Frequently Asked Questions

If you have been refused insurance due to criminal convictions, criminal records, or non-disclosure, SIS can help.

We provide specialist insurance quotes for people who have been refused insurance due to criminal convictions or a criminal record.

Please click to obtain a quote for car, home or liability insurance.

Alternatively, you can call us on 0161 969 6040, or contact us by email using our contact form.

What information do we need to know?
I've been a named driver on someone else's car for a few years does this mean I'm entitled to a no claims discount if I take out my own policy?
What is a car insurance policy excess?
Does the policy entitle me to drive anybody else's car?
Do you deal with other types of insurance?
Are you a broker or an insurance company?
What are the different types of use?
I have several points on my licence, am I eligible for cover?
How long to I need to disclose my motoring convictions for?
Can I still get cover if my last policy was voided, my claim was thrown out, or I have been refused insurance?
When does my cover start and can a policy be backdated?
Will I get a refund if my policy is cancelled?
Why do I need to disclose criminal convictions?
Can I use my car abroad?
Does my policy provide a courtesy car if my car is damaged in an accident?
Can I pay by installments, or direct debit?
What are the UKs Driving Conviction Codes?
I was completely innocent in the road accident that smashed up my car. How come I now have to lose my no claim discount?
Does my motor policy cover me for driving abroad?
Some tiles have blown off my neighbour's house and smashed up my car. Surely it must be the neighbour's responsibility to pay up for the damage?
Why should I pay exorbitant rates, just because I cancelled my motor policy after a couple of months?
I paid hundreds of pounds more for my car than the insurance company is offering now it has been written off. Why is this?

What information do we need to know?
You must tell us everything that is relevant to your insurance. If you don't then you risk having your policy voided, and being left without cover in the event of claim. We need to know all your details, your driving history (any claims or motoring offences for you and any other drivers who will be using the car from within the last 5 years), the car details and the location. It is useful to remember that Insurance Companies and the Police share information via the Motor Insurers Database about cover, drivers and driving history. Our trained insurance advisors will assess your information to provide the most suitable cover available.
I've been a named driver on someone else's car for a few years does this mean I'm entitled to a no claims discount if I take out my own policy?
Only the policyholder can benefit from the no claims discount but we can offer a discount to drivers without any earned no claims discount subject to meeting our criteria and this could be up to 60% off in the first year. This is often called an introductory no claims discount. Even with zero no claims bonus we strive to find the cheapest insurance cover for all clients.
What is a car insurance policy excess?
Excess is the amount you will have to pay if you make a claim on your insurance. There are two types used; compulsory and voluntary. Compulsory excess is set by the insurer or ourselves depending on things like your age and the type of car you drive. If you take out standard cover you can add voluntary excess to help bring your premium down even further. If you opt to do this, both will be added to create one total excess. If you take out excess cover this can be reduced or removed altogether.

Accidental Damage excess is the first part of the claim you will be required to pay following a motor accident. This is usually paid on completion of repairs to your vehicle. We can often arrange for this to be claimed back from the third party, if you are not found at fault.

Malicious Damage excess is the first part of the claim you will be required to pay following vandalism to your car. This is usually paid on completion of repairs to your vehicle.

Fire & Theft excess is the first part of the claim you will be required to pay following a fire or the theft of your car. This is usually subtracted from the amount paid out to you when the claim is settled.

Windscreen excess the first part of the claim you will be required to pay following a windscreen replacement. This is usually paid on completion of the replacement of your windscreen. If the windscreen is repaired (i.e. cracked windscreen) and not replaced, there is usually no excess to pay.
Does the policy entitle me to drive anybody else's car?
Most policyholders over 25, depending on the Insurer are provided with this cover. However, you need to check your certificate of insurance to make sure you have this entitlement, which is generally limited to third party only cover. Driving other cars is also excluded from certain occupations. You cannot pay an additional premium to include this cover.
Do you deal with other types of insurance?
Yes, we are able to provide specialist insurance for a number of motor vehicles, including commercial vehicles (vans, pickups, tippers, flatbeds, double cabs), motorcycle, mopeds & scooters as well as private car cover (hatchback, saloon, estate, coupe, cabriolet, convertibles, 4x4, motor homes, imported vehicles, modified cars). We can also offer a wide range of general insurance products, not limited to travel (annual & individual / short trip), household (building & contents) and let property insurance. We can also deal with commercial insurances such as office, shop, public house or liability policies (public liability & employer’s liability). We can now offer an introduction to an independent financial adviser for a wide range of products including mortgages, life, critical illness, personal accident and sickness cover and pensions.
Are you a broker or an insurance company?
We are an Independent Intermediary (or broker) and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority to handle non-investment insurance contracts under reference number 306620. This can be verified by visiting the FSA website www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the FSA on 0845 606 1234. Please visit our About Us page for further information.
What are the different types of use?
It is important that you have the right use for your car, if you have the wrong use you may find that your insurance company will not pay out on a claim.

Social, Domestic and Pleasure - this covers you for normal day-to-day driving, such as driving to visit family or friends, or shopping.

Commuting - this covers you to drive back and forth to a permanent place of work. Please note that travelling to a railway station, where you park your car, is classed as commuting.

Personal Business Use (a.k.a. Class 1) - this covers you to use the car in connection with your job, driving to different sites, travelling to training courses or prearranged meetings away from your normal place of work.

Commercial Travelling - This covers the car to be used for such things as door-to-door sales.
I have several points on my licence, am I eligible for cover?
We have hundreds of policies from over 30 insurers. This allows us to find you the best deal, whatever your personal circumstances. Give us a call on 0845 313 0974, you may be surprised at the premium we can find for you. We specialise in finding cover for clients with motoring convictions or points on licence, even driving suspensions and bans so this is no problem for us.
How long to I need to disclose my motoring convictions for?
Most insurance companies take into consideration your driving history for the last 5 years. That means any points, suspensions, endorsements etc will need to be disclosed to them for this period. Even after 4 years you get them taken off your licence, make sure you know what was on there, as this is still relevant.
Can I still get cover if my last policy was voided, my claim was thrown out, or I have been refused insurance?
The simple answer to this is yes. While your previous insurer may not want to take you on again, we can find someone who will. People are refused insurance for many reasons, provided you explain clearly why it happened to you, we’ll do our best to get you a quote.
When does my cover start and can a policy be backdated?
A policy usually starts at the time that the first payment or deposit is paid; however cover can be started a few days in advance. Under no circumstances can insurance cover be backdated. It is a criminal offence to backdate a car insurance policy, and as such you will not find a broker or insurer who will offer this service.
Will I get a refund if my policy is cancelled?
Insurers all have different cancellation charges and not all policies will allow a refund. If you have made a claim on your insurance, to which you have been found at fault or to blame, you probably will not be entitled to any refund also. If you are paying on an instalment plan or by direct debit then refunds will have to clear any balance outstanding on your policy.
Why do I need to disclose criminal convictions?
Insurers ask on Proposal Forms for disclosure of any previous criminal convictions that are not classed as ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Though this may not seem to have particular bearing on the type of insurance you feel you are purchasing, it is an absolute must that all information is disclosed. In the event of a claim, any ‘non-disclosures’ may prevent the insurer from paying out.
Can I use my car abroad?
Most car insurance policies will include the minimum cover you need by law in EU member countries, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway & Switzerland. This cover is limited to a number of days, but differs from insurer to insurer. However, if in doubt always check with our staff to find out the specifics of your policy. In only certain cases a Greencard is required.
Does my policy provide a courtesy car if my car is damaged in an accident?
Generally, if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault, a courtesy car can be arranged while your own vehicle is in for repairs. Even if the accident is your own fault, and you have comprehensive cover, then you will still normally be entitled to a car. However, if your vehicle is written off then no courtesy car is given.
Can I pay by installments, or direct debit?
No matter what your financial history, installment options and Direct Debit will be available to you as a client of Sale Insurance.
What are the UKs Driving Conviction Codes?
Please click for UK driving conviction codes.
I was completely innocent in the road accident that smashed up my car. How come I now have to lose my no claim discount?
This is a common misunderstanding. Insurance policies offer a no CLAIM bonus, not a no- blame bonus. If you make a claim of any kind on your policy your insurers are entitled to reduce the amount of discount you get. If you can get the guilty party (or their insurers) to reimburse your insurance company for all they have paid, you may be able to get your bonus reinstated. The important thing to remember is, if you claim on your policy your bonus could be reduced. Blame is not taken into account.

An accident may not only affect your no claims bonus, it could also leave you out of pocket. You may for instance have to pay a policy excess, hire car charges or other additional travelling expenses. You may even find yourself unable to work and claim earnings. Costs such as these are not covered under your insurance policy. They are known as Uninsured Losses.

If the accident is not your fault, it is possible to recover any incurred costs from the negligent party if you have opted to add a legal assistance package to your insurance policy. Your broker will be able to provide further details.
Does my motor policy cover me for driving abroad?
All UK motor policies provide the minimum cover required by law in other European Union countries or the minimum cover required by UK law if that is greater. This cover does not automatically include theft or damage to your car and it may not completely cover your liability to other people. If you tell your insurers in advance, they can extend your UK level of cover to most holiday destinations. Your insurers can also supply a Green Card. This is recognised internationally as evidence that you have insurance that meets local law.
Some tiles have blown off my neighbour's house and smashed up my car. Surely it must be the neighbour's responsibility to pay up for the damage?
This is more a legal question than an insurance one! If you want to get your neighbour to pay for the damage you will have to prove that he/she was actually responsible for what happened. It is not enough that they owned the tile. As this is a legal question you should consult a legal adviser to see how successful you are likely to be if you sue them. If you don't want the hassle of trying to get the money off your neighbour and you have comprehensive motor insurance you might like to claim on your own policy - but read the answer to the question about no claim bonuses before you do!!

If however you have opted to pay for legal expenses cover in addition to your motor insurance policy then a solicitor will be appointed to pursue the claim on your behalf. Your insurance broker can provide you with further details.
Why should I pay exorbitant rates, just because I cancelled my motor policy after a couple of months?
Most insurance policies are designed to run for 12 months. The premium you pay is for the full year. If you cancel in the middle, strictly speaking you are breaking your agreement to insure. If you do cancel, there are still a lot of costs that have to be paid for (like policy documents, administration, commission for the person who sold it etc). These costs have to be paid no matter how long the policy runs, so often the amount of any refund is quite small.
I paid hundreds of pounds more for my car than the insurance company is offering now it has been written off. Why is this?
The insurance company will pay you the value of your car at the time of the accident. All car values deteriorate from the moment they leave the showroom. If you are unhappy with the value being offered for your car, after it has been written off, send the insurers any proof you have - like adverts for similar vehicles or the appropriate pages of price guides. If you think it's worth it, you could get an independent engineer to look at the wreckage and give you an estimate of its pre-accident value. You will have to pay the engineer's fees, but if this means you get a bigger insurance payout it might be worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

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