Rejected by an insurer because of a criminal record
If you have been criminally convicted in the last eight years or if you have been in contact with the law or the police as a suspect during that period, you are required by law to disclose this when you want to purchase insurance. A criminal record can then have an adverse effect. We explain what you can do then.
What are the consequences for my insurance if I have a criminal record?
The insurer asks the following question with each insurance application, "Have you been in contact with police or the justice system as a suspect in the past eight years?" It is mandatory to disclose a criminal history. The insurer asks this to determine how trustworthy you, as the policyholder, are. The insurer's goal is to determine what, if any, risk it faces. Based on the information obtained, the insurer considers whether or not to proceed with the insurance contract. An important consideration is whether your criminal record has anything to do with your desired insurance policy. For example, have you been previously convicted of alcohol abuse and received a driving ban for that? If so, because you pose too great a risk, many insurance companies will not want to provide you with auto insurance. If the insurance company does accept your application, the premium will most likely be higher than it usually is.
In the event of a criminal past, can an insurer simply cancel the insurance?
If the insurer finds out that you, when submitting the insurance application, failed to disclose your criminal history, it is a valid reason to stop your insurance with immediate effect. You must complete the questions on the insurance application truthfully. Failure to do so means you are committing insurance fraud. This makes it even more difficult to get other insurance in the future; registering as a fraudster means that many insurance companies will not accept you. As a fraudster, you get a registration in the database of Foundation CIS. All insurers and authorized agents affiliated with Stichting CIS can view this data.
When I apply for insurance, am I obliged to mention my criminal record?
When you apply for insurance, the insurer is not aware of your criminal history and does not have access to your criminal record. However, when specifically asked about it when processing the insurance application, you are required to give an honest answer. Withholding information means you are committing insurance fraud. If the insurance company subsequently finds out, they will immediately stop your insurance. You also lose the right to payment in case of damage or an accident. It is up to you to weigh the consequences. Depending on the offense listed on your criminal record, you still have a chance that a regular insurance company will accept your application. If you are registered in the database of the CIS Foundation for fraud, you will not be accepted by any regular insurance company. You can still apply to De Vereende. An insurance will involve extra costs, such as a higher premium.
How long does a criminal record remain registered?
The period for which the criminal record remains registered depends on the type of offense. Generally speaking, a criminal record usually expires after five years. That means, five years after the offense, you should be able to get insurance from a regular insurance company again. However, if the offense occurred less than eight years ago, you are still required to report it to the insurance company. One option is to apply for a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG). In this way you can prove that your past does not constitute an objection to taking out insurance. The insurer then makes the final decision on whether to insure you.
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