Car Insurance Guide

Motor insurance jargon buster

Sadly, like any financial product, car insurance can be a minefield of difficult terminology and confusing jargon.

moneysupermarket.com wants to help you find the right car insurance deal for you and so we`ve compiled a guide to help bust through the jargon.

ABI group – Your car will be given a specific ranking based on the level of risk involved with each car type and model.

Approved repairer – Repairers recommended by your insurers.

DOC cover – Otherwise known as Driving Other Cars.

Fault/no-fault claim – A no-fault claim is when the insurer can recover the costs from someone else. A fault claim is if they cannot recover the costs regardless of whether the accident was your fault.

Indemnity - Insurance policyholders are put in the same financial position after a loss as they were immediately before it.

IPT – A Government tax charged as a percentage of car insurance premiums.

Loss adjuster – Investigates the legitimacy of claims.

Material fact – Failure to disclose material could invalidate a policy, such as driving convictions.

S,D&P - Social Domestic & Pleasure. A description of how you plan to use your car.

Settlement – When an insurer pays a claim.

TPO – Third Party Only.

Under-insurance – For example insuring your car for £8,000 when the car is worth £10,000. Insurance companies will almost always scale down claims as a result.

ULR cover – Uninsured loss recovery – better known as legal expenses cover, which you can add on to your motor insurance policy.

Uninsured losses – Elements not covered by your policy such as hire charges.

Underwriter – Person who decides whether to accept a risk and calculates the premium.