Car insurance renewal just doubled after no fault claim, can I claim it from at fault driver?

Franksquirrel

Hi, and thanks in advance to anyone who can help with my query.

I had agreed to renew my car insurance policy when the company invited me to do so (via email), and the premium was less than last year.

Yesterday, I made a no fault claim after a driver crashed into my car and, this morning, another email has arrived inviting me to renew (again), but my new renewal premium quote has doubled!

Can I claim this increase from the other party?  It's infuriating to have to pay the cost for other drivers' mistakes!

My insurers have arranged for my car to be collected (for accident repairs) 9 days after my policy renewal date, which is 7 days away.  If I shop around for a new insurer, to lower this premium, what happens about these repairs?  Might the current insurers be less helpful all of a sudden?

Sorry if these questions are ridiculous, this sort of thing is all new to me!

XRS200

Is the increase partly due to a temporary reduction in NCD whilst the claim is open.

You can shop around.

cw8825

no
assuming its your insurers dealing and not an AMC this is currently an open claim
may impact your ncb + you have had a claim (fault or non fault will still change policy price)
once settled claim will be non fault, ncb reinstated and policy can then be looked at refunding you
you can shop around and possibly find a new insurer but that will then make it more difficult when it comes to refunds and getting ncb reinstated - more leg work for you

Franksquirrel

Hi. Thanks for replying XRS200.  I'm not sure - but I do know that when I agreed the renewal a week ago, I had 9 yrs NCD, according to the insurer.  Today, the quote is almost double as you can see, and I have 4 yrs NCD, according to the insurer.... I'm a bit taken aback by it all. As I said, this type of thing is all new to me

Franksquirrel

cw8825 said:

no
assuming its your insurers dealing and not an AMC this is currently an open claim
may impact your ncb + you have had a claim (fault or non fault will still change policy price)
once settled claim will be non fault, ncb reinstated and policy can then be looked at refunding you
you can shop around and possibly find a new insurer but that will then make it more difficult when it comes to refunds and getting ncb reinstated - more leg work for you

Hi. Thanks for replying, and for explaining that. What is an AMC, please? I am insured through a well known company, but AXA underwrite their policies. I reported the accident to the company, they're arranging the accident repairs. I'm not taking a hire car, or enlisting the help of any solicitors or anything. It's just a claim for damage done when a car hit me as it turned left across my lane, from the right hand lane.

So, you think I should stay with the current insurer, get my car fixed, pay the premium, and once the claim goes through - I should be reimbursed for the rise in premium, and I'll get my 9 years NCD back?

ButterCheese

I made a non-fault claim shortly before my renewal was due.  I renewed with the same company (Tesco) whilst the claim was ongoing but I later found out I didn't have to.  The other party was eventually found to be at fault, by which time I'd renewed the policy again with a different company.  Nearly 2 years after the event, Tesco refunded me the £300 excess I'd paid, plus an additional £150 to compensate for the fact that I had to declare an at-fault claim whilst liability was still being decided, which resulted in a higher premium.

I don't know if that helps at all?  I don't know how to calculate if/how much I lost out my someone else hitting my car, as I've since sold the car and got a scooter

MyRealNameToo

Franksquirrel said:

Hi, and thanks in advance to anyone who can help with my query.

I had agreed to renew my car insurance policy when the company invited me to do so (via email), and the premium was less than last year.

Yesterday, I made a no fault claim after a driver crashed into my car and, this morning, another email has arrived inviting me to renew (again), but my new renewal premium quote has doubled!

Can I claim this increase from the other party?  It's infuriating to have to pay the cost for other drivers' mistakes!

My insurers have arranged for my car to be collected (for accident repairs) 9 days after my policy renewal date, which is 7 days away.  If I shop around for a new insurer, to lower this premium, what happens about these repairs?  Might the current insurers be less helpful all of a sudden?

Sorry if these questions are ridiculous, this sort of thing is all new to me!

An open claim is a fault claim in 95% of cases, on the basis that your NCD has gone down thats what happening. When the insurer is reimbursed all their monies they will then close the claim non-fault. If you stay with them then it should automatically flow through, the NCD will be reinstated and the premium recalculated. 

If you were to shop around you'd have to declare the lower NCD and declare the open claim... you'd need to have a conversation with them on what would happen when the claim is closed as it clearly won't flow automatically. 

If you renew or not won't impact what happens to your claim, they are obliged to deal with all claims that happen within the term of a policy irrespective of if the customer is still a customer or not. That said if something is technically a decline but its really borderline then some will be more likely to give a gesture of goodwill to a loyal customer but they can't turn a covered to not covered because you arent a customer. 

Franksquirrel

Thank you, My Real Name Too, and everyone who has replied so far.

It's really helpful to have a better understanding of the situation, through your lived experience and shared wisdom, before my renewal date and early on in this claim process.

All of your input is very much appreciated

cw8825

Franksquirrel said:

cw8825 said:

no
assuming its your insurers dealing and not an AMC this is currently an open claim
may impact your ncb + you have had a claim (fault or non fault will still change policy price)
once settled claim will be non fault, ncb reinstated and policy can then be looked at refunding you
you can shop around and possibly find a new insurer but that will then make it more difficult when it comes to refunds and getting ncb reinstated - more leg work for you

Hi. Thanks for replying, and for explaining that. What is an AMC, please? I am insured through a well known company, but AXA underwrite their policies. I reported the accident to the company, they're arranging the accident repairs. I'm not taking a hire car, or enlisting the help of any solicitors or anything. It's just a claim for damage done when a car hit me as it turned left across my lane, from the right hand lane.

So, you think I should stay with the current insurer, get my car fixed, pay the premium, and once the claim goes through - I should be reimbursed for the rise in premium, and I'll get my 9 years NCD back?

amc is accident management company, a lot of insurers will push you to them if non fault
they give you a shiny new car and say they will claim it back, usually sold on the basis of no excess and no impact on own policy

shop around, making sure you are giving the correct information then go from there