2 years NCB docked on renewal after unsettled no fault accident

Tobster86

In January I was driving my partners car in the capacity of a named driver on the policy when a hire car steered into us on a roundabout.

The damage to my vehicle was some very minor laquer abrasion so I decided not to press charges, but when the other driver took the car back to the hire company he claimed that we drove into him (the location of the damage on both cars clearly proves that this is NOT the case).

Anyway, we've just had our renewal through which states that we've lost two years of NCB because of this. I rang the insurance company and they've said the claim in still in process and they're awaiting allegations from the other company before they decide if they intend to defend it.

Policy is underwritten by Highways/LVE and was bought through Chris Knott.

I've been calling and emailling over the past few weeks to dispute the claim but I get the impression that they have no intention of trying to defend it.


So, what should I do about the docked no claims bonus? Surely they can't legally do this without a claim actually being processed to completion and us being held at fault?

And where do I stand with defending the claim itself if I'm not satisfied with the outcome? (I'd rather they just didn't act at all and I'd bloody well go to court and defend it myself)

bigjl

Normal procedure.

Did you inform the insurance company of the accident?

Why would you be going to court?

And why would you be pressing charges against another driver in a minor, non injury RTC?

Tobster86

bigjl wrote: »

Normal procedure.

Did you inform the insurance company of the accident?

Why would you be going to court?

And why would you be pressing charges against another driver in a minor, non injury RTC?

I agreed with the driver at the time that the incident was so minor that I wouldn't press charges, and didn't notify my insurance company. He took the hire car back and claimed the accident was our fault.

By 'going to court' I literally mean I'd be happy to defend the claim that far even if my insurance company isn't, which every time I comminicate with them I get the impression that they're not (Easier and more cost effective for them to just pay the third partys claim and screw me out of my NCB?)

thenudeone

Tobster86 wrote: »

I agreed with the driver at the time that the incident was so minor that I wouldn't press charges, and didn't notify my insurance company.

It is a condition of the policy that they are informed about any incident which might give rise to a claim, so you have not helped the situation by failing to do so.

Tobster86

I may not have helped the situation but your comment is unhelpful. This is the first time I've been crashed into in 7 years of driving and I can add that to the list of things I've learned, which includes:

-Given that no one in Great Britain is honest or decent anymore; always pursue a claim and create a big scene if there's any damage to your car no matter how superficial, otherwise they'll just say it was your fault so that they can save their rental deposit.
The fact that 16 year old Audi 80's are worth less than what the average body shop will charge to spray a bit of laquer onto them (see comment about honesty & decency) means it will probably get written off and you may get something newer bought for you at the expense of everyone else in the country's renewal cost. Don't forget to complain how much your neck hurts even though the closing impact speed was about 5mm/sec - your insurance company will be rewarded by your doing so (see todays BBC Business news).

-Give old farts in hired Saabs at least 10m of clearance on a roundabout. If someone back ends you during this time at least it'll be their fault.


I'm sorry if that turned into a bit of a rant; but once again I'm getting screwed by the rediculous systems that are in place in this stupid country. I get driven into by someone and because I tried to be a bit forgiving and reasonable the whole thing suddenly became my fault.

I came back from Poland a few weeks ago. Car insurance there covers the car and not the driver so anyone can drive it. The KSI rate is probably 20 times what it is here and the roads are terrible, yet car insurance costs a tiny fraction there of what it does here and hasn't all just gone up another 50% this year. And diesel is about 97p/l.

It's not hard to see why we are all getting shafted in this country when our largest online pro-consumer community responds by nit picking through what the terms & conditions said you should have done.

societys_child

thenudeone wrote: »

It is a condition of the policy that they are informed about any incident which might give rise to a claim, so you have not helped the situation by failing to do so.

In my policy booklet it states, failure to inform the insurance company of any incident, however small (blame/ no blame - claim/ no claim) is punishable under law. Fines can be in the four figure bracket. It's a legal requirement! So if someone bumps your car with a shopping trolly, you're supposed to report it apparently . . .

societys_child

Tobster86 .. I couldn't agree with you more, but less of the old fart eh?
But 7 years is nothing ... I've been an accident free driver for 45 years (often covering over 2000 miles a week all over the uk and europe)
Recently someone ran out into the road, I stopped but he still managed to run into side of me.
Hardly my fault, but he hurt his leg. He has years to make a claim and in the words of the insurance co, courts usually side with pedestrians. So what's that gonna do to my premiums.

You're allowed to rant btw

Tobster86

Yes, I'm sorry about the old fart comment; it was for lack of a better term to describe someone that wants to retain their independance but isn't prepared to maintain or improve their standard of driving. That covers a large proportion of drivers of all ages.


Ultimately I'm looking at how to deal with the situation now as we need a new policy. The renewal notice from them is prohibitively expensive.

They say that if the claim is defended I'll get the NCB back and 'have the difference refunded' (Like I believe that for a minute!).

I've dropped an email to consumer direct, but in the mean time; do I buy a new policy or take some other action first?

societys_child

Yeah, when it comes to road sense, there's fart of all ages ..

I can't help with your best course of action, but from reading some of the posts on these forums, it seems innocent drivers end up paying no matter who is to blame. Hope it all works out for you.

rfc1795

Anyone able to answer the question that if the claim is still being claimed back, but at renewal time they say you've lost your no claims bonus. Is this allowed?

Tobster86

rfc1795 wrote: »

Anyone able to answer the question that if the claim is still being claimed back, but at renewal time they say you've lost your no claims bonus. Is this allowed?

That's exactly what I raised with consumer direct. Surely it's illegal.
An unsettled claim must mean no action taken yet so therefore nothing lost.
Also, they took two years from three years NCB which looks like they've already proportioned the costs in some way even though they admitted on the phone to me that they haven't yet received a statement of allegation yet. Presumably this comes before the repair bill!

So it looks like I'm being, quite frankly; scammed.