national scheme. Unlike driver offence data, such as licence points and convictions, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold speed awareness course details so they are not accessible to insurers. This means that ACPO is, ultimately, the only organisation with access to this information

Or so the Nov 2012 report says - not sure if this has changed

 

[{SAS}TB]

Yes, the A556 is one example between the M56 & M6.

Lol, it was the A556 where the camera (allegedly) got me

 

[{SAS}TB]

I'm not admitting anything

 

[{SAS}TB]

Yeah, the last camera before the M6 (from the 56) - ive driven that stretch 100s of times - doh !

I just avoid the 556 altogether now and continue down the 56 to Junction 10