What Are Material Facts, And What Information Must I Disclose To A Car Insurance Company?

Material facts are anything the insurer would deem to have a bearing on your risk and which therefore could influence the level of premium imposed or, indeed, whether the insurer was prepared to accept you as a client. Since most people are not risk assessors, it's best to err on the side of caution by raising any facts over which you have doubts.

It's vital that insurance companies are also kept updated of changes in circumstances as failure could invalidate the insurance policy. Remember to inform your insurance company when, for example, you change your car or move house.

Typically, a car insurance policy's social, domestic and pleasure use includes insurance cover to travel to and from a permanent place of work. If your job involves a lot of travelling to different locations you must flag this up to your insurance company or risk not being covered in the event of an accident.

At the end of the day, it's better to pay a bit more upfront than get your fingers badly burnt when an insurer declines to pay on the grounds of non-disclosure.