You have a passion for cars. You love to drive and to feel freedom every time you get behind the wheel. However, you may not be the expert driver you would like to be.
You have had multiple accidents and, as a result, many claims to your insurer. For the past several months, you’ve been having trouble finding an insurer who will agree to provide you with a car insurance policy.
We hope that the following tips will help you in this process.
Overly frequent claims
Filing a claim for every little problem may not be the best practice. Not only can frequent claims affect your premiums, but in the long run, your insurer may not consider it beneficial to cover you.
When you file too many claims, you lose your no-claims discount. Think about it!
It’s better to be judicious in choosing the incidents you submit to your insurance company. Is it necessary to claim for a minor broken windshield, for example? On the other hand, you should definitely file a claim for significant material or physical damage.
A cancelled contract?
Yes! As mentioned earlier, your insurer may reserve the right to terminate your insurance contract due to frequent claims.
Since car insurance is mandatory in Quebec, you will be forced to quickly find another insurer who will accept your case. This could prove to be a very laborious process!
Other reasons
You may not have known it, but there are many reasons why it will be more difficult to get insurance. In addition to frequent claims, your insurer may reject your case if your driver’s licence has been suspended. They might do the same if you have a criminal record.
Failing to pay your insurance premiums or declaring bankruptcy could also result in the termination of your policy.
Transparency is the key to a solution
Rest assured, there is always a solution to a difficult insurance case. Some insurers have even specialized in second chance or “non-standard” cases.
However, insuring a problematic case may require more time for the insurer to analyze your file. They may ask you more questions and require you to provide additional records. For example, if your driver’s licence has been suspended, it is very likely that the new insurer will ask to see your up-to-date Société de l’assurance automobile de Québec (SAAQ) file .
Above all else, be transparent. Make sure that you don’t hide anything or omit any important information, such as why your first insurance policy was terminated. This will help you avoid problems with claims or even the cancellation of your new insurance for misrepresentation.
How do you deal with this?
If an insurer refuses your application, your best bet is an independent insurance broker.
Since an independent insurance broker is not, by definition, affiliated with any insurance company, they can find the insurance company that will offer you the best insurance product for your needs.
Finding insurance can be a complicated task. This is especially true when you have a difficult case. An independent broker will be able to guide you and help you answer the new insurer’s questions. The independent broker can save you time, money and headaches. That’s their job!