Can You Lie About Your Driving Record?

When calculating your car insurance premiums, one of the first things an insurance agent reviews is your driving record. Drivers with a history of accidents of claims are considered to have a “bad driving record” and generally pay more for car insurance premiums. Even a single accident can raise your rates by 30% or more. To avoid these high rates, can’t you simply lie to your insurance agent about your driving record?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. The DMV through which you obtained your drivers license works closely with insurance providers and will notify your insurance provider of accidents or tickets on your record. If you do decide to lie to your insurance agent about your driving record and the DMV notifies them, the insurance provider has the right to refuse insuring you and may even cancel your current policy. Lying about your driving record is considered “soft fraud,” but it is fraud nonetheless.

When Will an Insurance Provider Drop You?

In many instances, an insurance provider must give a 30-day notice when cancelling a policy. They may simply choose not to renew your policy at the end of its term, however.

Insurance providers cannot cancel your car insurance without probable cause, such as soft fraud. Another reason they may cancel your policy is if you become too high risk to insure, don’t pay your premiums or you violate an SR22 requirement. An SR22 is a form required by a state or court for certain high-risk drivers that promise the driver carries the state required amount of car insurance. If there is a lapse in coverage, the insurance provider may notify the court and usually has a right to cancel your policy.

Saving Money on Car Insurance with a Bad Driving Record

Even with a poor driving record, you can save money on car insurance. Other factors influence the cost of your car insurance and can be used to lower your premiums.

• Raise your credit score. A good credit score can save you money on insurance, so raise your credit by paying off loans and debt, such as credit cards.
• Set up automatic payments. Some insurance providers have discounts for automatic payments, and this ensures you won’t accidentally skip paying a premium.
• Ask about discounts. There are many discounts available for drivers, such as the Mature Driver discount, bundling home and auto, etc.

Also Read: How To Get Car Insurance When You Have A Lot Of Tickets