Home Criminal Conviction and Home Insurance?

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Pauldub39

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Just saw the renewal form for the home insurance.

It says that if you have a criminal conviction it has to be declared. Is it any conviction or just something like fraud?If it is declared what normally happen to the insurance? Does it go up or can they refuse it?

Would orefer not to have to give any of this information but want to do things right.
 
Insurance companies might consider fraud amongst the most heinous of crimes as they suffer significant losses as a result of it.

If they simply ask you to declare any criminal convictions without providing any further guidance, then you must declare any and all.
 
A criminal conviction is exactly that, you don't to pick and choose. A failure to provide the information required or indeed and relevant information even if not asked could render your policy invalid in the case of a claim at a later stage. Loss adjusters aren hired to reduce the pay out the insurance company has to make and you can expect them to use every means possible to limit or refuse a claim.
 
They seek details of convictions and some seek details of pending convictions. If you are asked, you MUST tell the truth. Otherwise, whilst you pay a premium, in the event of a claim they will NOT pay out.
 
As I am passing by this thread might I please add my 10 cents............

Insurers regard convictions as material facts.

A material fact is one that is capable of influencing the mind of a prudent insurance insurance underwriter in deciding whether or not to accept a risk proposed for insurance, and if so, upon what terms and conditions.

Failure to disclose a material fact can render an insurance contract void at the option of the insurer.

An extra problem arises from the previous point. If your policy is voided/cancelled for non-disclosure / misrepresentation that then, of itself, becomes a new material fact that has to be disclosed to future insurers when seeking a quote / a new policy.

As I understand insurers' practice the disclosure of a material fact does automatically mean a refusal or a higher premium.

The general rule is that if you are in doubt you must disclose the fact. Much of this arises from the fact that insurance contracts belong to a species known as contracts written uberrima fides [utmost good faith]. That principle is supposed to cut both ways !!

BTW it is not the proposer's right to determine whether a fact is material or not. That is the preserve of the underwriter.

And finally, a warning about renewals. When your policy is up for renewal that is legally the same as if you were taking out a new policy again. You might not complete another renewal form or checklist but you are warned that the duty of disclosure does revive at renewal time.
 
To add to DirectDevil's point, under the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 you are only required to disclose material facts in response to specific questions. If they don't ask or their question is too general then you do not have to disclose it
 
harmlessdonkey said:
To add to DirectDevil's point, under the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 you are only required to disclose material facts in response to specific questions. If they don't ask or their question is too general then you do not have to disclose it
Click to expand...
That's very interesting and I wasn't aware of that.
I'm surprised that it doesn't seem to have been covered much in the media as it seems to fundamentally change things when it comes to insurance!

Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019

The electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB) comprises the Acts of the Oireachtas (Parliament), Statutory Instruments, Legislation Directory, Constitution and a limited number of pre-1922 Acts.
www.irishstatutebook.ie
 
They have asked the specific question though and the true answer must be furnished.
 
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