Are you one of the 800,000 Quebecers with a criminal record? If so, are you one of those who disclosed it to their insurer, or one of those who kept it secret? If you are in the first group, this could cause you a lot of problems. Why? Because your insurer could terminate your contract or refuse to compensate you if they find out the truth. At Assurances Multi-Risques, we receive several calls every week from people experiencing problems related to criminal record insurance.
Fortunately, our brokers believe in second chances. That’s why, in this article, we want to share a few tips to make your search easier if you or someone living in your home has a criminal record.
Criminal record and difficulty getting insurance: is this normal?
Notre réponse risque de ne pas vous plaire : effectivement, si vous ou une personne vivant sous votre toit avez un dossier criminel, vous aurez plus de mal à vous assurer pour votre automobile et votre maison. Néanmoins, même si cela vous cause des difficultés à trouver un assureur, vous vous devez de déclarer l’existence de ce dossier criminel aux compagnies d’assurance lors de vos recherches. Pour connaître les conséquences d’une omission, nous vous invitons à lire notre précédent article sur le sujet.
A few tips to make it easier for you to get insurance
Rest assured that despite your past mistakes, you will always find an insurer specializing in criminal cases who will agree to insure you. To make your search easier and increase your chances of success, here are a few tips:
- Find an independent insurance broker who specializes in criminal cases and works with several insurers specializing in criminal records. You can ask the professional which insurer they deal with.
- Before you even begin the process of finding car and home insurance, request your criminal record (court record) with the selective index. It’s quite simple: just submit a request to your local courthouse and you will receive a copy of your criminal record. What’s more, it’s free! You’ll save time, since most insurers require a copy of your criminal record.
- Be truthful from the outset! The broker or insurer specializing in criminal cases will always discover the truth eventually, and this will undoubtedly result in a higher premium and even more difficulty obtaining insurance.
- Have your up-to-date Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec file handy, as some auto insurers require it. Here is the link to order it online .
In conclusion, searching for an insurer when you have a criminal record is undoubtedly a very unpleasant experience, as you will be forced to repeatedly reveal an unflattering part of your past. So, to avoid making multiple calls to insurance companies and having to repeat your story, entrust the task of finding an insurer to one of our independent insurance brokers. Not only will they do the research for you, but they will also not judge you, guaranteed.