Losing NCB after a gap due to company car

Whizza

Hello.
Hoping to get some advice on car insurance. Prior to having a Salary Sacrifice car for three years, I had had over 20 years no claims, with no points, penalties or disqualifications whatsoever driving my own private cars. The salary sacrifice car I drove included insurance, and as I now know, left a gap in my no claims as the policy was in the business name. On returning to the market as a privately insured driver again, I realized that the gap in NCB accrual now meant that any insurance recognizing my accrued NCB was limited, and eye wateringly expensive (a gap of two years is generally acceptable for many insurers, but more, up to three years, is limited to a very few. Having no choice, I approached a well known specialist broker. I was told that if I stump up for the policy they had found then, assuming no claims in the year, I would be back to my full NCB entitlement again by next renewal. This policy is underwritten by Aviva, and states 10 years No Claims (basically max). Anyway, my insurance is due again in a weeks time, and I have made no claims, nor received any penalties on this "bridging" policy which is for an ancient Fiat Panda 4x4. The policy cost me nearly £600 last year - I'm 50 next year too!! They have sent me a renewal reminder with an updated quote of £350. This is  much better, but still way more than the £150 - £200 that I am getting on confused as a driver with 10 years no claims. So, finally cutting to the chase (sorry!!!), am I right to think that I can go with the decent quotes on Confused or elsewhere, safe in the knowledge that I have "served my penence" and will be seen as a 50 year old driver with 10 years no claims, or is there more to the situation. For instance, am I locked in to renewing with the broker I used last year, if I want my NCB to be recognized due to the gap. Sorry for my rambling diatribe, but i can't find a definitive answer searching online. Grateful for any advice.
Jon🤓

TheSpectator

What does the renewal letter say about any NCB accrued?

TELLIT01

I had a company car for several years.  When I left the company they gave me a letter confirming that I had made no claims in the years I had use of the company car.  The insurance company accepted that and gave me the NCD.

DullGreyGuy

Whizza said:

Hello.
Hoping to get some advice on car insurance. Prior to having a Salary Sacrifice car for three years, I had had over 20 years no claims, with no points, penalties or disqualifications whatsoever driving my own private cars. The salary sacrifice car I drove included insurance, and as I now know, left a gap in my no claims as the policy was in the business name. On returning to the market as a privately insured driver again, I realized that the gap in NCB accrual now meant that any insurance recognizing my accrued NCB was limited, and eye wateringly expensive (a gap of two years is generally acceptable for many insurers, but more, up to three years, is limited to a very few. Having no choice, I approached a well known specialist broker. I was told that if I stump up for the policy they had found then, assuming no claims in the year, I would be back to my full NCB entitlement again by next renewal. This policy is underwritten by Aviva, and states 10 years No Claims (basically max). Anyway, my insurance is due again in a weeks time, and I have made no claims, nor received any penalties on this "bridging" policy which is for an ancient Fiat Panda 4x4. The policy cost me nearly £600 last year - I'm 50 next year too!! They have sent me a renewal reminder with an updated quote of £350. This is  much better, but still way more than the £150 - £200 that I am getting on confused as a driver with 10 years no claims. So, finally cutting to the chase (sorry!!!), am I right to think that I can go with the decent quotes on Confused or elsewhere, safe in the knowledge that I have "served my penence" and will be seen as a 50 year old driver with 10 years no claims, or is there more to the situation. For instance, am I locked in to renewing with the broker I used last year, if I want my NCB to be recognized due to the gap. Sorry for my rambling diatribe, but i can't find a definitive answer searching online. Grateful for any advice.
Jon🤓

NCD is a marketing tool and makes no logical sense, particularly when you include NCDP in the equation, if you stop and think about it. 

Many have tried to do funky things with NCD to win new customers, like Named Driver NCD that DLG introduced many years ago. There are no industry rules, just company level ones, and so whilst companies may try and make themselves sticky it's up to other firms if they accept it or not. Like DLG would say you have 1 years NCD, 3 years NDNCD so your premium with 4 years discount is £X hoping another insurer would only credit you with 1 year, which worked for a few months then other insurers started recognising it as 4 years NCD too. 

Look at your renewal letter, if it simply says you have 10 years NCD then you are good to go with anyone else saying 10 years. If it has some funky language around it then speak to your potential new insurer BEFORE buying to make sure they are comfortable with it. 

If you are ever in the situation again then on aggregators like confused.com you can declare company car driving experience and some insurers will give you credit for that. 

Whizza

Hello
Thanks all for your replies. I have looked at the original policy docs, and what the broker is offering this year. It would be underwritten by the same insurer, Ageas, with the schedule clearly showing 9 years NCB currently, and 10 years on renewal. As I've stated, I've got nothing to hide with a clean licence, no endorsements, and no claims made. I'm 50 and driving a slow, unmodified old car. I feel like the system is very unfair, and that I've been somewhat taken advantage of despite having done nothing wrong other than being unaware of the gap that was created in my NCB. The renewal cost this year is actually £439 - including a £100 brokers fee. I've no idea how they arrive at this "best price". As I mentioned, I should be able to get a basic fully comp policy as low as £150 on Confused, with all the bells and whistles still coming in £200. I do have a fear of being stung by some firm of non-disclosure down the line by just buying a policy online, so would I be best phoning a potential new insurer off Confused direct and explaining? Am I likely to get spun a yarn about needing to pay extra again?
Many thanks
Jon

DullGreyGuy

Whizza said:

Hello
Thanks all for your replies. I have looked at the original policy docs, and what the broker is offering this year. It would be underwritten by the same insurer, Ageas, with the schedule clearly showing 9 years NCB currently, and 10 years on renewal. As I've stated, I've got nothing to hide with a clean licence, no endorsements, and no claims made. I'm 50 and driving a slow, unmodified old car. I feel like the system is very unfair, and that I've been somewhat taken advantage of despite having done nothing wrong other than being unaware of the gap that was created in my NCB. The renewal cost this year is actually £439 - including a £100 brokers fee. I've no idea how they arrive at this "best price". As I mentioned, I should be able to get a basic fully comp policy as low as £150 on Confused, with all the bells and whistles still coming in £200. I do have a fear of being stung by some firm of non-disclosure down the line by just buying a policy online, so would I be best phoning a potential new insurer off Confused direct and explaining? Am I likely to get spun a yarn about needing to pay extra again?
Many thanks
Jon

NCD doesnt make sense, and it gives much less discount than it used to. Another member on here was concerned of the loss of their NCD but then discovered that with 20 years NCD or 0 years NCD there was only £5 difference in premiums for them. 

Most insurers have a premium floor, something they'll never quote below. The last time I worked on a pricing project for Motor the insurer at the time would never quote under £250, given that was over a decade ago now its likely inflation has increased that notably. 

They arrive at their best price by using a broker insurance package which has loaded into it all the insurers that they have on their panel and either an API link to the insurer or the insurers rating tables and so just like confused.com or such they enter the details and comes back with a range of prices from the different panel members. 

If your renewal invite says your NCD is 10 on renewal then you are free to buy elsewhere declaring 10 years. Many sellers have a cut down product that they use on aggregators because there people care only about price. What they sell via others may be more "full fat" or have more optional extras defaulted as included because some who chose not to buy via aggregators may consider things like value rather than price. 

Whizza

Hi.
Many thanks for your thoughts on this; you obviously have a fair bit of experience of the market. I'm shocked that you mention another responder who found a mere £5 difference on premium between 20 years NCB and 0. I've always believed no claims to be an absolute imperative to be able to achieve a decent quote, but it seems I have misunderstood somewhat. I'm guessing age, and a clean licence are bigger factors for insurers. On that basis, it seems the well known broker, who I will refrain from naming, really saw me coming and had no scruples about propagating my fears around losing my NCB, and fleeced me accordingly. I take you're point about super cheap quotes, and I always check to see what's included such as windscreen, excess, legal cover etc. So yes, quality and breadth of cover , as well the reputation of the vendor should take priority over price.
Thanks