renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence?

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Thu 5 Jul 2012 23:19
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - deb0371
Question - do insurance companies have legal right to demand copy of drivers licence at start of new policy? Please read lead up to question below:

I took out an fully comp insurance policy with a new company to start on 9 june. They sent letter stating I must provide them with proof of my protected no claims and copies of drivers licence for all named drivers on policy - thats me and my boyfriend. I have had continuous insurance for over 20 years, my BF has been on my insurance (as well as his own) for past 3 years and I have never been asked by previous companies to provide licence for either of us.

I dont have issue with providing it, have nothing to hide but have had probs getting all info to them.

They gave me deadline of 24 June to get details to them. My previous insurance brokers were useless when it came to admin - have told them 3 times of my change of address and still not updated plus they had wrong number of years listed on protected no claims despite me faxing them proof from my previous insurers to them so after alot of mis information between the 3 various insurance co's I had to contact my original insurers (more than) to ask for proof of protected no claims so I could provide to my last insurers (Grove & Dean) so they could update their systems and then my latest insurers (sheilas wheels) could accept this info. None of them would deal with it verbally over the phone unless its deemed an emergency, until then you have to rely on snail mail and email.

I asked for an extension of time from sheilas wheels because more than would take too long to get it to me (10 working days) and sheilas wheels amended extension till 1st july telling me to just get intouch if there was still a problem with timings.

I had planned to provide both proof of no claims and my drivers licence in one hit. (my mistake was also not reading letter properly and just thinking they want my licence only but they were wanting mine and my partners).

I realised yesterday that I still hadnt received the letter from more than about protected no claims so chased them about it and gave them permission to speak to grove and dean if I could get them to call them and get correct up to date info.

I also called sheilas wheels yesterday and was told they could speak to my last insurers with me on the line to confirm verbally what proof of no claims should be. But that they still needed my drivers licence (no mention of my partners) and told me to fax it today - which I did and confirmed they received it. Problem is they told me today they also need my boyfriends drivers licence and could not extend the time any further so if I couldnt give it today he would either have to be removed from policy or they would cancel my policy. Boyfriend has sent his licence off to DVLA nearly two weeks ago (i only found out today).

Upshot is ive had to remove my boyfriend from policy, been charged an admin fee to do it and its increased my premium by £150.

I will add my boyfriend back on to the policy but i'm really quite angry at the hassle and added costs to me. Do they have the legal right to demand copies of licences at beginning of policy? I understand them needing it if you make a claim for accident, etc but not when no claim has been started.......

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Fri 6 Jul 2012 00:36
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - dacouch

What has your boyfriend sent his licence to the DVLA for?

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Fri 6 Jul 2012 15:31
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - Dwight Van Driver

If their terms and conditions in the contract for Insurance require production then you either conform or go elsewhere, The ball is in your court.dvd

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Fri 6 Jul 2012 16:05
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - Cris_on_the_gas

Its a contract you have entered into.

It seems reasonable if not a little strange but as they have to indemnify you any damage you cause to your vehicle or a third party then ensuring that you have a valid licence and are not banned for any reson seems fair.

You are of course entitled to go else where you may not have to provide the information.

Good Luck

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Mon 9 Jul 2012 21:25
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - deb0371

Its a contract you have entered into.

It seems reasonable if not a little strange but as they have to indemnify you any damage you cause to your vehicle or a third party then ensuring that you have a valid licence and are not banned for any reson seems fair.

You are of course entitled to go else where you may not have to provide the information.

Good Luck

thanks for responding. yes I know I can go else where, but I've already paid upfron for 2 months which they take via debit card at time of taking insurance out online. They do not tell you upfront before you accept their offer of cover that you will have to provide any proof of anything so you arent aware that you'll need to give it until they already have your money. My licence is clean and I've given copy, my boyfriends licence is clean too but I dont have it available to send until he gets it back from DVLA. Because of this delay the insurance co said I'll have to either cancel insurance - if so I loose what I've already paid - or I can remove my BF from cover, then they hike my premium up by over £150 and charge me an admin fee of £26. I can add him back on later for another fee of £26......... I can fully understand their need to prevent fraud, etc, and if I had an accident and had supplied misinformation then they have the choice of invalidating my insurance and not paying a claim - that would be my own fault. Completely get that. My question is do the companies have the LEGAL right to demand the data now at start of policy, when no claim has been submitted and therefore no necessity to prove/disprove possible fraud? If they do not then they would also have no right to charge me admin fees and higher premiums because there would not have been a demand to change the policy......
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Mon 9 Jul 2012 21:15
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - deb0371

What has your boyfriend sent his licence to the DVLA for? He has a full clean licence but had to get it updated. Your question bears no relation to my query?

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Tue 10 Jul 2012 08:00
renault clio 1.4 - where do I stand legally about providing licence? - Armitage Shanks {p}

Your original post said

thinking they want my licence only but they were wanting mine and my partners).

and

Boyfriend has sent his licence off to DVLA nearly two weeks ago (i only found out today).

If he is going to be on your policy your insurer is entitled to have sight of his licence and, as DVD has stated, if that is what your insurer requires you must comply. Whether the licence is clean or not is not relevant to the requirement to send it to them

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