Car insurance acceptance questions
When buying auto insurance, you will always face underwriting questions. Insurers ask these questions to determine whether to accept or reject your application. Therefore, always be honest about your situation.
Car insurance underwriting question topics
Insurers look at a number of issues to determine whether you will be accepted as a customer and what the car insurance premium will be.
Insurers want to manage risk. Underwriting questions give them insight into your driving history, claims history and reliability. This helps them determine whether you fit their risk profile. You are not insured until the insurer has accepted your requested car insurance.
Damage to your car
It asks if the car has been uninsured for more than 14 days. And whether there is pre-existing damage to the car. Car insurance does not always cover damage that was already present when the policy was taken out.
Have you previously driven a claim and accumulated negative claim-free years as a result? Negative claim-free years can affect your premium and underwriting. How many claims you have had in the past will also affect your application. Windscreen damage does not count.
Driver's license and driving skills
Insurers also ask questions about the driver's license and driving record. They want to know if you hold a license valid in the Netherlands or a foreign license recognized here.
You will also be asked about any restrictions or endorsements on your driver's license, such as a suspended driving record.
The driver's driving record also plays a big role in assessing the application. A driver with a driving history with no damage and a valid license is considered less risky.
Driving disqualification or criminal record
Have you had a driving record or criminal record in the past? If so, the auto insurer may charge a higher premium or even reject the application. According to the insurer, the moral hazard is higher than for a policyholder without a disqualification or criminal record.
Intentional deception about your driving history or concealment of a criminal record can result in immediate rejection of auto insurance and a report to the CIS Foundation.
Also with a driving disqualification or a criminal record you can take out car insurance. You then take out insurance through the Vereende.
Late payments or debts
Insurers may also ask questions about your financial situation. For example, whether your income has been garnished, whether you are or have been in debt restructuring, or whether a bailiff has been called in. This helps them properly assess your financial situation and any risks such as garnishment.
Acceptance questions may vary by insurer
Most insurers ask similar underwriting questions, but sometimes an insurer limits itself to a subset of them. Based on the answers, the insurer can evaluate your car insurance application.
Duty of disclosure: be honest in underwriting questions
Do you not answer the questions asked honestly? Then the insurer may refuse your application if it appears that you have not fulfilled the duty of disclosure. This duty means that you must provide complete and truthful information when applying for and maintaining auto insurance.
Not answering underwriting questions honestly is considered insurance fraud. A CIS registration for fraud can have unpleasant consequences.
Reporting to the CIS Foundation
Auto insurers can also file a report with the CIS Foundation if it appears that false information has been provided. This makes it more difficult to obtain auto insurance from other insurers.
3 types of questions: acceptance, closing, and agreement questions
When buying auto insurance, you often encounter several types of questions. In addition to underwriting questions, you'll also get closing questions and agreement questions. Below you can read about the difference between these three types of questions.
| Term | Meaning | Target | When asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Questions | Questions that insurers ask to assess your risk profile. | Determining eligibility for insurance. | When applying for insurance. |
| Final Questions | General, often legal questions at the end of the application process. | Verify that all information given is complete and truthful. | At the very end of the application form. |
| Agreement questions | Questions that confirm your agreement to the terms and conditions and processing of data. | Legal record that you agree to the insurance agreement. | After answering all substantive questions. |
Sample acceptance questions
If you answer "yes" to any of the questions, you must explain this with your application. If you take out car insurance through Alpina, then you can expect the questions below.
Acceptance Questions
- Has the vehicle been uninsured for more than 14 days since it was registered in your name?
Insurers want to know if there was a period when the car was not insured even though it was required to be. This may affect the acceptance of your application. - Are there existing damages to the vehicle?
Existing damage is usually not covered by new insurance. Therefore, it is important that you report it in advance.
Final Questions
- Have you, or someone you want to co-insure (such as co-owner, license plate holder, regular driver or partner), been in trouble with the police or the courts in the past eight years?
For example, a conviction for theft, fraud, forgery, assault or traffic offenses such as driving under the influence or driving on after a collision. - Has your or another interested party's insurance been cancelled or refused in the past 5 years?
This can happen, for example, in the case of fraud, multiple claims in a short period of time or payment arrears. - Have you, or someone you want to co-insure, been involved in a collision or theft claim (regardless of fault) in the past 5 years?
Even if the damage was caused and recovered by someone else, you must report it. You do not have to report windshield damage. - Have you or any of the regular drivers been disqualified from driving in the past 8 years?
For example, due to drunk driving or serious traffic violations. - Is your income or assets currently being seized by a bailiff?
Or have you been declared bankrupt, placed in debt restructuring or granted a moratorium by the court in the past 5 years? - Have you or a co-insured ever been involved in insurance fraud or intentional deception of a financial institution?
Insurance companies use this information to prevent abuse.
Agreement questions
With these questions, you only need to agree to the question.
- Digital communication
You will receive your policy, payment reminders and important information by e-mail. For this you give your agreement. - Insurance card and documents
You agree to the insurance card and other documents being made available digitally. - Notification
You certify that you have read the Services Guide and Privacy Statement, and that you have submitted this application without advice. - Alarm Requirements
You are aware of the alarm requirements set (e.g., theft protection) and understand that there is no coverage for non-compliance. - First premium payment
For monthly payments, the first collection may be higher because it includes both the remainder of the current month and the following month. - Statement
You confirm that you have answered all questions truthfully and understand the content.
Getting car insurance if you've been denied
Are you not accepted by an insurer? Then there are still options to insure your car properly. You can always get car insurance through the Vereende. It does not matter what the reason is why you were rejected elsewhere.
The premium, however, is significantly higher than for regular car insurance. This higher premium is because of the higher risk to the insurer.
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Frequently asked questions about car insurance underwriting questions
What acceptance questions are asked?
Insurers ask underwriting questions to assess your eligibility for auto insurance. They cover things like previous claims, traffic or criminal offenses, cancellations by other insurers, financial situations (such as debt restructuring or repossession) and whether the vehicle has been damage-free and insured.
What are underwriting questions in auto insurance?
These are questions that insurers ask to assess your personal risk based on each insurance policy requested. Think about your driving record, claims history and insurance history. Based on your answers, they decide whether to accept you, and on what terms.
Am I required to answer the underwriting questions honestly?
Yes, you are required by law to disclose all facts that may be relevant to an auto insurer's underwriting decisions. We call this the duty of disclosure.
Insurers consult various sources to verify the accuracy of the information you provide. Thus, you should always answer the underwriting questions honestly when purchasing auto insurance.
Are you concealing information? Then an insurer has all kinds of ways to find out. They then have the right to terminate your car insurance.
Why can an insurer refuse you?
An insurer may refuse you if you do not fall within their risk profile. Consider a history of many claims, an expulsion status, or inaccurate information with the application. Each auto insurer has its own underwriting policy.
Can I be denied based on my claims history?
Yes, you certainly can. If you have made multiple claims in the past or have been denied by another insurer, many insurers see you as higher risk. That can lead to a rejection or higher premium.
What happens if I give incorrect answers to the acceptance questions?
Knowingly wrong answers can have major consequences. The insurer may then refuse you or discontinue your policy. And if fraud is involved, you may end up on the CIS registry, making it difficult to purchase future insurance.
What if I am not accepted anywhere?
Fortunately, there are other solutions if you are refused at a regular insurance company. Insurers such as De Vereende also accept clients who have been refused elsewhere. You often pay a higher premium, but you remain insured.
Can I get car insurance without underwriting questions?
No, you can't. You must always answer a number of underwriting questions. Every car insurance company is required by law to ask a number of underwriting questions before taking out a car insurance policy. Based on your answers, the insurer assesses whether you can be accepted and under what conditions. This way, insurance is fair and responsible.
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