Car Insurance Terms and Conditions

Most drivers understand that their car insurance has attached to it a range of terms and conditions. It is these that determine how you may act and still enjoy the car insurance cover you have purchased under your policy. As many people find out to their cost, purchasing car insurance doesn't mean you can claim under all possible circumstances, because if you do not keep to the terms and conditions applicable under your car insurance policy you may not be eligible should you need to make a claim. Acting outside the terms and conditions can also be recorded and accessed by your current, and other car insurance companies when calculating future quotes. If you have broken the terms and conditions in the past you could represent a higher risk and your premiums may be increased or you may even be refused car insurance cover completely. As you can see it's advisable to make sure you fully understand the company's policy requirements and stick to them.

Terms and conditions of your car insurance cover may include (please note this is an illustration only please check your own policy for specific details applying to your cover):

All drivers named on your car insurance policy must normally have a full (or provisional) UK Driving licence. As it's illegal for anyone to drive on the public highway without a licence, it makes perfect sense that this should be a necessary requirement. (Other licences are acceptable to some car insurance companies, such as EEC or international, please check if necessary.)

Your car should not be used for trade, hire or delivery purposes under a normal domestic car insurance policy. Normally insurers provide cover for personal use only. If business or other use is required then you should consult your insurance company for that specific type of policy.

Your car must be in its original state and should not have been modified from the manufacturer’s specification. Your car insurance company deals with the risk associated with your insured vehicle which it assesses with reference to the exact make, model and trim, then calculates an insurance premium based upon this (and other) factors. If your car has undergone changes the information they used as the basis of their assessment is inaccurate. If for instance the engine specification has been enhanced to increase the acceleration or top speed, your car could present a higher insurance risk, or if the bodywork has been amended, it may cost more to repair if making a claim. If your vehicle has been modified you need to consult your car insurance company with the exact modification to ensure they will accept the altered risk or find a specialist insurer.

All drivers named on a car insurance policy should be free from medical conditions which may affect their driving ability. There is a list of specific medical standards set, that are notifiable to the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), and any one developing or suffering worsening conditions from any of the mentioned ailments must notify the Drivers Medical Group. An obvious example would be a person who has epilepsy who may be prone to fits or seizures. Clearly, if this were to happen whilst driving it would be likely to result in a loss of control of the vehicle and represent a significant hazard. For the car insurance company this represents a far greater risk of accident and greater chance that the car insurance will have a claim made against it. It is hence necessary to exclude such persons from standard cover (This is a different consideration to the moral and legal question of whether such people should be allowed by law to drive when they are highly liable to cause injury to other people or property). For those who have notifiable medical conditions but are not barred from holding a full licence, sufficient cover may be found from a specialist company, or a specialist policy provided. However car insurance premiums can often be greater than for someone without such a condition.

This is a short example of the reasons why strict terms and conditions have to be applied to all car insurance policies. For full details of your own terms and conditions please consult your own policy.