MERIDIAN INSURANCE LIMITED

Policy Type: Private Car Comprehensive Insurance Regulatory Status: Meridian Insurance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Reference Number: 000000, illustrative). Meridian Insurance Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 00000000). Registered Office: 1 Meridian House, Lombard Street, London, EC3V 9AA.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This document, together with your Policy Schedule and Statement of Insurance, forms your contract of insurance with Meridian Insurance Limited (“the Insurer”, “we”, “us”, “our”). Please read it carefully alongside your Policy Schedule, which shows the specific details of your cover, including your vehicle, named drivers, cover level, and any endorsements that apply to you. If any part of this wording conflicts with your Policy Schedule, the Policy Schedule takes precedence in respect of the matters it covers.

This policy meets the minimum requirements of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended) for use of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man.

SECTION 1: DEFINITIONS

The following words have specific meanings wherever they appear in this policy in bold type:

Certificate of Motor Insurance means the certificate issued to you which is evidence that your policy satisfies the requirements of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Endorsement means any special term added to your policy which varies the standard cover described in this document.

Excess means the first amount of any claim that you must pay yourself, as shown in your Policy Schedule.

Insured Vehicle means the vehicle described in your Policy Schedule, including its standard fittings, fixtures and accessories as fitted by the manufacturer.

Period of Insurance means the period for which you have paid, or agreed to pay, the premium, as shown in your Policy Schedule.

Policyholder means the person named as such in the Policy Schedule.

Territorial Limits means Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, and member states of the European Union, including any journey between these by direct sea route.

We/Us/Our means Meridian Insurance Limited.

You/Your means the Policyholder named in the Policy Schedule.

SECTION 2: COVER PROVIDED — COMPREHENSIVE

Subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of this policy, we will provide the following cover during the Period of Insurance.

2.1 Liability to Other People

We will cover you, and any person driving with your permission who is named on your Policy Schedule, against legal liability for:

Death or bodily injury to any person caused by, or arising from, the use of the Insured Vehicle.
Damage to other people’s property caused by the Insured Vehicle.
Liability arising under the Road Traffic Act 1988 for emergency treatment costs.

There is no upper limit on the amount payable for death, bodily injury, or related claimant costs and expenses arising from liability claims involving the Insured Vehicle, in line with statutory requirements. For property damage, our maximum liability is £20,000,000 for any one claim, inclusive of costs and expenses.

2.2 Loss of or Damage to Your Vehicle

We will cover you for loss of, or damage to, the Insured Vehicle and its standard accessories caused by:

Accidental damage
Fire, lightning, or explosion
Theft or attempted theft
Malicious damage by a third party
Vandalism
Damage in transit (for example, if your vehicle is being legally towed)

If your vehicle is stolen and not recovered, or is damaged beyond economical repair, we will pay you its market value immediately before the loss, less any applicable excess. “Market value” means the cost of replacing the vehicle with one of the same make, model, age, mileage, and condition at the time of loss, as reasonably determined by us with reference to recognised UK trade guides.

2.3 Windscreen and Glass Cover

We will pay for the repair or replacement of damaged glass in the windscreen, sunroof, or windows of the Insured Vehicle. A separate, lower excess (as shown on your Policy Schedule) applies to glass-only claims and does not count against your No Claims Discount.

2.4 Fire and Theft

Cover under Section 2.2 includes damage caused by fire and theft as standard under Comprehensive cover, including damage caused during the act of, or attempt at, theft.

2.5 Personal Accident Benefit

If you or your spouse/partner suffers death or permanent disability as a direct result of a road traffic accident involving the Insured Vehicle, while either is driving or travelling as a passenger, we will pay the benefit shown in your Policy Schedule, typically up to £5,000 for accidental death and up to £25,000 for specified permanent disabilities, subject to the terms of this section.

2.6 Medical Expenses

We will pay up to £250 per person for reasonable medical expenses incurred by you or any passenger as a direct result of an accident involving the Insured Vehicle.

2.7 Personal Belongings

We will pay up to £300 for loss of or damage to personal belongings in the Insured Vehicle as a result of an insured event under this policy, excluding money, credit cards, and business equipment unless separately endorsed.

2.8 Replacement Locks

If your keys or lock-deactivating device are stolen and we reasonably believe this places your vehicle at risk of theft, we will pay up to £500 to replace the locks of the Insured Vehicle.

2.9 Courtesy Car

While your vehicle is being repaired by an approved repairer following an insured claim, we will provide a courtesy car of a comparable class, subject to availability and the repairer’s own terms.

2.10 Driving Other Cars (Named Policyholder Only)

If shown on your Certificate of Motor Insurance, the Policyholder (only) may hold a valid licence to drive, with the owner’s permission, another private car not owned by or hired to the Policyholder. This extension provides Third Party cover only and does not apply if you have, or are entitled to, cover under another policy for that vehicle.

2.11 No Claims Discount (NCD) Protection

If you have purchased NCD Protection (shown on your Policy Schedule), your discount will not be reduced following your first or second at-fault claim within the Period of Insurance, subject to the maximum number of protected claims stated in your schedule. Your premium at renewal may still increase even where your NCD is protected.

SECTION 3: GENERAL EXCLUSIONS

This policy does not cover:

Any loss, damage, or liability arising while the Insured Vehicle is being driven by, or with the consent of, a person not named or entitled to drive under the Policy Schedule or Certificate of Motor Insurance.
Loss or damage caused by wear and tear, mechanical or electrical breakdown, depreciation, corrosion, or rust.
Any claim arising while the driver is found to have consumed alcohol above the legal limit, or to have refused a lawful request for a breath, blood, or urine test, or while under the influence of drugs not prescribed for the driver’s use.
Loss, damage, or liability arising while the vehicle is being used for a purpose not shown in your Policy Schedule (for example, social, domestic and pleasure use only, where the vehicle is in fact being used for hire or reward, including food delivery or ride-hailing, unless specifically endorsed).
Any claim arising while the vehicle did not have a valid MOT certificate where one was legally required.
Loss or damage to tyres caused by braking, punctures, cuts, or bursts, unless the vehicle has also been damaged in the same incident.
Consequential loss of any kind, including loss of earnings or loss of use, except where specifically provided for under Section 2.9.
Loss, damage, or liability arising directly or indirectly from war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, civil war, rebellion, revolution, or confiscation by any government or public authority.
Loss, damage, or injury arising from nuclear risks of any kind.
Any claim arising outside the Territorial Limits.
Loss or damage where the vehicle was left unlocked, with keys left in or on it, or with windows or doors open, facilitating theft.
Any fraudulent claim. We reserve the right to void the entire policy from inception, retain any premium paid, and pursue recovery of any sums already paid, where fraud is established.

SECTION 4: CONDITIONS

4.1 Reasonable Care

You must take all reasonable steps to safeguard the Insured Vehicle from loss or damage and maintain it in a roadworthy condition.

4.2 Notification of Claims

You must notify us as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event within 24 hours of becoming aware of an incident, providing full details. You must not admit liability, negotiate, or make any payment without our written consent.

4.3 Changes in Circumstances

You must inform us promptly of any change that may affect this policy, including but not limited to: change of address, change of vehicle use, modifications to the vehicle, changes to named drivers, motoring convictions, or health conditions affecting your fitness to drive. Failure to disclose material changes may result in your claim being reduced or refused, or your policy being cancelled.

4.4 Cancellation

By you: You may cancel this policy at any time. If you cancel within 14 days of the start date or receipt of your documents (whichever is later) — the “cooling-off period” — and have not made a claim, you will receive a full refund less any time you have been covered, calculated on a pro-rata basis, plus any applicable administration fee shown in your schedule.

By us: We may cancel this policy by giving you at least 7 days’ written notice where there is a valid reason, such as non-payment of premium, non-disclosure, fraud, or threatening/abusive behaviour towards our staff. We will explain our reasons in writing.

4.5 Renewal

We will normally write to you before your renewal date with your new premium and terms. Your policy will not auto-renew if we have not heard from you, unless you have specifically agreed to continuous payment by Direct Debit, in which case you may cancel auto-renewal at any time before the renewal date.

4.6 Excess

You are responsible for paying the excess shown in your Policy Schedule on each claim, except where the incident is entirely the fault of an identified third party who admits liability.

SECTION 5: MAKING A CLAIM

To make a claim, contact our Claims Helpline (details in your Policy Schedule), available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for emergencies. You will need:

Your policy number
Date, time, and location of the incident
Details of all parties and vehicles involved
Photographs of damage and the scene, where safe and possible to obtain
Details of any witnesses or police involvement (a police reference number, where applicable)

We aim to acknowledge all new claims within 24 hours and will assign a dedicated claims handler for the duration of your claim.

SECTION 6: COMPLAINTS

If you are unhappy with our service, please contact us in the first instance. If we cannot resolve your complaint within 8 weeks, or you remain dissatisfied with our final response, you may refer your complaint, free of charge, to the Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR, or via financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

SECTION 7: FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPENSATION SCHEME (FSCS)

Meridian Insurance Limited is covered by the FSCS. If we are unable to meet our obligations under this policy, you may be entitled to compensation. Motor insurance is a compulsory class of insurance, and claims are generally protected at 100% with no upper limit. Further information is available at fscs.org.uk.

This document is a specimen policy wording produced for illustrative purposes. It does not constitute, and should not be relied upon as, an actual contract of insurance. Meridian Insurance Limited is a fictitious entity used for demonstration only.

That’s the full specimen — just over 1,600 words, structured the way real UK comprehensive motor policies are laid out (FCA/ABI-style sections on cover, exclusions, conditions, claims, and complaints). If you tell me more about what this is for — a coursework assignment, a mock-up for a product team, a customer-facing example — I can adjust tone, add an IPID summary table, or tailor specific limits and exclusions to match.

Comprehensive UK Car Insurance Policy