car insurance: why do I have to get proof of no claims bonus?

yogiberr

hiya,

I recently switched insurer.I have 2 questions:

#1 Old insurer wrote to me and told me that I have to return insurance docs?
Do I have to? Surely an insurance doc that is out of date is of no value to anyone.

#2 New insurer are asking for me to send proof of no claims bonus?
Why do I have to do this?Surely, in the year 2006, they must be able to use a national database?

Do you know what I mean, why can't anything be simple?

grrrrr,

yogi :-)

clear_blu

It is unlikely that insurers update details on the national database more often than once every two weeks. You could have had a change of no claims right up until the day you left your old company.
To give an example........Your car may have been written off with your old company........you purchase a new car and try to insure with another company.

yogiberr

hiya,

Ok then, I have to therefore contact my old insurer and get them to contact my new insurer with the details?

As far as having to surrender my old insurance documents to my old insurer goes, do I have to do that?

cheers,

yogi

gazza975526570

Does the insurance cert still cover now -- ie have you cancelled it mid term or at the end of your renewal?

If its still valid then yes you need to send it back - if its expired im not quite sure why they have asked for it back

yogiberr

hiya,

No, the period of cover is finsished.I did not cancel it mid- term.It ran for a year.Ok, I won't bother sending them the document.

I'm still angry that I have to send the new insurer my no claims from previous insurer.In this day and age, the national database could be updated instantly by using web services..It seems that I am having to get proof of no claims because these companies have a crap I.T infrastructure.

Even aside from this, I don't see why new insurer can't approach old insurer for this info..Why should I do the admin work for them?

Ta for the help though.

yogi

iceicebaby

Your new insurer is not allowed to ask your old insurer for the information directly as all comapnies are bound by DPA (Data Protection Act) which means your old company isnt allowed to give information about your policy to anyone except for you.

jem16

Your renewal documents will provide the proof of No Claims Bonus. You just need to send that to your new insurer.

clear_blu

jem16 wrote:

Your renewal documents will provide the proof of No Claims Bonus. You just need to send that to your new insurer.

With respect..........I dont agree........an accident could have occured between the issue of the renewal documents and now.
Your new insurer HAS to ensure that you have not made a claim...........and also dont forget there could be a third party claim pending without your knowledge.
What I am saying is that I dont think your insurer will accept the renewal documents as proof of no claims.........just write to the previous insurer and ASK.
Why not return the certificate they are asking for when you do.........why look for problems.

jem16

clear_blu wrote:

With respect..........I dont agree........an accident could have occured between the issue of the renewal documents and now.

You may well be correct.

However any time I have been asked for proof, I have supplied this and it has been accepted.

Astaroth

Ultimately most insurers do accept renewal docs and accept the risk that a claim may have occurred given the majority of insurers use CUE which will have any claims logged on it... of cause there are a few big groups that dont use CUE either for loading information or checking so it isnt fool proof but at the end of the day insurers are desperate to gain new business and so will accept some risk in making the process of switching to them as easy as possible.

yogiberr

<<Why not return the certificate they are asking for when you do.........why look for problems.>>

I agree, it just p*sses me off sometimes when you think that buying something is the end of the issue.They didn't send renewal docs, probably because they didnt want to make it easy for me to send on to new insurer.They conveniently issued a freephone number so that it'd be easier for me to renew (at 30% increase, despite the fact that I am a year older and have an additional year's NCB)

..clowns, they must think that i'm daft.I'll write to old insurer telling them to post details onto new insurer, in the hope that common sense prevails.

Ta for all the help.

yogi