Showing a Claim When No Claim Was Made ?

jinxyjuja

Hi Guys

Could really appreciate some advice...
Over the last few weeks I have changed my car insurance from Swift Cover to Sheilas Wheels and I am starting to regret it ...

As many other insurers SW requested proof of my 11 years no claim bonus which I requested from Swift Cover and when the letter arrived it showed an enquiry I made with them about repairs to my car following a incident in a car park where my car ended up getting scuffed by another vehicle - who progressively had just drove off ...
My excess is £500 so I informed Swift I would be also getting quotes from a local garage to do this work myself - which I did because the repairs only cost £250 ... I cancelled my request for a claim within 24 hours of the first enquiry & got the works dopne to my car out of my own pocket hence no monies or even paperwork was ever processed in regards to this and I thought this would be the end of the matter.

Now on sending this no claims proof Sheilas Wheels have now upped my premium because I hadn't disclosed I had indeed made a claim and when I argued with them that I hadn't and it was just an initial enquiry they said basically tough I had lost my no claims so my premium would be more than they had quoted.

I am really confused - surely if I had no monetary gain or physical work done on my car paid for by my previous insurers this doesn't even class as any sort of a claim ?? I also paid about £80 a year extra on my Swift policy to protect my no claims too !!

I am also now concerned that I have not only been punished by having to pay for repairs to my car for something I didn't even do but I am now being punished by my insurance by losing all the no claims bonus I have worked hard and been an careful driver to build up over the years...

Can they do this ?? Help !!!

forgotmyname

You must declare all claims or incidents even if no claim has been made.

You need to declare that for 5 years.

Your being punished for having an incident and declaring it to the insurer which of course you must according to your policy.

Yorkie1

I've learnt on this forum that even a simple enquiry about a potential claim will end up being recorded and must be declared in future.

Rationale = an incident has occurred which makes it more likely (in the insurer's brain) that you are a higher risk in future because it might occur again.

jinxyjuja

Thank you guys - just really don't like to think I am being ripped off !! I will surely think in the future now before even ringing my insurers... it truely is win win for them isn't it !! Grrrrrr :mad:

dntusefirstcentral

I have just had exactly the same thing happen with 1st Central. I suspected that I might have problems with them when they first asked for proof of NCB (10 years). I sent it promptly but they continued to send me warning emails (10 day count down!) threatening cancellation and a £75 charge for cancellation. I sent the NCB proof four times. Eventaully I called them and they apologised and said they could see I had sent it four times.
But today they have now said that their search has shown an incident with one of my other cars (on another policy) that happened 4 years ago. I had a boken side window and I called the insurance to see if I would be covered. In the end I did not claim and fitted a second hand window for £25. 1st central are now saying that I did not declare it and they have upped the premium by £95. I have 8 cars with a few different companies and no others have behaved like this. Perhaps the lesson is to not select the cheapest from the insurance search engines but go with a company with a good reputation that you know. I'm going to complain to the FSA, although their policy wording may state this disclosure is required I think it is very sharp practise to boost their low initial premiums. I am quite angry.

Quentin

dntusefirstcentral wrote: »

1st central are now saying that I did not declare it and they have upped the premium by £95. I have 8 cars with a few different companies and no others have behaved like this.

Your other companies may have simply taken your word, as many do.

But were you to make a claim, then they would do their searches to ensure you had told the truth when applying, and possibly make use of your non disclosure at that time (up till then you wouldn't have cost them anything!). (A serious non disclosure would allow them to void your policy and not honour a claim)

forgotmyname

Your lucky to be honest. A lot of people only find out they forgot to
disclose something when you make a claim.

Then its either you owe us ££££ or sorry we are cancelling your insurance for non disclosure.

Someone on her and another site had that issue, One had a bill for £6000 and another had a bill for £9000. Both could have been much worse though.