QuestionMy husband is 68 and recently had his first accident. It was completely his fault and told the insurance company so. Anyway he took an online driver safety course so no points are added to his license. Since there are no points, does that mean we can tell another insurance company that there are NO accidents? Just for the sake of lower rates? Can they still find out?
Thanks,joyce
AnswerHi Joyce,
NO! You must NEVER make false or misleading statements on an application for insurance. First of all, insurance companies will check your driving record and claim history when you apply. So the chances of them not catching a prior accident is highly unlikely if not impossible.
Setting that aside, if you misrepresent anything on an application for insurance you are setting yourself up for a claim denial and a cancellation. Insurance companies do not take kindly to misrepresentations. In fact, if you check your policy you will see that there is a special section dedicated to misrepresentation. If you get caught, they will deny the claim and cancel the insurance. And in worst case scenarios they could also report you to law enforcement for fraud.
One accident in all this time is really no big deal. Some companies will not even penalize an insured for one accident. Generally that would be the case if you've been with your carrier for a long time with no prior claims.
If you're satisfied with your carrier, you're better off staying than attempting to get new coverage. A new company is not likely to give you a break on rates, especially with a prior accident.
Hope this straightens things out.
Jane
