Advice on no claims discount

david89999

The scenario - I have built up a full no claims discount on car insurance, in my name with my wife as a named drivver. She has now become the main driver, and as a result we have had to now inssure the car in her name. meanwhile I no longer have need of a car, and as such won't be obtaining insurance in my name for about three years (no i didn't get banned!) and will only be a named driver on my wifes policy.
So my wifes insurance now costs a lot more as it is without any no claims discount (plus she had a crash 2 years ago). £400 compared with the £250 i would have had.

The question: When I go back to needing insurance, will I lose all of my claims bonus? The reason I ask is because my wife had 1 years worth from about 3 years ago, and was told she wouldn't have been able to use that, as it lapses after a couple of years.

If that is true, I may have to buy a car just to insure it so I don't lose the discount. A ridiculous situation.

Any advice from you experts would be appreciated.

David.

liznewman

Yes you will lose it. This happened to me a few years ago. I did not have a car for 3 years, I had a full no claims, when I purchased another car I have zero no claims.

There is a company advertising on TV at the moment who gives no claims to all named drivers, I cannot for the life of me remember who it is. It might be direct line or norich union. It is definatley not worth having no insurance if you are thinking of having another car in the future. The same thing happened to my husband, he went onto classic car insurance, which does not have no claims bonus. When he purchased a new car he ended up having to pay the full price as he also lost his no claims bonus.

I was annoyed, neither of us have ever had an insurance claim, yet not have vehicles for a couple of years and we lose it all.

Good luck I really hope you get it sorted. I also hope this helped.

david89999

Thanks for that! Direct line is the company you are thinking of, but i looked into that and you pay through the nose for it.
Seems like someone has my short and curlies again.

brazilianwax

Your insurer may allow you to transfer your NCB to your wife to use. This would prevent it being 'lost'. However, as far as I'm aware, you can only do it once.

imsi

brazilianwax wrote: »

Your insurer may allow you to transfer your NCB to your wife to use. This would prevent it being 'lost'. However, as far as I'm aware, you can only do it once.

Certainly Directline, M&S, Bradford & Bingley will do this. I've just spoken to them.
They wouldn't confirm but thought that switching it once meant in a given year, and that in future years they couldn't tell (or care) if it had been switched before. Best get that confirmed if you plan to switch it back when you're driving again.
Procedure is to get quote with wife as policy holder, name wife as main driver, claim your NCB.
When sending proof of NCB include covering letter to ask that it should be switched from husband's to wife's name.
This is great for me. My wife has been asking that one of my 2 NCBs be put in her name for years in case of something happening to me and I've not previously found any companies to do so. It seem a fairly widespread practice now.
Just got to find the cheapest one that does it.

shelly

david89999 wrote: »

Thanks for that! Direct line is the company you are thinking of, but i looked into that and you pay through the nose for it.
Seems like someone has my short and curlies again.

Not only do you pay through the nose for it you can only use it with Direct Line.