Home Insurance

[luckyal42]

When applying for Home Contents Insurance recently, one of the questions asked it I had any criminal convictions. I have but it is 'spent' under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Will it invalidate my insurance if I answer 'no' ?

[PhilLew]

No not if it's spent, they have no right to know about it.

[undercovers]

unless they specifically ask for all convictions spent or otherwise - as this is not a job application etc but a legally binding contact lying could well invalidate it.

[Buenchico]

Contrary to Undercover's post, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act applies to any questions (either written or verbal) that you might be asked when seeking to enter into any contract (whether that be a contract of employment or an insurance agreement). The only times when you can be required to disclose 'spent' criminal convictions (or be deemed to be in breach of contract for failing to do so) are when the circumstances are exempt from the Act (e.g. when applying for employment within the 'caring professions').

You can answer 'no' to the question without worrying about invalidating your insurance. Note, however, that if the insurance company is aware of your conviction by some other means (e.g. if you declared it on an earlier application for insurance before the conviction was spent) they're not obliged to ignore it and they would still be entitled to refuse you cover or charge higher premiums.

Chris