Which Insurance Companies Do Not Ask About Criminal Convictions?

There is no guaranteed list of insurance companies that don't ask about criminal convictions. Insurers will ask questions relevant to the risk they are underwriting, and those questions vary by provider and policy type.

For example, if you're looking for car insurance, having motoring offences on your record is going to be much more relevant than, say, a conviction for financial fraud. Non-motoring convictions won't necessarily make you a bigger risk for car insurance companies, and that will be reflected in the policy and terms they offer you. On the other hand, if you're looking for commercial insurance for a business venture and you have a conviction for financial fraud on your criminal record, insurance providers are likely to be much more wary.

Some insurers may ask you to declare criminal convictions directly. Others may be more specific, such as asking you to disclose unspent convictions, whether you have convictions related to fraud or dishonesty, or whether you have motoring convictions. In some cases, if convictions aren't relevant to the product you're looking for, an insurer may not ask about them at all.

Because of this variation, you should never assume that choosing a specific insurer will allow you to avoid disclosure. The type of insurance you want and how they word their questions are what matters, not the company name.

You only need to disclose information that insurance brokers ask for and that is relevant to the policy. You do not have to volunteer details of convictions unless you are asked.

However, if an insurer does ask about convictions, you should always answer honestly and accurately. If you lie or leave out crucial details, you're likely to invalidate your policy.

Duty to disclose is based on fair presentation. This means that you must take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation when answering questions during the application process. There is some wiggle room here - if you genuinely misinterpret a question or don't realise that a particular detail is relevant, insurers will usually be lenient. However, you should always try to be as honest as possible when disclosing your criminal record.

Disclosure requirements vary depending on the type of insurance:

Car insurance

Car insurance providers often ask about unspent criminal convictions, particularly those involving motoring offences, alcohol, or drugs. These types of convictions all indicate a higher motoring risk. When applying for car insurance, you'll often find yourself answering questions about convictions for things like driving without insurance or dangerous driving. Non-motoring convictions are sometimes relevant for motor insurers, but they generally focus on driving convictions and driving-adjacent offences.

Home insurance

Generally, home insurers are less likely to ask about criminal records, but some may ask about crimes relevant to home ownership, such as fraud, theft, or arson. Again, the exact wording of the question determines what you must disclose.

Travel insurance

Travel insurers often ask about criminal convictions, especially where they relate to violence, drugs, or offences that could affect entry into other countries. This is particularly important not just to protect the brokers, but also because some destinations have entry restrictions based on criminal history. If you don't give the correct information, your travel insurance policy may well be invalidated while you're abroad, which could leave you stranded in a foreign country.

Life insurance

Life insurance applications may ask about your criminal record as part of a broader assessment of your lifestyle and the level of risk you present. Serious unspent convictions lead to refusal, more limited cover, or higher premiums.

A criminal conviction can increase premiums, restrict cover, or result in a refusal - but it all depends on the insurer and the nature of the offence. Insurance companies ask questions about the type of offence, how recent it was, and so on to assess its relevance to any potential policy. For example, a motor insurance broker may refuse insurance for a driving offence, while a home insurer will offer cover quite happily despite you disclosing the exact same offence.

If you fail to disclose a conviction that you were asked about (or mislead your broker about the precise details), the insurer may treat this as misrepresentation. What happens to them depends on whether the omission was deliberate, reckless, or accidental.

Outcomes can include policy cancellation, claim denial, or reduced payouts. In serious cases, the broker may void your policy from the start.