Denied car insurance due to drink behind the wheel, now what?

Have you been caught driving under the influence? If so, this could have serious consequences for your car insurance. Your insurer may refuse to cover any damages or may even cancel your policy immediately. You may also be denied coverage when trying to get new car insurance. We’ll explain the consequences of driving under the influence on your car insurance.

How drinking and driving affects your car insurance

Did you cause an accident after getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol? Third-party liability insurance covers damage you cause to others. In the Netherlands, it is legally required to have third-party liability insurance, and the insurer is therefore obligated to pay out in the event of a claim. However, in some cases, car insurers have an alcohol clause. An alcohol clause means that the insurer will compensate the other party for the damage, but you must then reimburse these costs to your insurer. Not every insurer has an alcohol clause, so it is important to carefully review the policy terms and conditions when taking out car insurance.

With third-party liability insurance alone, damage to your own car is never covered. Do you have third-party liability plus limited comprehensive coverage or full coverage? Normally, damage to your own car is (partially) covered under these policies. However, if this damage occurs because you were driving under the influence of alcohol, the insurer will not cover damage to your own car. Car repair costs can add up quickly, even if you’ve only hit a pole.

If you are stopped with a blood alcohol level that is far too high, you may also be subject to a driving suspension. You will then be prohibited from driving a motor vehicle for a certain period of time. Even after your driving ban is lifted, you will have difficulty obtaining car insurance. This is because a driving ban results in your registration with Stichting CIS. Stichting CIS maintains all important insurance data in its database. All affiliated insurers and authorized agents have access to this database and check it with every insurance application. Do you have a CIS registration? Then there are very few regular insurance companies that will insure you.

Insurer may cancel insurance after alcohol abuse

If you drive under the influence of alcohol and cause an accident, your insurer may cancel your auto insurance. Similarly, if you receive a driving ban from the court, the insurer has valid grounds to cancel your policy. Once the policy is canceled, you are no longer covered in the event of damage or an accident. You will then need to insure your car with another company. However, this can be quite difficult as long as you still have a CIS record.