Confused about No Claims Bonus (or discount)

JohnB47
JohnB47 Posts: 2,538
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Hi all.

I'm changing car insurer now that I'm buying a new second hand car. The forms on the comparison sites ask me to state 'how many years NCB' and suggest I look at my last insurance. When I do it, it say "Number of years no claims discount you are claiming: 9 years".

The forms also say that prospective new insurers may ask me to prove my claim for NCB.

Now, I've been driving for over 40 years and never made a claim on car insurance.

So presumably I can claim +20 years. But if I'm asked, how do I prove it?

Thanks.

Comments

  • GunJack
    GunJack Posts: 11,669
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    Your current insurer should have the info, especially if you provided them with proof of 9+ years NCD when you went with them. The big problem is that most (if not all) only discount for up to 9 years, so you've got to ask them specifically for proof of the actual number.

    Admiral are, as I recall, one of the few who state the actual number. This year I went with Churchill, when I asked about it they advised me I'd have to call them and request a specific letter, otherwise I'd just get the bog-standard "you have 9 years NCD" one.. I had provided them with proof of over 9 years, so no great shakes other than a phonecall :)
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  • JohnB47
    JohnB47 Posts: 2,538
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    Thanks gunjack.

    I'm still confused. The web forms allow me to state up to 20 years NCB. Why would I just put 9, cos that's what's on my last insurance?

    You say "The big problem is that most (if not all) only discount for up to 9 years, so you've got to ask them specifically for proof of the actual number."

    I've got to ask them???

    You also say "I had provided them with proof of over 9 years..."

    How did you prove that?
  • Car_54
    Car_54 Posts: 8,181
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    Does it matter? The discount doesn't get any bigger after 4 or 5 years.
  • Johno100
    Johno100 Posts: 5,259
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    You don't need to. After you've accumulated 5 years No Claims Bonus any future years make no difference to the premium you are charged with most insurers and if you have a fault claim the bonus won't reduce from say 9 years to 7, it will reduce from 5 down to 3 (unless you've protected your NCB).
  • GunJack
    GunJack Posts: 11,669
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    JohnB47 wrote: »
    Thanks gunjack.

    I'm still confused. The web forms allow me to state up to 20 years NCB. Why would I just put 9, cos that's what's on my last insurance?

    You say "The big problem is that most (if not all) only discount for up to 9 years, so you've got to ask them specifically for proof of the actual number."

    I've got to ask them???

    You also say "I had provided them with proof of over 9 years..."

    How did you prove that?

    ^^ By continually having to ask the soon-to-be ex-insurer to provide the written proof, tbh.

    think I originally came across it after being insured with admiral for a couple of years on the trot and then going to another insurer. Admiral had the correct number on their renewal paperwork at 9 years (which it was at the time).

    Provided this to new insurer, who I only stayed with for a year, so should have 10 years at the end of that insurance, but when I asked for proof of NCD, they said 9 years. Phoned them, and they said as they only use max 9 years for pricing, that's all their system says. I say, but I gave you proof of 9 yrs, no claim this year, so I want proof of 10 yrs please, which they did by separate letter.

    I've repeated this with every insurer since then, as all their systems have only automatically kicked out the 9-yr info.

    Is it a nause? yes, 'course it is, but if you don't, you'll never get proof of >9 yrs NCD, in my experience.
    ......Gettin' There, Wherever There is......

    I have a dodgy "i" key, so ignore spelling errors due to "i" issues, ...I blame Apple :D
  • GunJack
    GunJack Posts: 11,669
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    However, if you click in the comparison site 15+ yrs NCD and can't provide proof, you could leave yourself open to having policy cancelled etc. for false declaration of facts...at least if you have the written proof you're squeaky-clean :)
    ......Gettin' There, Wherever There is......

    I have a dodgy "i" key, so ignore spelling errors due to "i" issues, ...I blame Apple :D
  • Aretnap
    Aretnap Posts: 5,177
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    No claims discount is not the same as claim free years - it's a specific discount that your current insurer is offering you, and that your new insurer is offering to match in order to get your business. So the number of years NCD you have is basically what you can persuade your old insurer to say that you have.

    In days of yore NCD was actually a form of loyalty bonus, particularly for good customers who didn't make claims, and the idea was that you'd only get if if you stayed with the same insurer year after year. That lasted about as long as it took insurers to realise that if they wanted to attract new customers they'd have to offer to match the discount their rivals were offering them. For much the same reasons Sainsbury might offer to accept Tesco's money off vouchers - they aren't under a moral or legal obligation to accept them; they just think it helps poach Tesco's customers.

    But NCD remains at heart just a marketing gimmick and each insurer has its own rules for how they deal with it. Traditionally it was capped at 5 years. Then as another marketing gimmick some insurers started offering to recognise NCDs up to 9 years as a "reward" for careful driving (apparently taking longer to build up the same discount is a good deal for the customer). Few or no insurers will give you any credit for having more years than 9, even if you can prove a larger number. And for good reason - why would they be interested in what your driving was like as a 20-year-old? I'm a very different person to my 20-year-old self, and I imagine that you are as well.

    So basically, don't put down more years than you can prove. If you want to hassle old insurers and trawl through old renewal notices you might be able to prove more than 9 years - but you'll probably find that it's a lot of work to end up with exactly the same premium.
  • JohnB47
    JohnB47 Posts: 2,538
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    OK guys. Thanks. I get it now.

    Cheers.
  • GunJack
    GunJack Posts: 11,669
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    Aretnap wrote: »
    So basically, don't put down more years than you can prove. If you want to hassle old insurers and trawl through old renewal notices you might be able to prove more than 9 years - but you'll probably find that it's a lot of work to end up with exactly the same premium.

    agreed never declare more than you can prove, that was kinda my point ;) As to making a difference to premiums, I've never tried putting in less into a comparison site, but agree that it's unlikely to make a difference... but then if it doesn't, why don't the stop the dropdown at 9+ years, not 15+ years??

    Law unto themselves, insurers :)
    ......Gettin' There, Wherever There is......

    I have a dodgy "i" key, so ignore spelling errors due to "i" issues, ...I blame Apple :D
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871
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    edited 6 October 2017 at 7:15PM
    Its been advised on here that insurers accept a paper trail from consecutive insurers. I was with Aviva for a few years with insurance only available for drivers with 6+ years ncb. After two years I changed insurers and Aviva gave me 6 years ncb.
    Insurers are welcome to recognise or dismiss as much ncb as they want but they shouldn't presume other insurers won't recognise the extra years or that policyholders don't want this proof.
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