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Everything you need to know about doubling up on insurance and how it affects a claim

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Content Team

9 March 2018 | Updated 17 January 2024 | 7 minute read

Find out why you can't have two insurance policies, and how you could end up committing fraud if you do

Whether it's for your car, home, holiday, or something else important to you, being insured offers a level of safety and protection in the event of anything going wrong that simply cannot be overstated.

But did you know that it is possible to double up on your insurance?

Many people who double up on insurance do so by accident, either through overlapping policies or policies that automatically renew.

When you take out policies with multiple different providers at the same time or regularly switch between insurers, things can start to get a little confusing.

Doubling up your insurances with multiple policies could end up costing you a lot of money. It amounts to millions of pounds across the UK each year, so here is everything that you need to know about doubling up on insurance, including how it happens and how to avoid it.

How can I have two insurance policies at the same time?

Doubling up and having two insurance policies is actually more common than you might think. You could take out a new policy on your car or home expecting the original policy to expire automatically. However, many insurance policies renew automatically, and if you don't cancel your original policy before taking out new cover then it's possible you could pay twice for the same thing.

Another way you could end up doubling up on car insurance is with separate policies that cover the same items. One of the most common ways to have overlapping insurance cover comes with roadside breakdown policies.

Some estimates suggest that nearly a million motorists pay for breakdown cover through a fixed-fee package account despite also holding a comprehensive motor policy that includes breakdown cover. It’s essential to check whether breakdown cover is included when buying a policy however, as it doesn’t necessarily come as standard. 

Of course, it's not just car insurance that you can double up on. That's why you should always check the specifics of your cover when taking out a new insurance policy, making sure to note what is included and whether you need to cancel the cover manually when the time comes.

Some paid-for credit cards and bank accounts come packaged with travel, contents and breakdown cover included, so it's always worth checking what insurance you already have before taking out a new policy.

Can you insure a car twice?

It's certainly not impossible, and it's not illegal, but that doesn't mean that you should choose to do it.

In fact, doubling up on your insurance is not only potentially costly but it could cause real problems should you ever need to make a claim.

Contribution clauses mean that both insurers would be in contact with each other to see how much they each need to put towards your pay-out, and there's no guarantee that they will agree. Such cases can delay your claim significantly, causing you an entirely unnecessary and avoidable headache.

Making a claim from two insurers can push up the price of your renewal significantly, as well as seeing you lose your no-claims bonus across both providers. It's also worth remembering that you can't claim for a full amount from multiple insurers, as that's fraud.

One claim is all you can make, so why make it complicated by involving multiple different companies?

How can I avoid doubling up on insurance?

The easiest way to avoid doubling up on your insurance is to check the terms and conditions of any cover, credit cards, or bank accounts that you already hold.

That way you can see if any cover is included elsewhere without taking out a new policy, and you will also know whether or not your current insurance automatically renews, helping you to avoid doubling up.

Another way that you can make life easier and take the worry out of insurance is by taking out Admiral Multicover.

Admiral Multicover brings your car and home insurance together in a single policy, and you can add other vehicles, or your property, when they're due for renewal at a later date.

As a standard 12-month policy, Admiral Multicover insurance keeps things simple by renewing your cover on everything at the same date - so you can sort both out at the same time.

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