Driving license number on comparison site has increased quotes

fitzy89

Hello all, I'm wondering if someone may be able to help me with this one, I've had a look online but I can't find any similar stories at all.

About 2 years ago, when doing some car insurance quotes on various comparison sites, I was stupid enough to enter my driving license number on the quote form for whatever reason was given, which has caused me problems ever since.

The facts:
Last fault claim: 6 years ago
Last non-fault claim: 5 years ago
NCB: 6 years at next renewal
My age: 26
Current car (03/15 to present): 2002 Peugeot 406 Estate 2.0 Diesel
Previous car (01/12 to 03/15): 1999 Ford Focus Estate 2.0 Petrol
No convictions, points or criminal record

Since entering my driving license number just this one time, on one single comparison website (which from memory I think was Money Superkarket), my insurance quotes have been at least 50% more for the last two years, in fact, the next site I tried after that particular comparison jumped up, and upon returning to a comparison I had already done those had increased too so I know that the cause of it was entering my license number. The price is still the same even when going direct to the insurers rather than through a comparison site.

On my previous car, the Ford Focus, I was paying at most £320 a year, for the last year with that car (after my stupid mistake) it jumped to £510. Since changing to my new car (Peugeot) is has increased again to £540 for the first year and I've just done another quote in preparation for renewal and it's gone up to £575 even with 6 years no claims.

I've spoken to 3 or 4 insurers and they can't tell me why, they can only say "that's what our system has come back with" and offering insulting discounts of £10 or £20.

Interestingly if I do a separate quote using a different (fictitious) name but with all the other details being identical, I get a quote of £362 which is what I would expect it to be.

Does anyone know why entering my license number has ruined all chances of me getting cheap car insurance? Do I need to change my name to get sensible prices again?

HappyMJ

In that case I'd forget about online insurance comparison websites and go with a local insurance broker.

POPPYOSCAR

I do not know if this is in any way related but my OH has a Peugeot and on some websites the reg brings up a Fiat instead
which is more expensive than when he just puts the make and model of his car in.


He has had several frustrating conversations with some Insurance companies who maintain that their data base uses the dvla and is therefore correct and cannot possibly be wrong!!

fitzy89

One thing I've noticed that I do find very odd, is that if I set my voluntary excess to £0, I get the cheaper quotes than if I set it to anything higher. Is this normal? Surely that would not be in the insurers favour to do that so it does confuse me a little.

I'll look around for some brokers, I did try 2 brokers last year but their figures were £150 more than I could find online which again seemed very strange.

fitzy89

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I do not know if this is in any way related but my OH has a Peugeot and on some websites the reg brings up a Fiat instead
which is more expensive than when he just puts the make and model of his car in.


He has had several frustrating conversations with some Insurance companies who maintain that their data base uses the dvla and is therefore correct and cannot possibly be wrong!!

In my case it is showing up the correct vehicle just fine. I wonder with yours, was the number plate a personal one that had previously been registered to a Fiat?

AdrianC

fitzy89 wrote: »

One thing I've noticed that I do find very odd, is that if I set my voluntary excess to £0, I get the cheaper quotes than if I set it to anything higher. Is this normal?

It's not that unusual. Just go with it.

Giving insurers your licence number gives them access to your driving record. Are you 100% sure there's nothing on your licence that you might have forgotten to tell them about? Have you checked it?
https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

If you hadn't given them your licence, and they then requested a copy after policy inception or on a claim, and they found something on your record that hadn't been declared, you are at risk of your policy being voided and any third party payout from a claim being handed to you.

FreddieFrugal

What website were you using?

I've never been asked for my licence number.

fitzy89

Thanks for that link to check it, I've had a look and it shows no points etc but it says it's valid from 2013 which is incorrect as I passed my test in 2008 (the correct 2008 date is written on my photocard). How would I go about getting this corrected? I've got my test psst certificate also showing 2008

AdrianC

My licence (car test passed in 1988) shows as "Valid from 2013", too - the date it shows for me was when my last licence was issued - a change of address, in my case.

Look at the "Vehicles you can drive" tab, and it shows my test pass date as the start date.

fitzy89

I last had mine reissued in 2011 as I had lost the photocard. When I look under all the categories there is says 2013 as well and there's no mention of 2008 anywhere that I can see

AdrianC

fitzy89 wrote: »

I last had mine reissued in 2011 as I had lost the photocard. When I look under all the categories there is says 2013 as well and there's no mention of 2008 anywhere that I can see

Even as the start date for the categories?

Then we've found your problem. You're saying you've had a licence for eight years, DVLA's record shows you as having had it for less than three.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla/y/driving-licences-and-applications