About to lose 6 yrs NCB!!! HELP

jellychick

Dear all,

sincere apologies if this has been dealt with elsewhere but I searched hard and came up with nothing.

I have 2 names on my birth certificate, passport and driving licence. I am called the middle one at home and for ease of pronunciation (middle name not English) I use the first one (which is Christian and English) on formal documents like bank statements, telephone bills, credit cards, licence etc.

Unfortunately, about 4yrs ago, I insured my car with the middle name only (a mistake I am still wondering how I managed to make) but at the time I wasn't given any hassles and I stayed with the same insurer for 4yrs. The car was very old so could not be bother to shop around as the price I had was fairly cheap anyway.

Now, I have upgraded to a nicer larger car (1.8L) and I went shopping. Got a great offer from Sheila's wheels as I am female and so I decided to go with them and promptly cancelled my insurance and got a letter confirming my 6yrs NCB.

The issue is this, having realised my error with using my middle name as opposed to the first name, I wanted to correct this and begin this new policy in the first name instead. Despite sending copies of my driving licence and a cover note to explain that I am one and the same person, this insurance has been refused on the basis that the name in the NCB confirmation document does not match the name I wish to hold the policy in.

After ringing round a few people, I was met with the same responses and I have had no choice but to return to my former insurers at 400 quid extra just to ensure I am not without cover.

This problem means I cannot competitively shop for Car Insurance and I am paying over the odds when after having a clean record for over 6 years I should be reaping the rewards.

Can anyone advise me on how to change my name on the new policy with this insurer in order for me to be able to return to the open market competitively when I am due for renewal next year?

Any help will be much appreciated, I am really worried as this is not a name change due to marriage so seems a bit difficult....

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance!

pitkin2020

if other insurers aren't accepting not much you can do this year. Make sure the current insurer has put down the correct name on the policy this year so when you get your next proof of NCB it will show the correct name.

jellychick

Thanks for this but my issue is that will they agree to put a new name on just because I asked them to? I was with them for 4 yrs but under the middle name, worried that asking them to change the name will invalidate... perhaps if I send the proof of address, bank statements etc. Not sure if there is a law against name changes.

pitkin2020

it is a hard one as legally you haven't changed your name. If it were me (and if this is a new policy) I would call them up and say they have missed half of your name off the policy and you would like it added, it looks like a clerical error then.

I'm sure some of the others of the forum who work within the insurance industry could shed more light on this.

scheming_gypsy

you could swap your name round, change it by deed poll so your NCD is valid?

paddedjohn

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

you could swap your name round, change it by deed poll so your NCD is valid?

sounds like a good plan.:beer:

jellychick

I think I'm going to try the clerical error route first... deed poll seems extreme seeing as this is the only formal document I have that doesn't have my first name on but thanks for all suggestions!

Hintza

Tell them if it is good enough for Prince Albert (Edward VII) then it is good enough for you.

I am known by my middle name too but I always put both names on official documents.

Forwandert

jellychick wrote: »

I think I'm going to try the clerical error route first... deed poll seems extreme seeing as this is the only formal document I have that doesn't have my first name on but thanks for all suggestions!

If you struggle just change your name with a statuatory declaration, you only need a witness and a template document downloaded off the internet, they are accepted for things like this.

thenudeone

jellychick wrote: »

Not sure if there is a law against name changes.

You can call yourself whatever you like without any legal problems as long as you are not attempting to commit fraud, but financial institutions and insurance companies are much more likely to require a formal name that they can check up on.

You can see their side - how do they know that the NCD wasn't earned by your brother / sister / cousin / whatever, and not yourself?

Why don't you just take out insurance in the same name then inform them of a change once you have the policy in place?

jellychick

Bit of an update:

I returned to my former insurer as mentioned above and a few days later, after saying a prayer (a real, heartfelt one as I am a christian you see), made a 'routine' customer services phonecall and casually asked for my details to be changed. The lady obliged me immediately and all policy documents arrived in the brand new corrcet name whihc matches my passport and driving licence.

I have since had to cancel the policy again (long story but yet another admin error costing an extra 220) but at least now the NCB proof is now in the correct name.

Thanks again all for your suggestions, if I can make one myself, next time you're in a jam like me say a prayer, you just might be surprised!

*waves goodbye*