I have just had my insurance declared void from april 08 start following a claim I started. During the claim investigation which I subsequently stopped (new hard drive on laptop fixed the issue), it became apparent that I had failed to disclose a previous loss/claim (2 in fact that were paid out, 1 which I again did not go through - all of these were over a period of 5 years). I advised them this was a honest mistake (my wife used the esure renewal notice which stated 50% NCD - while applying online to MoreTh>n)

I have tried for the past week to get re-insured and the response is simply from brokers and companys direct - sorry underwriters confirm we cannot insure you!!

I fear that a genuine mistake is going to cost me my house let alone all the car insurance and travek insurance I will need to take out. I am hoping to appeal this decision and have contacted the Financial Ombudsman but surely this has happend to others in the past? Is there a place for people like me to get insurance? I am worried my mortgae will be pulled based on me not having Building insurance.

MoreTh>n will not speak to me other than the individual claim inspector that flagged this but he has failed to return any of my calls.

Any ideas or suggestion on how I get myself out of this hole, I am so worried about this as it appears my home in North London is also onthe flood risk flag.

Gabriel

Try this company, they will offer you cover although it will probably be fairlyn expensive

www.bureauinsure.co.uk Copy and paste it into your browser. Please make sure you declare everything including this recent claim / incident

You are right in that this could affect your other policies and for the future, you really should get the Ombudsman involved as if you can get this matter sorted out it will save a lot of money and hassle.

thanks for the pointer, I am hoping my letter of explanation will suffice with Royal Sun Alliance (More Th>n), and I have a case started with the Ombudsman, but surely this has happened to other people? Will insurance companies simply continue with disproportionate actions?

I am hoping this will be seen soon by someone so am holding out..........

Gabriel

Have you checked then More Than internet quote site to look at the information process that you would have gone through. It is often practice of Insurance companies on these online sites to ignore 2 or less small claims, provided they are not for subsidence,flood or theft. Does the online site give you the opportunity to disclose the claims or advise you to phone if you have answered YES to making claims. Small claims do not always prevent a company from quoting, but the premium and/or terms/conditions will take this into account. Also online quote engines are often linked to a claims database which may have been cross checked at the time quote was obtained.

This angle is worth checking as online purchasing of policies and terms/conditions contained on these sites has caused Insurers alot of problems. Insurance company staff do not always understand the internet process as the screens/processes they use are geared to telephone staff and are more detailed. When they come to review the information disclosed at inception following a claim, they often look at the telephony purchase model and forget the internet process Internet sites make is easy for customer to buy policies and exceptions are sometimes made as to the information required. If the Insurance company have changed the Internet screen since, you could submit a subject access request for screen prints of all the information fields required and information notes available when the policy was taken out.

I don't have particular knowledge of More Than but I have known of such problems with other companies.

Huckster

I to am in the exact same situation with More Than. I insured our house and contents with them but didn't tell them about my partners previous claims. The problem with that was I didn't even know he had made them as we were not together at the time!! More Than claim I should have asked him for full details and disclosed them when he moved in with me. How many people quiz their new partners about insurance claims when they move in just in case it will void their insurance?!!!! I now have the possiblity of no insurance due to my policy being void.

It is a terrible situation to be in especially when car insurance, which I would have thought was far more of a risk, can be got with lots of claims!

I am waiting to hear still about what will happen in the mean time were praying nothing happens to the house.

Nicky

Yes whenever you sign up to any Insurance, you should ask questions about previous Insurance experience of any person, that will be included in what you arrange. It is not just experience but any information that you should be aware of when you come to arrange the Insurance. So if you are asked questions by Insurance companies and you do not know the answers for definate, then find out the information and then call the Insurers.

It depends on what the previous claims details were as to whether voiding the policy was the correct decision in this case. If is was just a couple of small claims, the Insurers could have opted instead to increase the premium and include any terms that would have applied at inception, had the claims been disclosed.

Once you have had a policy voided you then have to disclose this when applying for any Insurance including Car Insurance, even if voidance only related to Home Insurance. The Insurers will then ask why the MoreThan policy was voided and when advised that it was non disclosure, I doubt most companies will provide cover.

There are brokers that will be able to find you cover in this situation. The BIBA helpline may be able to assist. http://www.biba.org.uk/ConsumerHome.aspx

Huckster

Ey up

If I were you I would check with the FOS (or on their website) as non disclosure is not an automatic reason for voiding a policy or even rejecting a claim. The follwoing FOS document gives more information:

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/27/27-ins-nondisclosure.htm

The FOS do not automatically accept the voiding of a policy or refusal of a claim on the grounds of non disclosure being in breach of the contract you entered in to. Hope this is some help.

Thanks for that. It is what they call an innocent non-disclousure due to me simply not knowing the info so I will use the info in the discussions with More Than.

Best of luck.