GoCompare car insurance revealed that over £47 million worth of motor insurance claims were unsuccessful during the second half of 2021, the last available period for checking.
Using Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) data, the insurance comparison site calculated that more than 14,000 motor insurance claims were rejected between July and December of 2021, equating to millions in missed payouts for drivers.
With over 1.7 million insurance claims having taken place during this period, unsuccessful cases amounted to just 0.8%, yet represent a huge sum of money lost. Some common reasons car insurance claims may be rejected include:
- Out-of-date information, such as an expired MOT or not updating an address
- Filing a claim too late – if an accident takes place, the insurer should be informed within 24 hours, as a general rule
- The policy is held by someone other than the main driver, as this counts as insurance fraud
- Negligent behaviour, such as driving irresponsibly or not performing maintenance checks
- Using the car for anything other than what is specified in the policy, such as using it to commute when it’s only covered for social use
- Modifying a vehicle without reporting it to the insurance company
Other factors that may result in an unsuccessful claim include claiming for something that is not covered under the driver’s policy, and not keeping up with premiums, as this can void insurance.