Motor insurance documentation and customer service
What the exam tests
The documents that form the contract and the service standards around them: proposal or statement of facts, IPID, schedule, certificate, wording, endorsements, renewal and cancellation.
Core rules
- The proposal or statement of facts records the risk; the policy schedule personalises cover; the policy wording contains definitions, cover, exclusions and conditions; endorsements amend it; the certificate proves compulsory cover.
- The IPID is a standardised summary of cover, not the contract. The MID records vehicle and policy details for enforcement.
- Customer service includes clear communication, accurate documentation, complaint handling, FOS referral, vulnerable customer support and data protection.
- Renewal notices must be clear; cancellation terms and refunds follow the policy and regulatory rules.
- Claims service is part of the product: acknowledge, update, explain delays and decisions.
Worked example
A customer receives a schedule showing a £500 excess, but the certificate does not mention it. The excess is part of the contractual schedule, so it applies; the certificate only proves compulsory cover. If the customer says they were told £250, the complaint should be investigated against the call recording and sales record, with redress if the misstatement is proven.
Traps
The certificate is not the full policy. The IPID is not a substitute for the wording. A schedule error can be corrected, but cover may be affected. Do not disclose customer data to a third party without authority. A complaint is not automatically a FOS referral until the firm's process is complete.