Car insurance, the art of keeping your NCB

[grldtnr]

I had to renew my car insurance last Dec '24, Owcthosevof us who develop a healthy NCB , know it brings a not inconsiderate discount to our insurance bills and helps keeping a car viable on the road.
My problem started , because I lasped insurance on my car , my brother was using it, I was on the insurance policy as a named driver, as if I needed to drive somewhere I could, he paid the bill, but it was still legally my car.
This year,he got his own , and I reverted back to the policyholder, In so doing insured it as the policyholder.
All good , untill last week I got contacted to verify my details, as it had been 2 years, ( actually less, by a few days) they said I didn't have NCB and wanted an extra amount.
I disagreed , they didn't relent, so I cancelled my policy to look elsewhere.
They gave me a cancellation notice, and a statement on my NCB , which lo and behold was my full entitlement.
Now ,I got back to them to ask what the position was, did I have it or not, as they were adamant I didn't.
3 times I asked and 3 times came back with no reply other than the statement.
Now , yes I was petulant and took back my toys, but I had already been messed about by them , with other irregularities.
Now , the position is do I have right to use the the statement to claim my discount , that they said I didn't have
Or do I just go ahead and use it, the previous insurers won't be missing out , but the next might

 

[wafter]

You've got the proof; just crack on.

Car insurance is a racket that's loaded against the policy holder in every way possible to avoid / minimise paying out - you have a rare opportunity to game it to your advantage for once - take it, they certainly would.

 

[PeteXXX]

It used to be, IIRC, that you could be out of the car insurance racket for 18 months and still retain your NCB entitlement.
That might have changed now 🤷‍♂️

 

[grldtnr]

Well ,seeing as I can't get the answer I want , seems I must use what's there, after all it was taken of me through no fault of my own,
As I said they already ballsed other issues up so jumping ship seems the right thing to do.
Kind of miss the old days , toddle down the high stbto the insurance agency , take out your 'blankty blank cheque book and pen ,then walk out !

 

[Pblakeney]

Just jump.
Contracts nearly always favour new clients. They have no loyalty.

 

[Drago]

It used to be, IIRC, that you could be out of the car insurance racket for 18 months and still retain your NCB entitlement.
That might have changed now 🤷‍♂️

I think 2 years is the norm now.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

Clearly whether you have or have not made a claim is a matter of fact, but sadly the No Claims Discount has no legal existence, it is just a concept that is generally accepted by insurers.

There is no set usage of it either, one insurer might of 10% off for 1 years and 20% for 2 years whilst another such as as some one providing classic car insurance might offer 1% and 2% because of the different risk profile.

Nor is there any obligation for one insurer to offer an NCD at all or accept one earnt with another insurer or even on renewal with the same insurer, clearly an insurer not accepting an NCD is likely to be priced out of the market in most cases.

So it follows that each individual insurer can and will make their own decision on how long you can not be a policy holder before they ignore the historical period where you did not make a claim. This is quite reasonable, if you haven't been driving much or at all then you will be rusty so the good years when you drove a lot but didn't crash mean much less.

If you don't disclose the true circumstances then you are on dodgy grounds and most price comparison sites make this disclosure difficult or impossible. A real person should know the policy of the insurer they are proposing, you may have to pay a bit more but you are then definitely insured.

Bye

Ian

 

[Tail End Charlie]

The above is what I found a few years ago. I didn't have a car for about three years, but when I came to insure one I was given all sort of discounts "new policy holder" "special offer" and probably even "it's a Tuesday today". By the time all these were added I was no worse off.

 

[Drago]

If you don't disclose the true circumstances then you are on dodgy grounds and most price comparison sites make this disclosure difficult or impossible.

The true circumstances are that our hero has been given an official piece of paper with proof of NCD, and they have given him that  after their verbal conversation.

It is completely reasonable to presume that is now their position, and they have issued documentary evidence to confirm it.

This supercedes any prior verbal conversation. Last week they were saying one thing - here and now they're saying another and have issued proof of that.

 

[grldtnr]

The true circumstances are that our hero has been given an official piece of paper with proof of NCD, and they have given him that  after their verbal conversation.

It is completely reasonable to presume that is now their position, and they have issued documentary evidence to confirm it.

This supercedes any prior verbal conversation. Last week they were saying one thing - here and now they're saying another and have issued proof of that.

Oooh ! Steady on there Drags, I've not got my superhero pants or the cape !
That's the nub of the matter here, last week I was arguing the toss about stumping up and extra £220, for not being able to prove my NCB , when I had been with them over 2 yrs, and hadn't made a claim except for windscreen, , which they sent a repairer for, so no major loss.
Out of fit of pique at their major wankery, I just cancelled the policy, maybe the fact I had 3 clean moths entitled me to my NCB,
The fact they said I didn't have it, cancel the policy, then give me a statement of entitlement after the refund, maybe they just don't know their A& E's.
Anyway asked them 3 times for clarification, 3 times they sent me the NCB.
So on that basis I'll use it..f' ecking clowns!

 

[Drago]

I'd use it. The latest formal indication from them is that it's valid and theyve issued that position in writing.

Put it this way. Do you judge a politician by that which they were promising in July last year, or by that which they're actually doing today?

 

[grldtnr]

The one thing about politicians is , if their lips move then they are lying....bit like Insurance agents.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

It is a racket

if someone bumps you car in a supermarket car park - while you are not even in the car
then you can loose your NCB

they will claim that this indicates that you have a higher risk - even if you have been parking in the car park for the last 10 years with no problems
then suddenly you are a higher risk

total b*****s

just a way of making it look like they are being nice to you by "allowing" you to have a "discount"


BTW - mine has come up again

it has risen by 30% but is still the cheapest I can find - even with 14 year NCB

apparently I am a higher risk that I was a year ago

 

[presta]

Kind of miss the old days , toddle down the high stbto the insurance agency , take out your 'blankty blank cheque book and pen ,then walk out !

When I was with the Co-op, they had a rep who came round to the house. He used to sit and chat quite a while, because he worked with my father before he got into insurance.

It used to be, IIRC, that you could be out of the car insurance racket for 18 months and still retain your NCB entitlement.
That might have changed now 🤷‍♂️

With the Co-op it was three years.

After I stopped driving I renewed my insurance policy every three years, then cancelled it a week or so later, just to keep my NCB. On one occasion whilst I was on the phone to them, the subject cropped up in the conversation and he put me on hold for a long while whilst he went and checked with his supervisor. When he came back, he said you can't insure a car you're not driving, as there's "No insurable interest", to quote the exact phrase.

if someone bumps you car in a supermarket car park - while you are not even in the car then you can loose your NCB

As my insurance rep once said, "It's a no claims bonus, not a no blames bonus". In reality, the cancellation of it after 2-3 years shows that it's neither, it's actually a bonus for demonstrating you can drive the car without claims.

apparently I am a higher risk that I was a year ago

Isn't it the cost of repairs and the burden of uninsured drivers that keeps driving premiums up?

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon,

The true circumstances are that our hero has been given an official piece of paper with proof of NCD, and they have given him that  after their verbal conversation.

It is completely reasonable to presume that is now their position, and they have issued documentary evidence to confirm it.

This supercedes any prior verbal conversation. Last week they were saying one thing - here and now they're saying another and have issued proof of that.

None of that matters, when you move to a new insurer it is the proposer's obligation to ensure that all relevent information is disclosed, this includes reading section 1 million and 14 sub paragraph 17 thousand and 26 regarding NCD eligibilty.

Under the old model the high street broker would say, sorry mate you 'ave no NCD, under the new(ish) web model the price comparison site hides this under section 28 thousand, paragraph 86.

None of this removes the problem that the OP knows that there is an issue related to him not being the policy holder for the periods required or not by the new insurer.

@Tail End Charlie 's observation that if you are honest you won't be much off is also true.

Hello Mods :-) I have a pretty realistic quotes engine on my web site http://www.iansmithcse.co.uk/CIPE/MotorInsurance/DataCapture.aspx which is, in my mind, a great explanation of why the premium is what it is and proof that I know what I am talking about.

Bye

Ian