Up to eight million...

Up to eight million people could find their car insurance invalid if they fail to declare a previous conviction with their provider.

Insurers said this week that undisclosed convictions тЂ“ from causing a disturbance to not complying with building regulations тЂ“ could mean you wonтЂ™t be covered.

The issue was highlighted by the case of Michelle Barber, who was left with a ТЈ241,000 bill after her house in Barnsley, S Yorks, burned down. Provider Aviva voided her policy as she didnтЂ™t let it know she had been fined for failing to tell the taxman her benefits had been overpaid.

A spokesman for Aviva told us: тЂњExactly the same principle applies to motor insurance. We want to know about convictions, but it wonтЂ™t necessarily preclude your ability to get cover.

тЂњBefore you can get a quote, we make a series of assumptions тЂ“ one is that you have no convictions.тЂќ But Chris Stacey, advice manager for offendersтЂ™ body Unlock, said itтЂ™s not always clear what you have to disclose.

тЂњThere are eight million people with convictions in the UK,тЂќ he explained. тЂњMotor insurers always ask about driving offences, but donтЂ™t make it clear whether they need to know other ones.

тЂњMost people now get their insurance through comparison sites, and think theyтЂ™re covered if they answer all the questions. But these sites ask very limited questions and churn out dozens of insurers, each of which could require different info.тЂќ

A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: тЂњThe golden rule is to disclose any material facts, particularly convictions. You wonтЂ™t be penalised unless itтЂ™s relevant to the risk theyтЂ™re taking on.тЂќ