Comprehensive
Fully Comprehensive Insurance covers you for everything third party fire and theft does, but in addition you will normally be covered for loss or damage to your vehicle, windscreen cover, personal effects, accidental damage and medical expenses too.
However, there is now a growing trend for insurance companies to offer comprehensive cover which has been stripped down, or hold reduced cover so please ensure to check all policy cover as you may find that windscreen cover has been removed or that your personal effects cover has been greatly reduced.
Fully Comprehensive Insurance covers you for everything third party fire and theft does, but in addition you will normally be covered for loss or damage to your vehicle, windscreen cover, personal effects, accidental damage and medical expenses too.
However, there is now a growing trend for insurance companies to offer comprehensive cover which has been stripped down, or hold reduced cover so please ensure to check all policy cover as you may find that windscreen cover has been removed or that your personal effects cover has been greatly reduced.
Documentation & paperwork
As motor insurance is a legal requirement and given that whilst driving you can be stopped and asked to prove that you are driving with insurance, you naturally must have some form of proof or documentation that you have valid cover. This is supplied to you by your insurer once you have taken out a policy with them.
A certificate of insurance.
A schedule and/or policy document.
A cover note.
A certificate of insurance is evidence of insurance as required by the Road Traffic Act. This is the document you will be asked for, should you be required to prove your current valid insurance. The schedule and/or policy document is different from the certificate in that it sets out the full the terms and conditions of your insurance policy. Finally, the cover note acts as a temporary certificate for the purposes of the Road Traffic Act. A cover note would usually be issued to allow either a broker or insurer time to complete their paperwork before they issue the full certificate, though this practice has, over time, become less and less frequent.
You should always read your policy to make sure that it gives you the level of cover you agreed with your broker or insurance company. If there is any part of the document you are unclear about or wish to clarify then contact your broker or insurer; they should be more than happy to explain any queries you have about the language or terms shown. Should you attempt to make a claim for something which is not shown or covered on the policy or is noted as an exclusion, the insurance company is well within their rights to refuse to pay your claim.
One thing to note about insurance contracts which is very important is that you are required to inform the broker or insurance company everything you believe to be relevant or important; about you, your driving history, claims or convictions etc. Literally everything that relates to you as a driver or road user, as any information that is not shared that later becomes apparent during a policy term could invalidate the cover that you have. Unlike many situations where a contract is agreed upon where you are required to only answer or inform based on the questions that you are asked, motor insurance falls under ‘utmost good faith’ requiring you to inform of any relevant information whether you are asked or not.
As motor insurance is a legal requirement and given that whilst driving you can be stopped and asked to prove that you are driving with insurance, you naturally must have some form of proof or documentation that you have valid cover. This is supplied to you by your insurer once you have taken out a policy with them.
A certificate of insurance.
A schedule and/or policy document.
A cover note.
A certificate of insurance is evidence of insurance as required by the Road Traffic Act. This is the document you will be asked for, should you be required to prove your current valid insurance. The schedule and/or policy document is different from the certificate in that it sets out the full the terms and conditions of your insurance policy. Finally, the cover note acts as a temporary certificate for the purposes of the Road Traffic Act. A cover note would usually be issued to allow either a broker or insurer time to complete their paperwork before they issue the full certificate, though this practice has, over time, become less and less frequent.
You should always read your policy to make sure that it gives you the level of cover you agreed with your broker or insurance company. If there is any part of the document you are unclear about or wish to clarify then contact your broker or insurer; they should be more than happy to explain any queries you have about the language or terms shown. Should you attempt to make a claim for something which is not shown or covered on the policy or is noted as an exclusion, the insurance company is well within their rights to refuse to pay your claim.
One thing to note about insurance contracts which is very important is that you are required to inform the broker or insurance company everything you believe to be relevant or important; about you, your driving history, claims or convictions etc. Literally everything that relates to you as a driver or road user, as any information that is not shared that later becomes apparent during a policy term could invalidate the cover that you have. Unlike many situations where a contract is agreed upon where you are required to only answer or inform based on the questions that you are asked, motor insurance falls under ‘utmost good faith’ requiring you to inform of any relevant information whether you are asked or not.