Speed Awareness Course

[rsvp]

I was caught for speeding and offered a speed awareness course instead of points on my licence. The instructor was quite specific that it was unnecessary to notify my insurance company. I'm now having second thoughts and wondering if I should tell them. I'm insured with R.I.A.S. and am a senior driver.

[bookbinder]

I've been on one of those courses, and I was told the same as you. I understand that an insurance company simply won't be interested.

[rsvp]

Bookbinder that's just my dilemma! Do I alert them and re-mortgage the house to pay the increased premium or do I ignore telling them and risk invalidating my insurance? Think I'll go and lie down in a darkened room.

[bookbinder]

You could try asking your insurance company something like, 'what might happen to someone's cover if they should just happen to go on a speed awareness course?' without actually saying that you are that someone.

[bhg481]

What, exactly, does your policy say? You must have been given a set of terms and conditions when you took out the policy..

[rsvp]

Thank you bookbinder - think I'm just going to fess up and see what happens.

[tonyav]

rsvp, even if your insurance co take any notice your premium wouldn't go up by much.

[Xeronema]

The following guidance comes from the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), who are responsible for developing the National Speed Awareness Course.

The insurance industry is becoming increasingly interested in NDORS attendance and completion. A frequently asked question from people being offered and attending courses is whether or not an NDORS course offer and attendance should be notified to their insurers. Legal advice is that attendance on an NDORS course is not a conviction, nor should it be treated as a conviction, unlike a fixed penalty. However, as always, the detail is in the small print.
There appears to be a very inconsistent approach by the industry to NDORS, with some insurers adjusting premiums once notified and others displaying no interest whatsoever. If an insurance company has asked, on its proposal form, at the time the insurance policy is first taken out, whether a driver has attended or is about to attend an NDORS course, then an honest answer must be given. Failure to do so would render the policy void. Similarly if, having answered “no” to such a question, the driver subsequently accepts an offer of a course, it is advisable to notify the insurance company as, by asking the question at the time the policy began, the insurance company has shown that they consider the answer to be material. Conversely if the insurance company has asked no questions about a course and has limited their questions purely to accidents and convictions within specified periods, then it is difficult to see how they could later suggest that attendance at a course designed to improve driver skills represents a material change.

[Xeronema]

This situation is currently being looked at on a national level between the Course providers (NDORS) and the insurance industry governing body.
Until a satisfactory resolution is developed, we recommend that you keep your insurance company appraised of any re-education courses that you’ve attended. Failure to do so could invalidate your policy with some companies.

[rsvp]

My policy says 'Has any driver been convicted of a motoring or fixed penalty offence, or have any prosecution pending, during the last five years or ever been disqualified from driving?
Very grateful for all the answers and help btw.

[rsvp]

Then I'll definitely go down the fess up route rather than take a chance. Many thanks.

[Xeronema]

Given the fact you're a senior driver and assuming you have no points on your licence I somewhat doubt your premiums will go up by a lot, if at all.

It's *** law that if you don't mention it and then end up righting your car off the insurance company will void your policy just to save paying out.

[rsvp]

Precisely my concern Xeronema. Thank you

[bhg481]

Your policy wording implies that you don't need to tell them but I think you're being very wise in doing so. It eliminates any chance of them wriggling out of a claim and, if they do increase your premium next time round, you are still free to look around and honestly state that you have never had a conviction etc. Youy can't be too careful with insurance.

[rockyracoon]

Our insurance didn't go up at all when the OH got 3 points.

[rockyracoon]

Hit submit to quick. So I doubt you'll get a loading for fessing up, unless you're with Admiral, they want to know about courses apparently.

[grasscarp]

Did course. Didnt tell insurers. No need.

[ubasses]

My husband rang our insurance Co (Frizzels) after doing the course and they advised him that they were not interested. So with any luck you could be OK.

[Hopkirk]

Has anyone ever heard of someone having a claim turned down because they didn't advise them of a course?

I very much doubt it.

[Prudie]

Same as Grasscarp (and if you do the course then technically you have not been convicted of any motoring or fixed penalty notice).

[rsvp]

When I really think about it I know I'm not happy keeping this from my insurance company -hopefully I may never make a claim but at the end of the day I won't have a leg to stand on if it is a requirement within my policy condition - thank you to all who took the trouble to reply. Stay well