Yet another car insurance query - this time about No Claims Bonus.
A bit fiddly so I’ll try to keep it brief.
Me and wifey each have max No Claims Bonus (NCB) for car cover. We dropped from two cars to one around Covid time but it’s possible we’ll have another car in future, so we want to keep our max NCB and are aware most insurers only let you use your proof of NCB if it’s no more than 2 years old (3 years in the case of Direct Line if it’s from a DL policy and you plan to use it for a DL policy. I think.)
Anyway, in 2022 I say to DL that I want to renew but in my wife’s name instead of mine so she can keep her NCB ticking over for that coming year, the plan being that at the end of that insurance year, I will insure it in my name for the following year and so on. In that way, we each maintain max NCB and proof of it should never get older than 2 years.
I mention the above to Direct Line in Nov 2022. On mentioning this, DL bod says we don’t need separate policies, because the main driver earns the NCB so all we need to do is swap the main driver each year and the same objective is achieved but without needing to take out a new policy. We do that. Although I shop around each year, DL is competitive so I stick with them for several years up to now.
I should maybe say I have been very pleased generally with DL who seem decent to deal with (and I am no fan of insurance companies). Their automated telephone triage system introduced recently is appalling, but that’s another thing.
Fast forward to now and I’m about to buy a 2nd car. DL on this occasion is not competitive or close enough for me to insure 2nd car with them so I ask for proof of NCB in wife’s name for a 2nd policy. After DL bod checks with someone else, that proof of NCB was promised within 24 to 48 hours but has not yet materialised and the timescale is about to expire. This may lead to me kicking up a small fuss. My Spidey-sense tells me something may be amiss and maybe the promised NCB proof isn’t about to be supplied as easily as DL said it would.
As insurance queries pop up here from time to time, I thought it worth a mention in case anyone else has had similar and might have some bright idea I haven’t yet thought of to try and keep things simple but use the acquired NCB rather than have to go back to zero.
The fact that premiums are climbing alarmingly doesn’t help. That and the claim I made last year. Only claim in 25+ years and NCB (protected) was unaffected. 2mph interface with low wall, crease to plastic wraparound bumper and tiny mark on metal tailgate. Somehow this managed to cost £2.6k to rectify. DL settled the claim promptly and without quibble. Their courtesy car people were less straightforward but that’s also another matter.
What say the collective (if they’ve stayed awake this far)?
A bit fiddly so I’ll try to keep it brief.
Me and wifey each have max No Claims Bonus (NCB) for car cover. We dropped from two cars to one around Covid time but it’s possible we’ll have another car in future, so we want to keep our max NCB and are aware most insurers only let you use your proof of NCB if it’s no more than 2 years old (3 years in the case of Direct Line if it’s from a DL policy and you plan to use it for a DL policy. I think.)
Anyway, in 2022 I say to DL that I want to renew but in my wife’s name instead of mine so she can keep her NCB ticking over for that coming year, the plan being that at the end of that insurance year, I will insure it in my name for the following year and so on. In that way, we each maintain max NCB and proof of it should never get older than 2 years.
I mention the above to Direct Line in Nov 2022. On mentioning this, DL bod says we don’t need separate policies, because the main driver earns the NCB so all we need to do is swap the main driver each year and the same objective is achieved but without needing to take out a new policy. We do that. Although I shop around each year, DL is competitive so I stick with them for several years up to now.
I should maybe say I have been very pleased generally with DL who seem decent to deal with (and I am no fan of insurance companies). Their automated telephone triage system introduced recently is appalling, but that’s another thing.
Fast forward to now and I’m about to buy a 2nd car. DL on this occasion is not competitive or close enough for me to insure 2nd car with them so I ask for proof of NCB in wife’s name for a 2nd policy. After DL bod checks with someone else, that proof of NCB was promised within 24 to 48 hours but has not yet materialised and the timescale is about to expire. This may lead to me kicking up a small fuss. My Spidey-sense tells me something may be amiss and maybe the promised NCB proof isn’t about to be supplied as easily as DL said it would.
As insurance queries pop up here from time to time, I thought it worth a mention in case anyone else has had similar and might have some bright idea I haven’t yet thought of to try and keep things simple but use the acquired NCB rather than have to go back to zero.
The fact that premiums are climbing alarmingly doesn’t help. That and the claim I made last year. Only claim in 25+ years and NCB (protected) was unaffected. 2mph interface with low wall, crease to plastic wraparound bumper and tiny mark on metal tailgate. Somehow this managed to cost £2.6k to rectify. DL settled the claim promptly and without quibble. Their courtesy car people were less straightforward but that’s also another matter.
What say the collective (if they’ve stayed awake this far)?
Hardly slipped in, it's plain to see.
