In the news, former All Black Piri Weepu plead guilty to drink driving. Insurance companies won't be impressed, but they say a single conviction does not get a driver black-balled and unable to get insurance cover in the future.

It's a topic some insurers are not keen to front-foot, liking to keep their statements vague on whether they are willing to insure people with recent drink-driving convictions.

Last year there were just over 25,500 alcohol and drug-related driving offences recorded, but not all will find their insurer deciding to show them the door.

"If an AA Insurance customer discloses they have been convicted for drink-driving, the policy will remain in place and the premium will not increase as a result," it said.

But, it warned: "If a customer shows a pattern of drink-driving convictions, which is a causative factor in an accident, we would reassess their policy. This type of consideration is made on a case-by-case basis."

Car insurance is annually renewable, so a drink driver could find an insurer reconsidering their premiums, when it came time to renew the policy.

"AA Insurance investigates patterns of drink-driving convictions, which means those with two or more convictions are unlikely to be offered car insurance," AA Insurance said. "However those with a single drink-driving conviction, which has occurred within the past three years, can take out insurance if they meet all other policy terms."

Hiding a conviction from an insurer is known as non-disclosure, and can result in an insurer cancelling a policy, and declining any claim made.

IAG, which owns State, AMI and NZI, was less forthcoming about how it treats drink-drivers than AA Insurance.

"It's looked at on a case by case basis however in general multiple convictions, the age of the driver and the type of the vehicle will all have an impact," a statement attributed to "an IAG spokesman" said.

The impact included IAG companies deciding they did not want to insure someone convicted of drink-driving.

"Alcohol-related convictions are among the most serious which could affect their ability to get car insurance. Higher excess and premiums may be charged if we're prepared to provide cover," IAG said.

Ordinarily, people convicted of drink driving should not find themselves unable to get things like house and contents cover, but IAG indicated they "may" do that in some cases.

"Repeat driving infringements or convictions may mean motor vehicle insurance is declined, but may not affect contents insurance," it said.

Alistair Haskett from Law firm Road Legal, which specialises in defending people in Auckland charged with drink driving offences said: "It's not uncommon for the collateral or knock-on effects of a conviction to be harsher than the sentence."

That could include people not being able to get insurance, or having to confess to their employer they no longer had a clean licence. Having a conviction for drink driving could mean an individual could no longer drive their employer's vehicles.

And, said Haskett, an employee who did not disclose a conviction could find they invalidate their employer's vehicle insurance.

The insurability of people convicted of drink-driving appeared to vary widely, Haskett said.

"I have seen examples of different clients who had difficulty with insurance, and others who had no difficulty whatever. Is there a policy or is it hit or miss?"

 

 - Stuff