Useful information on insurance and convictions

Getting insurance is not always a straightforward experience if you have convictions or an adverse record, below we give a few pointers on what you need to know.

Why is it hard to find insurance with criminal convictions?

It’s the case that many insurers are wary of insuring people with unspent criminal convictions. There is sometimes a feeling amongst insurers that this represents a much higher insurance risk and as such a blanket ban can be applied by some insurers, others will simply charge a lot more.

However despite the insurance market’s seemingly over reaction to this, and failure to acknowledge people can learn from their mistakes, you still need to ensure that you disclose your convictions. If an unspent conviction or even bankruptcy is not disclosed, then the insurer can void your policy from the beginning and you might not get any of your money back.

How long do convictions have to be disclosed for?

This will naturally depend on the type of criminal conviction and what the rehabilition period is. Once a conviction has been spent it doesn’t need to be disclosed. You can check whether a conviction has been spent or not by visiting the charity Unlock – www.unlock.org.uk.

Unlock summarises a number of tools allowing you assess whether your conviction needs to be disclosed:

1. Using its online disclosure tool www.disclosurecalculator.org.uk

2. Obtain a basic disclosure or police subject access request

3. Work it out for yourself using Unlock’s ROA guide

Insurers will often ask you directly ‘have you had any criminal convictions over the last five years?’ – in this case only answer yes if the conviction remains unspent. The legal duty of disclosing convcitions is a result of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA).

Finding affordable home insurance with convictions

If you have a criminal record, you don’t need to just accept that you will paying much more for insurance, that’s what a lot of mainstream insurers will want you to believe when delivering their astronomical premium. The truth is that there are alternative insurers who take a more progressive stance. They understand that people learn from their mistakes and this shouldn’t necessarily affect the cost of insurance.

Here at convictedhomeinsurance.co.uk we have developed relationships with the leading insurers in this field and have negotiated the best rates. By getting in touch with us we can compare home insurance prices for you from across a leading panel of specialist insurers and brokers.

The quote process

You can get in contact with us by filling out the extremely short form above, or by calling us on our free phone or local numbers. Once we know your specific requirements we’ll make a few quick enquiries and shortly give you a number of flexible insurance options.

We offer a discreet service and can keep your personal details confidential at all times, until the point where you need your insurance to actually start. Our advisers are experienced in the field of non standard insurance and will help find you the best possible policy whether for your home or car.

What else do you need to know

We’re an FCA regulated firm meaning we can be trusted to help you with your insurance needs. We are specialised in finding insurance for niche areas such as criminal conviction car, bike and home insurance. If you have a flooded, subsided or unoccupied property we can also help. So get in contact today and let us find you a great deal!