FAQs – Car Insurance

Yes are open for business and many our teams are now working from home so we can continue to support our customers and colleagues.  This may mean you experience some background noise on our calls but please be assured we are doing everything necessary to maintain a secure and quality of service for our customers.

Our opening hours are:

Monday – Friday 9.00am to 7.00pm
Saturday 9.00am to 6.00pm

No, but you should keep up-to-date with the Government’s advice and make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay safe.

If you do need to make a change to your policy you can do this online:

• If you have a car policy, you can make changes online by visiting My Portal.

If we haven’t covered your Coronavirus-related change in these FAQs or you can’t find help by calling us.

We’ll do everything we can to support you if you’ve been affected by the Coronavirus – either financially or otherwise, so please contact us as soon as possible if you’re worried. All conversations are confidential and, if it’s easier, we can talk to a relative, friend o about your account – we’ll just need your authorisation to do this.

Please don’t cancel any payments or direct debits without speaking to us first. Missing payments means you run the risk of your policy being cancelled and we don’t want you to be left uninsured.

We have a number of options to help you. We can look at things like:

• Your level of cover – changing your mileage, occupation, how you use your vehicle or the level of cover you have for your home can sometimes bring your price down. You can do this online by visiting My Portal.
• Changing payment dates – if it will help, we can change the date your direct debit comes out.

To help you further, you won’t be charged a fee to make certain changes to your policy, amend your payment dates or if you decide you need to cancel.

You can find lots more impartial advice online with Money Advice Service, National Debtline, StepChange Debt Charity and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Unfortunately, you can’t suspend an insurance policy but you can cancel it (see below for how to do this). If you decide you want to cancel outside of your cooling off period, you’ll be charged for the length of time you were insured for, plus any applicable fees. If you haven’t made a claim during your policy, any money owed to you will then be refunded.

Remember, it’s a legal requirement to have insurance (unless you declare your vehicle as SORN). Even if you aren’t driving your car it is important to protect against other events such as fire and theft, and some mortgage companies stipulate you must have your home insured. If you keep your policy you’ll also be able to earn this year’s no claims discount.

If your annual mileage is going to be lower than usual, you can easily reduce it by visiting My Portal by selecting ‘Manage my vehicle’ and then ‘Edit my current vehicle’.

The size of any decrease will depend on many factors and will vary from policy to policy.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure how much to reduce your mileage by. You can change it now and change it again once the situation is clearer.

Make sure you remember to review your mileage once you go back to driving normally, otherwise you may not be fully covered.

If you’re struggling to send this into us, please email us at talk2us@vavista.com with your policy number and the best number for us to contact you on, so we can help.

Yes, the Association of British insurers states that the cover of anyone using their private car as an NHS volunteer responder will not be affected and you are not required to contact us to notify us.

You can but we would encourage you to send any documentation or correspondence by email to talk2us@vavista.com. In the event you can only send things by post please note our post is only dealt with on a Tuesday and Thursday due to our agents working from home. We can also confirm any letters we send to you via post are always sent to you via email too, and in the current situation you may be experiencing delays with receiving post. So, please ensure you check our emails regularly, and also check your junk folder too.

 

We will continue to keep you updated by email, our social media accounts and website, and for more information on steps you can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health & Social Care website.

Thank you for all your support in keeping one another safe.

The Vavista Team

We try to provide our customers with the best possible prices which means our best price is always displayed online so hopefully we don’t need to price match.

You might have noticed on comparison websites that your details give different prices depending on the insurance company. This is because all insurers have different prices for things such as areas, vehicles, age etc. For example, if you live in a big city, your insurance will more likely be more expensive than if you live in the country because of the risks involved – the increased possibility of theft and busier roads meaning there is more potential for accidents and so on.
The value of your vehicle can also affect your premium, although a high vehicle value does not necessarily mean high premiums.
Tip: Differing prices might also reflect what’s included in your insurance cover. Check what your policy includes carefully before agreeing to the terms.

There are 3 levels of cover;

Third party – the minimum legal requirement. It covers others (third party) but not you. If you injure someone or damage their property, they’re covered but if your own car is damaged or stolen, you have to pay for the loss yourself.

Third party, fire and theft cover – is as above but additionally covers you for repairs or replacement if your car is stolen or damaged by fire.

Fully comprehensive – the highest level of cover. On top of the basics of third party, fire and theft, it’s the only type that covers you if you damage your own car, even if the accident was your fault.
You can claim for:
• Repairs after an accident
• Accidental damage
• Vandalism

Tip: Fully comprehensive insurance often covers you to drive other people’s cars if you have their permission. You will only be insured under a basic third party cover for this. Check your particular cover policy terms.

There are three main classes of use. Social, Domestic & Pleasure and Commuting for Private Use and Business Class (1) and (2).

Social, Domestic and Pleasure
This is the most common class of use applicable to virtually all policies. Cover includes any social use of the vehicle, i.e. shopping, the school run or visiting relatives.

Social, Domestic and Pleasure including Commuting
In addition to the above, cover includes commuting to one fixed place of work (or educational establishment in the case of persons in full time education).

Business Class 1
This permits the policyholder (and/or spouse) to use the car for travel between multiple fixed places of work in addition to use for social domestic and pleasure use. Common occupations that might require such class of use would include a supply teacher, a care worker who drives to see various patients, or any person who might have to work at more than one location.

Tip: This cover excludes use of the vehicle as a tool of trade.

Business Class 2
This class normally extends the cover under Class 1 (above) to any named drivers on the policy. Most insurance companies will require both the policyholder and the named driver to use the car for the same business (i.e. the insured and the named driver cannot use the vehicle in connection with different businesses) Tip: As above, this covers excludes commercial usage including delivering goods or selling products.

Policyholders and additional drivers must be aged between 17 and 75 on the date the policy is purchased or renewed. This is subject to the terms of your policy.

Claiming on your car insurance policy is usually pretty straightforward, but your car insurance doesn’t cover taking somebody to court to recuperate your costs from an accident. Legal expenses cover offers legal protection as standard which allows you to recover your uninsured losses if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault.

Yes, we will provide cover to drive to a MOT test centre, or to drive from the MOT test centre to an authorised repairer, providing that the MOT/repairs were pre–booked.

Only if you have Driving Other Cars cover, this will be clearly stated on your certificate of insurance and you should check first to ensure you don’t drive without insurance.

Yes we will.
A modification is anything that has been added to your car that is nonstandard – this could be tinted windows, alloy wheels, spoilers etc. You should inform your insurer if you think your vehicle has any modifications in order to ensure you have adequate cover.
Tip: We have a modifications list to select from when doing an online quote and you can select a maximum of 5. if you have more than 5 modifications or are not sure it’s best to call us to discuss.

Yes we will.
Yes, but we will only accept long–term hire agreements of one year or more.

Your car will remain insured whilst towing either a trailer or caravan providing you are not receiving payment to do so, however the policy will not cover the replacement value of the trailer or caravan and will only provide third party cover should your trailer or caravan damages another vehicle. In all circumstances you will have to obtain separate cover for either trailer or caravan as this will not be covered under your existing policy.

Yes, we cover cars that have been converted to run on LPG for an additional premium.

We only provide cover for vehicles officially imported into the UK that are coded by the Association of British Insurers. If you are unsure please contact us.

Service men and women personal vehicles will still be covered while on active duty abroad, provided the vehicle remains in the UK.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct entitlement to drive the insured car. We do not accept international or any other type of foreign licences.

Tip: If in doubt, please check with the DVLA and/or equivalent organisation from the country of origin.

Unfortunately, Vavista does not currently offer cover for couriers.

No, we do not insure the carrying of passengers for hire, reward or employment–related purposes.

Cover for tuition is excluded from our policies. If you are taking driving lessons you should be covered by your professional driving instructor’s insurance, it’s worth checking you are fully covered with them before booking any lessons.

Unfortunately, we do not currently provide one day/temporary cover.

No. We will only insure vehicles registered in the United Kingdom.

You need to ensure all information provided to us is accurate so that you are properly insured. Your current address is confirmed in that documents that we will email to you, such as your certificate or any further correspondence. Insurers are able to request proof of address from their policyholders to make sure that the address on file is the correct one so that they have the appropriate cover in place.

Tip: It’s important that the address listed on your policy is the one at which your vehicle is kept most of the time.

You need to ensure all information provided to us is accurate so that you are properly insured. As with your address, it’s also important to disclose your occupation correctly. If you are dishonest about your job, for example you say you’re a policeman but you’re actually a footballer, then you may risk your claim being rejected or your policy being cancelled. Insurers are able to request proof of occupation if they suspect you may not have disclosed this correctly, if this proof is not received your policy will be cancelled.

These are medical conditions or disabilities that may affect your driving ability and it’s a criminal offence not to notify the DVLA and your insurer. Notifiable conditions can include, but are not limited to:

•epilepsy
•strokes
•other neurological and mental health conditions
•physical disabilities
•visual impairments

Tip: If you’re unsure, it’s best to get in touch

You need to ensure all information provided to us is accurate so that you are properly insured. Most websites will allow you to enter the exact date you got your licence, so it’s always best to do that. However some sites will only ask for the amount of years you’ve held your licence.
Tip: If you have held your licence for 3 years 10 months, you’ll need to put this down as 3 years, even though it’s closer to 4. Only full years count.

Yes. It is important to let your insurer know of any convictions when taking out or renewing a policy to ensure you are paying a premium based on the correct details. If we don’t hold the correct information you may have problems at claim stage, for example your policy may be declared void or you may be paid less for a claim to make up for the fact you were not paying the correct premium. You can do this easily by contacting our customer services team.

There is no set number but it’s important that you advise us of all convictions so we can ensure you are paying a premium based on the correct details.
Tip: The impact that a conviction has on your premium will depend on the type of conviction

It’s always better to be honest at the start than to be caught out later, so if you have had a previous policy cancelled or void it’s important to disclose this to your insurer before you incept the policy. The best thing to do would be to call the insurer to discuss your options because if this is found out at a later date it could mean that your new policy is also void or cancelled due to the non–disclosure.

Any incidents, accidents,claims or losses that were made or occured on a previous policy need to be disclosed or you could be charged an additional premium or have your policy cancelled or voided.

This applies even if the claim was made by a named driver who is not on your new policy. It also works the other way, so if you had an accident when you were a named driver on someone else’s policy you would also need to disclose this on your new policy.

Tip: Insurers have access to online databases that have information on all UK claims and when a new insurance policy is taken every driver’s details are checked against this database so any incorrect claims information will be picked up.

Yes you do, regardless of whether you intend to claim we need to be notified of any accident or loss.
Tip: Failure to do so might result in the cancellation of your policy or problems if you do claim.

No. We will ask for your expected mileage up front but unlike some insurers there are no mileage limitations on our polices.

We aim to email you within 48 hours to advise you of your online portal access which offers you 24/7 access to your documents.
Tip: Check your junk folders just in case your email has filtered them wrongly.

If your car is parked in a lockable garage, as stipulated in your policy, you are eligible for a garage endorsement which could mean lower premiums.

The security endorsement is triggered when you state on your policy details that your car is fitted with a factory fitted alarm/immobilisers.
Tip: These must be in full working order to be applicable.

Yes, providing you can supply all the information we need to insure you, you can specify today’s date you require the cover to begin.

The excess you have agreed can be found on your policy documents. It is composed of two parts – the compulsory excess which is set by the insurer as the amount you have to pay in the event of a claim, and the voluntary excess which is the amount you agreed to pay on top of that in the event of a claim.
So if you claim for damage to your car, and the insurer had set your compulsory excess as £200 and your voluntary excess is £100, you would have to pay an excess of £300. This could be paid directly to the garage the car is being repaired or deducted from settlement if the car is a total loss.
Tip: You can choose a voluntary excess £0, but generally choosing a higher voluntary excess is likely to make your premium cheaper.

No claims discount protection can be added if you have a minimum of 4 years no claims discount (NCD). This can be added before you buy the policy, and cannot then be added until the next renewal.

No. The no claims discount would be in the name of the policyholder rather than a named driver.

Yes – subject to a letter of proof from your employer stating the period of time that you have been driving accident free on their policy.

No. Only a complete year will count towards no claims discount.

Insurance Premium Tax is a tax on insurance policies which works in a similar way to VAT in that it’s added to the total of any insurance policy purchased. IPT is payable in the UK including Northern Ireland. However, you do not have to pay IPT in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

If you have opted to pay monthly a deposit payment would have been taken, when you originally purchased your policy with Vavista. The remaining balance including interest would then be collected across 10 monthly instalments. Vavista are a credit broker that arranges premium finance on behalf of our customers. We do not act as the finance lender. These payment’s will show on your bank account as Creation Finance who are the finance lender.

It is important that you read through your credit agreement as it contains important information. In your agreement you will see the date your payments will be debited, the amount which will be taken and the final amount payable. You need to sign and return the Credit agreement within 21days from when you receive it, you can do this by using the pre-paid envelope included in your letter from Creation. You can also E-Sign your credit agreement by logging into your Creation account managemyaccount.creation.co.uk Please note that if you do not sign and return this within 21days, Creation will apply a fee of £10. Once the credit agreement is signed and returned or e-signed this will be refunded back.

You can make any outstanding payments by logging on to your account at creation.co.uk and follow the online instructions. You can also call Creation directly on 02890 267617, Vavista will not be able to collect any missed Direct Debit payments. If your payment defaults Creation will write to you, to inform you. Please be aware that you will only be able to make this payment once your direct debit shows in default. This can take up to 2 working days from when the payment is attempted. If you default a fee of £25 will be applied, if this is not paid within 7 days with Creation, we will send correspondence to you which will provide you with a further 7 days to make payment directly with Creation. Failure to make this payment within the given timeframe could result in your finance agreement being cancelled and insurance cover being withdrawn.

Log on to your Creation account at https://www.creation.co.uk and follow the online instructions
Call us on 0344 7768382
Contact Creation directly on 02890 267617

• Contact our Claims Team on 03448 409537 as soon as possible and when it is safe to do so
• Remain calm
• Don’t accept liability
• Exchange details with the other party (including names, phone numbers and address, make, model and registration number of the vehicle, and details of their insurance company).
• Take down details of any witnesses or police officers that attended the scene
• Take photos if you can
• Send us any documentation you receive to do with the accident
Tip: Our expert insurance claims team will guide you through the claims process so you’re in safe hands

If you have a fully comprehensive policy, your vehicle is repairable, and our approved repairer is utilised, every effort will be made to supply you with a courtesy car, subject to the conditions of the policy. This is not applicable to a third party only, or third party, fire, and theft policy.

If you or any of your passengers are injured in an incident involving your car, we will pay medical expenses of up to £100 for each insured person. We will also reimburse any person, using any car which is covered under the policy for payments made under the Road Traffic Acts for emergency treatment. This is subject to the terms of your policy.

This is a motor vehicle repairer approved by Vavista and authorised to repair your car following the claim under your policy.

You need to report the incident to the police if your car has been stolen, broken into, maliciously damaged, or if someone has been injured because of an incident involving your car. They will give you an incident number which you should write down and keep safe as we will need to know this as part of a claim.
Then contact our Claims Team on 03448 409537. It will speed up the process if you have your policy details and incident details to hand.

We have a panel of Approved Repairers, one of which will repair your car. Our Approved Repairers provide excellent customer service and quality repairs for our customers.
The Approved Repairer will provide you with a free courtesy car for the duration of repairs,
each repair is carried out in accordance with recognised industry standards, and guaranteed for 3 years.
You can use a repairer of your choice but this will mean we can’t guarantee the work and you will need an estimate for us to approve before work can commence. You also lose your right to a courtesy car.

If the cost of repairs exceeds the market value of your car it is likely we will consider it to be beyond economic repair. This is referred to as a total loss or write-off.

If you have fully comprehensive cover, one of our engineers will inspect your car and place a value on it, this is based on the current market value of the vehicle which reflects market trends and car value guides.
We consider your cars condition including bodywork, mileage, interior and service history. Once the engineer has completed their report we will carry out a series of industry database checks designed to safeguard our policyholders against fraud.
Once these are complete, payment will be sent to you, subject to the deductions i.e. outstanding finance, outstanding premiums, and excess as per the conditions of your policy.
If you have Third Party Fire and Theft cover this means we cover damage to any third party in the event of an accident with your vehicle, i.e. another driver, but are unable to deal with any damage caused to your vehicle including a total loss.

We are unable to give exact time scales as each claim is different but we try to resolve all claims as quickly as possible. We understand that making a claim can be a stressful time and can assure you Vavista is committed to providing excellent customer service, as is our appointed representative Somerset Bridge Limited who handle our claims. We take all claims seriously and once submitted your claim will be reviewed by one of their experienced claims handlers who will always look to keep you informed of how your claim is progressing.

We will put you in touch with one of our partners who will look to repair your car and keep you mobile, they will then make a recovery directly from the at fault insurers. If you are injured, we can also recommend a solicitor who you can contact to discuss any injury claim.
Our priority is to get your car repaired and back on the road, or a settlement to you if it is a total loss (write-off).
After this, we will try to recover our outlay from the person responsible for the accident. If we are successful, then making the claim will not affect your No Claims Bonus*
*No claims discount protection can be added if you have a minimum of 4 years no claims discount (NCD). This can be added before you buy the policy, and cannot then be added until the next renewal.

This depends on the cover you have.
If you have Comprehensive cover, we will arrange for an inspection of your vehicle, any repairs (or agreement if it’s a total loss), and handle the other driver’s claim.
If you have Third Party Fire and Theft cover this means we cover damage to any third party in the event of an accident with your vehicle, i.e. another driver, but are unable to deal with any damage caused to your vehicle in a road traffic collision.
In both cases, if you receive any correspondence from the other driver, or their insurers, it’s important you contact us as soon as possible so that we can respond on your behalf.

We will always try to fight your corner and to do this we may ask you to complete an Accident Report Form providing an accurate and detailed description of how the incident occurred. This can include a sketch showing all vehicles involved, any road markings, and the position of the vehicles before and after impact.
Independent witness statements and police reports can also be used as evidence and can assist us in receiving an admission of liability from the other driver’s insurer. Also, if you have any dash-cam footage of the incident, please forward a copy to us as a matter of urgency. Similarly, if you aware of any CCTV cameras at the accident location please make us aware of this A.S.A.P, as quite often there is a time limit on obtaining copies before is the footage is deleted, this can often be as little as 14 days.
It is important to note that the more evidence we have available the greater our chances of successfully holding the Third Party at fault.

If the incident is not your fault and we make a full recovery from the responsible person, your no claims discount will be unaffected. However, if we are unable to recover the cost, your no claims discount will be reduced at the renewal of your policy*.
If the incident is your fault, your no claims discount will be reduced*.
In the event of a theft claim your no claims discount will be reduced, as it is unlikely we will locate the persons who stole your vehicle and recover the costs*.
*No claims discount protection can be added if you have a minimum of 4 years no claims discount (NCD). This can be added before you buy the policy, and cannot then be added until the next renewal.

It is important to let your insurer know of any changes to your circumstances. These might include getting a new car, moving house, or changing jobs. Updating your details will ensure you are paying a premium based on the correct details. If you do not update your information you may have problems at claim stage, for example you may be paid less for a claim to make up for the fact you were not paying the correct premium.

You can make any changes to your policy quickly and easily by contacting our customer service team or via your online portal. It’s important that you keep your policy up to date to ensure that you are correctly covered.
Tip: With a Vavista insurance your documents will automatically be stored in your personal online portal which allows you to check your details 24/7. Please contact us if your require more information or check your insurance confirmation email which will outline the portal details.

You can only increase the level of cover partway through the policy if you are changing your vehicle.

All categories of driving convictions such as an SP30 (exceeding the speed limit on a public road or motorway) can affect your premium. You are under obligation to alert your insurance company if you receive any points or convictions on your licence. Please contact our customer services team to arrange.
Tip: This will not necessarily have an impact on your premium but it is essential that it is logged.

Policy and administration fees are separate from the charge for your cover. They cover the administration costs of making any changes to the policy. You can find details of these in your policy documents.

Your policy should cover you to drive abroad in a private capacity in certain countries as defined in your policy document.
Tip: This is subject to your usual place of residence being in the United Kingdom.

It’s best to contact us if you plan on travel abroad so we can confirm that you have the correct cover for the countries you are visiting. All UK motorists who are planning to drive in the European Economic Area (EEA) and some other countries (Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland) will need to request a green card.

Tip: Please remember, there will be no cover for countries outside the territorial limits of your policy with Vavista.

No, you will only be covered if you are travelling in your private capacity.

The territorial limits of your policy are defined as any country which is a member of the European Union and also any country which the Commission of the EU is satisfied has made arrangements to meet the requirements of Article 7.2 of the EU directive of Civil Liabilities arising from the use of Motor Vehicles.
Tip: You can find a list of these countries in your policy documents.

If you wish to cancel your policy you should do this by contacting our customer services team as soon as possible. They may ask you to confirm this in writing.

You have the right to cancel your relationship with us, without giving any reason, within 14 days of receiving the policy documents or the start date of the policy, whichever is later. If you exercise your right to cancel during this initial period of cover, you will be entitled to a refund of premium paid provided cover has not yet commenced, that you have not made a claim, or a claim having been made against You.

If cover has commenced i.e. mid-term, your refund will be subject to a deduction for the time you have been covered and for any costs incurred in issuing the Policy. Any payments for additional add ons are non refundable.

The Motor Insurance Database (MID) is the only central record of all insured vehicles in the UK and is updated over 10,000 times an hour. One of the most important tools to ensure that only insured vehicles are driven on our roads, the MID is used by the police and the DVLA to enforce motor insurance law.

The police use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology with information from the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to identify and catch people driving uninsured vehicles. More than 500 are seized every day and one person every three minutes is convicted for uninsured driving.

The MID is also systematically compared with the DVLA’s registered keeper records to identify uninsured vehicles from the record.

Tip: Just like the DVLA, you can check your vehicle is appearing on the MID for FREE.

No it doesn’t. It can take up to 7 days to add data onto the Motor Insurers’ Database (MID) and in some cases a little longer. If you have any concerns please contact us.

We will only provide cover for vehicles officially imported into the UK that are coded by the Association of British Insurers. If you can’t find your car listed you will need to contact us urgently with all your vehicle details.

Windscreen cover protects you against a broken or damaged windscreen or windows and scratching of the bodywork caused by them breaking.

When obtaining a quote with Vavista, claims for damage to windscreen or glass need not be disclosed.

If you have fully comprehensive cover, you will have windscreen cover included as standard under the main terms of your policy. If you have Third Party Fire and Theft cover, or Third Party Only cover, you will not have windscreen cover included. You can find out the levels of cover you have by logging into your online portal and reviewing your documents at vavista.opencustomerportal.co.uk.
Your documents also set out your windscreen excess. Your excess is payable directly to the windscreen company.

If you have third party fire and theft cover or third party only cover, you won’t be able to claim for windscreen damage under your main policy. You can however purchase a separate add-on policy to cover you for this. You will only be covered for damage which occurs after you have purchased the cover and won’t be able to claim for pre-existing damage.
You can find out more about our add-ons here vavista.com/policy-documents/car.

You should follow the claims procedure as set out in your insurer’s policy wording. A copy of your policy wording can be found in your online portal.

No a windscreen claim will not affect your no claims bonus, however you will need to disclose the claim to future insurers.

Yes we do! What this means is that if we are ever unable to meet our liability under your policy, you may be entitled to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Green Cards are an international certificate of insurance issued by insurance providers in the UK, guaranteeing that the motorist has the necessary third-party motor insurance cover for driving in the country being travelled to.

All UK motorists who are planning to drive in the European Economic Area (EEA) and some other countries (Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland) will need to request a green card.

Two weeks prior to travelling you will need to contact us on 0344 776 8382 to request your Green Card.

We will issue you your card electronically via email, which you will need to print on paper.

On request, we can post you a hard copy.

Please give us at least two weeks’ notice prior to your travel.

No, there is no charge for issuing you a Green Card.

Please be aware there is new government advice that UK motorists travelling with trailers and caravans should have two Green Cards issued – one for the towing vehicle and one for the trailer/caravan

Yes.

Under current international rules, Green Cards are physical paper documents printed on paper.

You may be required to show the physical document at the border when entering the EU, but this will be a decision for the border authorities to take.

You may also be subject to police checks while driving abroad and you will also need to be able to present the document at the scene if you are involved in an accident.