Are you one of the 800,000 Quebeckers who have a criminal record? If the answer is “Yes”, are you among those who have declared this fact to their insurers, or among those who chose not to divulge this information? If you are part of the latter group, this behavior could cause you a lot trouble. Why? Because your insurer could decide to cancel your insurance or not reimburse your claim if he ever finds out the truth. Assurances Multi-Risques receives several calls a week from people who have found themselves in this situation.
Thankfully, Assurances Multi-Risques brokers believe that people deserve a second chance. That’s why we would like to offer you a few tips on how to find an insurer if you or someone living with you have a criminal record.
Is it normal to have trouble finding an insurer because you have a criminal record?
Unfortunately, the answer to this is “Yes”. If you or someone you are living with have a criminal record, you will certainly have more trouble obtaining home or car insurance. However, this does not mean that you should not tell your insurer about this situation. To find out what it might cost you to omit reporting this information, please read our previous article on the subject.
A few tips to help you to find an insurer
Don’t worry, you will always be able to find a specialized insurer willing to insure you, whatever your past mistakes may be. Here are a few tips to help you to find an insurer:
- Find an independent insurance broker who specializes in clients with criminal records and who deals with several insurers. You can also ask the broker which insurance companies he deals with.
- Before beginning your insurance search, ask for a copy of your criminal record. This is a relatively easy process, and it’s free of charge! All you have to do is to request a copy of your record from your local courthouse. You will be saving time by doing this in advance since most insurers will ask for a copy of the document before they process your insurance request.
- Tell the truth right from the beginning! Brokers and insurance companies will invariably find out the truth anyway, and having lied will probably result in a higher premium and even more trouble getting insured.
- Have your Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec’s driver’s record on hand as some insurers will require this document. Here is the link to order this document on line.
In conclusion, looking for insurance if you have a criminal record can be a rather unpleasant experience as you will have to repeat the story of this inglorious chapter in your life time and time again. To avoid this, why not ask one of our independent brokers to do the research for you? He or she will take care of this unpleasant task without ever judging you!