Swiftcover counts windscreen crack as full claim.

waldom

I insured my car with swiftcover last year. In January of this year the windscreen cracked and had to be replaced. At this point I found out that this prevents me from accumulating no claims discount this year.

My new insurer originally said they would still consider me as someone with a year's no claim's bonus. However as my certificate from Swiftcover states '0 years no claims' they now say they cannot accept it even though the claim for the windscreen is detailed below. This is going to put my premium up by at least £600 this year.

Is there anything I can do about this?

adamc260

Nope, its in their policy booklet... and thats why people don't go with Swift Cover... they're dreadful ! Only way to get around it is to pay swiftcover back the cost of the claim so they give you your 1 years NCD

Quentin

waldom wrote: »

I insured my car with swiftcover last year. In January of this year the windscreen cracked and had to be replaced. At this point I found out that this prevents me from accumulating no claims discount this year.

The "point" you should have found out about this was before buying the policy!

If you had read the policy you'd have seen how they treat glass claims for NCD purposes as well as other horrors!

(eg. You agree to them using "recycled" parts on your car, they have the unenforceable condition saying no MOT invalidates the policy etc)

dogbot

Agrees swift are rubbish but recycled parts is a misleading point - there is nothing wrong with this and just about all insurers will use them - it is just re-using undamaged body panels mostly which are resprayed anyway. No one is going to get second hand safety parts etc.

The exception will be the manufacturer schemes (the point of them being to drive business to the franchise dealer body-shops and to drive sales of manufacturer parts) an some 'high net worth' motor schemes.

adamc260

dogbot wrote: »

Agrees swift are rubbish but recycled parts is a misleading point - there is nothing wrong with this and just about all insurers will use them - it is just re-using undamaged body panels mostly which are resprayed anyway. No one is going to get second hand safety parts etc.

The exception will be the manufacturer schemes (the point of them being to drive business to the franchise dealer body-shops and to drive sales of manufacturer parts) an some 'high net worth' motor schemes.

A lot of companies use brand new manafacturer parts for the first few years of a cars life... They also don't say they will only pay a repairer of your choice what their approved repairer could do the work for... therefore basically forcing you to use their garages.

magpiecottage

It is unusual for insurers to count glass only claims against NCD. Therefore, the OP may be able to make a complaint that this was not drawn to his specific attention at the time of purchase stick.

The complaint is against the original insurer (or broker), not the new insurer - but he would need to take it up with them and, if the outcome was unfavourable, the Financial Ombudsman Service.

ILW

Why would you assume that windscreen repair and replacement would not affect NCD?

Quentin

magpiecottage wrote: »

It is unusual for insurers to count glass only claims against NCD.

Swift don't count it "against" NCD, but none is awarded if you make a glass replacement claim. (ie you don't "lose" any existing NCD). Glass repairs don't affect NCD at all.

mikey72

ILW wrote: »

Why would you assume that windscreen repair and replacement would not affect NCD?

Because they haven't in over the last thirty years for me personally?

mikey72

Quentin wrote: »

Swift don't count it "against" NCD, but none is awarded if you make a glass claim. (ie you don't "lose" any existing NCD).

Who else does that though?

Quentin

mikey72 wrote: »

Who else does that though?

Dunno.

But they do point it out in their keyfacts as well as in the policy.

And it's been regularly mentioned on here too!