Avoid Kwik Fit Car Insurance At All Costs

Smudge's_Lot

I was insured with Kwik fit as my broker with NIG as the insurer.

Kwik Fit were very aggressive in their pricing to get the business and it was the best price for me, with 9 years NCB.

I had an accident in Dec 07 resulting in a write off and 8 weeks off with a broken sternum. I have rung then today to get confirmation of my No Claims Bonus (NCB) expecting to be told 7, but NO, I am told 3.:eek:

The reason given by supervisors is that although Kwik Fit use a maximum of 9 years, the insurer,(NIG in this case) only uses 5 or more, so therefore Kwik Fit have used this ,5-2=3. I argued that at no point was I told that the insurer used a different maximum and that I was therefore not in full receipt of the facts. The response was "we do not need to tell you".

I again argued that as Kwik Fit's own limit is 9 years, it should be that used and not the insurer, as surely my business was through the broker and I have the 9 years NCB printed on my schedule as provided by NIG, but to no avail!!

I have therefore dropped from 7 to 3 years due to mis-information from Kwik Fit. I have told them I will never approach Kwik fit again and would like others to know how the business is run.
But am I arguing against the Insurance industry as a whole, or is Kwik Fit the only one to stitch me up here:mad: Have any others experienced a similar fall after just one accident?

raskazz

It's all very well arguing that you were not told - but then if you had asked, I'm sure you would have been given the information at the point of sale. The way in which this has beeen dealt with is standard.

The insurer is not required to disclose the number of years at which it gives maximum NCD. I don't agree that you have been given "mis-information from Kwik Fit", in view of the sequence of events described.

5 years is the common maximum anyhow.

Smudge's_Lot

raskazz

That is my point. You could in theory have an actual 15 years of no accidents but the insurer will only accept "5 or more". You then have an accident and find yourself with only 3 years NCB. In other words, you are expected to have an accident every 5 years because you cannot 'earn'any more than that, despite that with no accidents for say 15 years, you are an inherently safer driver that someone who has an accident every 5 years.

And Insurers would be the first to point out if I hadn't told them everything at the point of sale.
My accusation of mis-information is that my schedule shows 9 years ncb and yet they now say its only 5 or more!

V_tricky

Recent thread on this topic, linking thru to another recent thread on this topic.

5 years is the most common maximum on the market. Some insurers (ie MORE TH>N are quite explicit about how they calculate their NCD, what discount you'll get, and what happens after an accident (check their policy booklet), others are less explicit (Direct Line, see their policy booklet), but it's upto you to read your policy booklet.

On a personal note, your policy booklet does confirm the following:

"Your insurer will reduce your renewal premium as stated by the no-claim discount scale that applies at the time you renew your policy as long as:
• you do not claim under this insurance;
• no claim has been made against you; and
• nothing has happened which may result in a claim.
...
If a claim is made under your policy, all or some of your no-claim discount will be lost (depending on the number of years no-claim discount you have and the no-claim discount scale used by your insurer at the time).
We check your no-claim discount every time you renew your policy (or when your policy is cancelled). As no-claim discount scales can change, you should call us if you need to know what your no-claim discount is.
If you are no longer insured with us, we will only issue proof of any no-claims discount when your account is paid in full."

I think this is quite clear that with an affinity product like Kwik Fit (who might have RSA underwriting their policies one year, and esure underwriting them the next) that your NCD is a moveable feast. You should have rang them to check current insurers scale at inception, and at every renewal to see whether you were still happy with the terms.

shelly

You obviously didn't value your NCB else you would have paid to protect it and wouldn't be in this position.

I don't know why people moan about losing NCB when the choice is there to protect it