It is a lesser-known consequence of being convicted of a criminal conviction that many types of personal and business insurance might become more difficult to find, or at least at a ‘normal’ premium.
Many insurance proposal forms ask whether the proposer has ever been convicted of a criminal conviction or a Police caution. The form might also ask more details as to the date, type of conviction and penalty imposed. Car insurance, home insurance and business insurance applications are all examples of insurance categories that might be affected if a criminal conviction is disclosed.
Which criminal convictions need to be disclosed and for how long?
Criminal convictions and the resulting penalties fall into several categories, including community or reparation orders, Police cautions, prison custody sentence, a conditional discharge, a motoring conviction resulting in penalty points, a fine and/or a driving ban.
Depending upon the type of conviction and penalty imposed, the period of time during which you need to disclose details to an insurer will vary considerably.
How long before my criminal conviction is ‘spent’?
You can find out whether your particular criminal conviction has become ‘spent’ by accessing the Government’s website here and submitting details of your circumstances online.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
This Act provides key information for anyone affected by a criminal conviction and is available for download here.
What if I don’t disclose a criminal conviction?
If you decide not to disclose a criminal conviction during an insurance application, or during the currency of an insurance policy, there is a chance that the insurer might refuse a claim arising from the policy. The insurer might declare the policy ‘null and void’, meaning that they will not pay out in respect of the claim, either to you as the policyholder or to any third party affected by the circumstances of the claim.
NACRO
The organisation NACRO provides useful additional information regarding the disclosure of criminal convictions during an insurance application. You can access more details from their website here.
Google’s ‘Right to be Forgotten’
The European Court of Justice confirmed in 2014 that individuals had a ‘right to be forgotten’ by Google and other search engines. This decision means that people have the right to apply to Google for their information to be removed from search results, specifically any information that is considered to be ‘inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant’.
You can apply directly to Google through their online form here.
How to get insurance quotes following a criminal conviction
QuoteRack works closely with insurance brokers that specialise in providing insurance policies to businesses and individuals affected by a criminal conviction. For more details, follow the links below:
Car insurance with a criminal conviction
Business insurance with a criminal conviction
Home insurance with a criminal conviction
Motorbike insurance with a criminal conviction