# No Claims Bonus



## bmclough (28 Sep 2006)

Hi

I have been driving and insuring my own car without accident for 10 years now and as a result have maximum no claims bonus etc.  At the moment our family have two cars (mine and my wifes) and we are going to sell one as it is not getting the usage.

The car that we keep my wife will be the primary user and I suppose i will be a named driver.  My question is will I lose my no-claims bonus should I need to buy a car in the coming years (I am sure i heard about people going to Austrailia for a year and having to start again etc.) or is there a way we can set up our insurance on the single car to avoid this?

This may not be the case anymore so I looking for advice from people who may have gone through this

thks


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## F. Kruger (28 Sep 2006)

If you can prove that you have continuous claims free driving you should not have any bother. Once you are named on your wifes car, that's proof enough.


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## bacchus (28 Sep 2006)

F. Kruger said:


> If you can prove that you have continuous claims free driving you should not have any bother. Once you are named on your wifes car, that's proof enough.


 
So, i thought too last July when i went a similar exercice... And from my experience, it all depends on the insurance company...

Family had one car (car 1 - Insuranced with AXA) : wife = primary, husband = named driver (for the last 6 years)

Family got a second car:
For car 1 (old one): husband = primary, wife=named (straight swap of drivers)
Car 2 (new one): wife = primary, husband = named driver

When enquirying about insuring Car1 and 2 with AXA (as we were with AXA previously), AXA would NOT consider my driving experience and wanted to load my premium to the max.

Checked with AA: no problem, they consider my driving experience and gave me full discount....and BTW, the insurance for Car 1 was cheaper than before - Insurance for Car 2 was also cheaper than with AXA.


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## F. Kruger (28 Sep 2006)

.........but the issue was resolved and you ended up wit cheaper car insurance?


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## bmclough (28 Sep 2006)

I suppose the lesson here is shop around and some sensible insurer will honour your experience for your business.


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## bacchus (28 Sep 2006)

F. Kruger said:


> .........but the issue was resolved and you ended up wit cheaper car insurance?


 
Indeed. The point i wanted to pass across is that named drivers are not granted "no claims bonus" status by default.  While some insurance companies will give you credit, others will not.. 

What i did not state is that i tried many companies before going back to the AA and had no luck at all.. 
Also, AA gave me the credit because i had been insurred through them a very long time ago, and they managed to track my old file with the underwritter of the time.


In my experience: i agree with you that it "should" have been a simple exercice and i had "proof enough" from our point of view, they did see it differently... and still got quoted some ridiculous sums by many companies.


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## chrisoz5 (24 Oct 2006)

Warning!!  *Don't let more than 2 years lapse on insurance in your own name!!*

This may have changed again since but I don't think so.  I went to Australia 8 years ago and had been insured with eagle star for 2 years in my own name (by the way they did give me a discount for being a named driver on my mothers car, lots of letters supplied to support this).
I rang Eagle star before I left and asked for my no claims discount in writing. I asked the receptionist how long it would last and she said 2 years.

In Australia for one year and decided to buy a car before the 2 years were out as didnt want to lose the NCD.  Applied for my insurance through a broker, different insurer this time, when I said I hadnt been insured for a year and half, they said they couldnt insure me, but I argued the point and had to sign a waiver saying I hadn't had insurance in my own name for the past year and half.

Moved in with boyfriend a couple of years later and sold my car, insured myself again before the 2 years were up, and same messing around again.


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## Westie123 (25 Oct 2006)

Hello,

I agree with last post. Definitely swap  the primary and named driver after every 2 years!

Thanks.


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## briancbyrne (10 Nov 2006)

I'm a broker - dont let your NCD lapse for more than 2 years - best advice would be to switch between yourself and wife as policy holder every other year, therefore keeping both active.


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## TomOC (7 Feb 2013)

Sorry to bring up a really old thread.

I have been abroad for the past 2+ years. 

My insurance lapsed almost two years ago.  ie min feb 2011 it was due for renewal.  I have built up three years of no claims bonus (with Quinn Direct).  

Supposing I do get insurance in the next few days, before the two years pass; after 1 year when I go to renew again what will my NCB be?  1 year, 3 years or four years?  I saw on most of the online quotes today mention of "continuous" driving experience.

Also is past named driver experience recognised for quotes even if it is for example from five years back (pre travel & insurance in my own name)


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## peteb (7 Feb 2013)

It would be 4 years after one year.  Driving experience refers to just that - driving experience.  In most online quotes its continuous driving experiernce or no claims bonus. 

No its not recognised if you have a no claims bonus.  NCB trumps the need for proving driving experience.


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