Do car insurance companies check where you live?

Asked by: Jalon Langosh DVM  |  Last update: February 23, 2023
Score: 4.5/5 (48 votes)

Your location plays a critical role in car insurance premiums. Insurance companies use your location, driving history, demographic data, and other factors to calculate accurate insurance premiums.

Can you lie about where you live for car insurance?

Technically, lying about your address on your Auto Insurance form isn't a crime. However, there are serious consequences if you're caught lying about your address. Insurance companies call lying about your zip code “material misrepresentation of the risk,” more commonly referred to as fraud.

What happens if you lie to insurance company about address?

You could face criminal penalties. A false insurance claim can lead to jail, substantial fines, and a permanent criminal record.

Does where you live affect your insurance?

The state in which you live can have a profound effect on your car insurance premiums. While auto insurance premiums are largely based on personal factors, including one's driving record, age, gender, marital status, and so forth, where a driver lives can have a significant impact on his or her rates.

What can insurance companies see?

Why Car Insurance Companies Check Your Driving Record
  • Your location.
  • Your marital status.
  • Your employment status.
  • Your credit history.
  • Your vehicle.
  • The miles you cover.
  • The extra driving courses you took.
  • Where you keep your vehicle.

What Your Car Insurance Company Does NOT Want You to Know

25 related questions found

What information do auto insurance companies have access to?

They can access your record while doing an audit. So, every insurer has access to medical data that exists about you. Moreover, they talk with doctors and hospitals, they examine your records, they talk to your dentist if necessary and of course, they talk to each other.

Do insurance companies check with DVLA?

While providing a copy of your driving licence and other documents may be a minor hassle, insurers have a legitimate reason for carrying out a DVLA licence check. In fact, ensuring all policyholders provide full and accurate information regarding past convictions and penalties can actually save you money.

How does your address affect car insurance?

Your address is one of the many factors that insurance companies use to determine auto premiums. Changing your address can change your level of risk, so changing your address can raise or lower your rate depending on where you move. When you're getting a car insurance quote, insurers always ask for your address.

Does moving house affect car insurance?

Will moving home affect my car insurance? Yes. As soon as you move house (or know your new address details and moving date) you should inform your insurance provider so they can update your details.

Why does location matter for car insurance?

Your place of residence has a significant effect on your car insurance premium, because insurance companies examine data that determines which areas residents are most likely to file claims.

What happens if you get caught lying to insurance?

If you have been in caught lying to your insurer the consequences include increased premiums, denied claims, your policy being cancelled, being denied future insurance, and even criminal charges.

Can I lie about my address?

Address fraud is a type of fraud in which the perpetrator uses an inaccurate or fictitious address to steal money or other benefit, or to hide from authorities. The crime may involve stating one's address as a place where s/he never lived, or continuing to use a previous address where one no longer lives as one's own.

What happens if you lie about your occupation on car insurance?

Lying about your job title could void your car insurance

If the job title you choose when buying a car policy doesn't match what you actually do, your insurance might not be valid. It could also mean your policy gets "voided". And this might make it harder (or more expensive) to get insurance in future.

Do insurance companies check where your car is parked?

Don't worry, your insurer's only interested in where you normally park your car – so you'll still be covered if you occasionally park elsewhere. If you have a telematics policy, your black box roughly tracks your car's location, so your insurer could easily find out if you're not honest about where you regularly park.

Can I insure my car at my parents address?

Unless your primary address is still your parents', using your parents' address for auto insurance after moving out is invalid and illegal.

Does your V5 address have to match insurance?

Is a different address on the V5 and insurance an offence? V5 v Insurance: Don't think so. V5 is registering your car to any address you have.

What happens if I don't change my address on my car insurance?

Motorists should also keep insurers updated if they decide to move to a new address in the future. “Failing to notify your insurer of changes to circumstances, including address, could actually result in you being refused when claiming on your insurance.

Does Wrong address invalidate car insurance?

If the wrong address was purposely provided on the policy application in an attempt to reduce the premium, this could be considered material misrepresentation. When it happens, it is grounds for policy cancellation or denial of coverage in the event of a loss.

Do I need to inform my car insurance company if I change address?

If you change your address, make sure you tell your insurer as soon as possible. Your premium might go up or down when you move house, because your address is one of the big things that can affect the price of your car insurance.

Why does car insurance increase with change of address?

Moving to bigger and busier cities tends to make your auto insurance rates go up. There's more traffic and more chances for you to be in a car accident, so insurance providers offset some of that risk by increasing your insurance rate in high-traffic areas.

Why does changing mailing address increase my car insurance?

Insurance is zip code specific - so moving from one zip code to another can cause your premium to change. Especially if you move into a more crowded urban area (like a downtown area) because there are new factors of risk your insurance company has to compensate for.

Can I change my car insurance address online?

To update your address, you'll need to call your insurance carrier to notify them of the change. Some insurance companies will also allow you to change your address online or on the carrier's mobile app.

What checks do the DVLA do?

What will a DVLA check show? DVLA checks will show licence validity, any disqualification, licence expiry date, vehicle types the candidate can drive, and any offences or penalty points. It can also be used to determine whether a candidate meets industry-specific requirements.

Are DVLA and HMRC linked?

DVLA's Vehicle Policy Team established a working group in spring 2013 with representatives from the Department for Transport, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Motor Insurance Bureau and UK Border Force. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) joined the group in 2014.

What information do the DVLA hold?

It holds information about each motor vehicle (for example, registration number, vehicle identification number, make and model, emissions) and the vehicle's tax status. It also includes the registered keeper's name and address, the date the vehicle was acquired and disposed of.