By Sale Insurance Services Ltd
Choose a vehicle carefully that suits your needs rather than your wants. This may sound obvious but it is a solid piece of advice nonetheless. When you have a criminal conviction it reduces the number of insurers who will quote for you, so choosing a vehicle that is regarded ‘standard’ can not only mean you’ll be paying a lower figure, but if there are more insurers quoting then generally this means the price is lower due to the competition.
Disclose all the relevant information to the broker with regards to criminal convictions. Not doing so can lead to a policy being invalid in the event of a claim.
Get all the discounts you are entitled to by giving as much information as possible. Did you know that adding your Spouse, Common Law or Civil Partner to your policy often actually reduces the premium? If your last insurance policy expired or cancelled off in the last three years then we can normally use the current or expired No Claims Bonus to get you a discount on your new policy.
Beware of alterations to your policy that may increase the premium when you haven’t budgeted for it. This is a common problem for clients who purchase a different vehicle without contacting us to check how it will affect their insurance premium. Also, if you have taken a policy out while still imprisoned and are released then your premium may increase – this is because the insurer was discounting you for keeping your car in a secure car park, often in a remote area.
Purchase Breakdown Cover if you are at an Open Prison. This is advised as inmates are required to be back at certain times, so if you are unfortunate enough to breakdown, then you will be given up to an hours roadside assistance before being transported to your destination.
Speak to the right people – other than ourselves at Sale Insurance there are various agencies, charities and groups who offer advice and support to ex-offenders. The Criminal Information Bureau (CIB), Unlock and Nacro deal with issues and problems that face ex-offenders and are all found easily online.
