Hi, I could do with some advice about my NCB.

I had 9 years NCB and my insurance was due for renewal early November 2016, whereupon it would’ve become 10 years NCB.

However, my car was scrapped a few weeks beforehand. I’ve therefore not had a car for the past year.

I just thought that you had a 2 year period of having no primary car insurance before the NCB gets wiped.

but then I’ve just thought that my NCB didn’t complete in 2016 cos my car was scrapped which might mean that my NCB only lasts up until 2015.

If that’s the case then my NCB could be due to get wiped in early November, does this sound right?

If that’s the case then I might have to buy a £200 banger just to keep my NCB going. For the past year I’ve just been sharing a car with my other half.

I’ll have to ring my insurers tomorrow but I’m bricking it now

Depends upon the new insurer I think, afaik there is no formal period although some have said 12 months

Did you cancel the insurance when the car was scrapped and if so, did you get a pro rata refund or was it in monthly Direct Debit ?

It is normally 2 years before the NCB cancels.

Lad round the corner from had same situation and had a crappy Fiesta or Corsa, can’t remember exactly, sat outside his house just so he could keep his NCB

cheers for the replies. I cant remember – I’m pretty sure I just let the insurance lapse as it was due to end in 2 weeks anyway. I wasn’t thinking it through enough. I’d paid it outright at the start of the year and didn’t bother asking for a pro rate refund

In that case, I’m guessing you will have got the full term upto the end of the policy.

Like you said in your OP, it’s best to call them as it will all be in the small print.

Is it possible to swop the insurance on the car you are using so you are the main driver ? Just thinking it may be cheaper than having to buy a banger if the insurance on the car you are using is nearly due for renewing ?

Didn’t know that was a thing.

Seems I’m without NCB. Never had to make a claim in 20 years of driving, had a company car for 4 years.

Dunno about any of that, but a company car should have demonstrable transferable NCB. Just need a letter from Fleet / Facilities.

Standard used to be 2 years from the last policy, but I’ve known others take three

@P-Jay cougar is right, if you get shot of your company car a letter from fleet management will be accepteted by insurers

Ring your last insurer, ask them for proof of bonus?

IME (Admiral) out LCB lapsed after we were abroad for more three years, I think two was the cutoff.

Admiral gave my Mrs. a complementary 1 years NCB to get us started again as we re-joined with them.

I’m not sure it’s worth the outlay to Buy, Tax, MOT and Insure a car just to maintain an NCB. From experience if you’ve never claimed and I assume with 10 years that’s the case, insurers will be falling over themselves to offer a discount when the time comes.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Here’s my tale…

Had 0 NCB when I recently insured my motorbike. The reason for this was the last bike Insurance I had was over 5 years ago.

Rang round quite a few insurers who simply gave me the same discount as full no claims and told me that if I don’t claim in the 1st year then they would show me as full no claims there on.

Now, my latest Insurance escapade is that its time to renew my car. Up until last December I’ve never claimed in 30 years of driving, but I reversed into someone coming off my drive. Low speed, Low impact etc. Costing my insurer £2860 overall. I’ve got protected NCD so imagined that my Insurance would be pretty similar to last year – is it hell, it’s more than doubled.

I rang up and queries this and was told “it’s because you had an accident”. I said, but I have protected NCD, to which they said “oh yes, your NCD is protected and is fine, it’s kust that the overall cost of your insurance has been pushed up by your claim”. WTF???

I got a few more quotes only to get the same answer.

So in my experience, NCD is the biggest con the motoring public are victims to.

My advice, it doesn’t matter what your NCD most insurers will discount their product to an equivalent amount just gain your business.

I recently read the small print on my policy (with Direct Line).
If you make a claim – and don’t have a protected NCD – you lose either two or three years NCD (can’t remember exactly). Why not one? It’s a total con job.

Yes it is.

I tried my best to reason with my insurer (elephant) but the phone staff I speak to can’t understand my point. It’s all bollox.

For the privelage of paying roughly an extra £44 on top of my Insurance for umpteen years for protected NCD my Insurance has now doubled. To be told “yes that’s because you made a claim, but don’t worry because your protected NCD is still intact” is just insulting. It’s all fairy tales to sucker you in.

If you make a claim – and don’t have a protected NCD – you lose either two or three years NCD (can’t remember exactly). Why not one? It’s a total con job.

It’s a con that you lose your “no claims” discount when you make a claim? Surely that’s how it’s supposed to work, clue’s in the name.

Two years with most companies.
I looked into it when deciding to give up car ownership, that is whether or not it would be worth me keeping an old banger insured to maintain my many years of NCB.
Coudn’t be arsed in the end, must be getting on for three years with no motor.

It’s a con that you lose your “no claims” discount when you make a claim? Surely that’s how it’s supposed to work, clue’s in the name.

The point was that “we” assume that one claim would be equal to one year’s discount. We assume this because for each year of no claims we get extra discount. We assume it’s a scale in which we can move in either direction, but it’s not.

As I have found, even if you pay to protect that discount/bonus the insurance companies merely adjust the initial price (massively) upward and then apply the discount. Result is that we still pay more for our insurance irrespective of whatever NCD we have accrued.

As I have found, even if you pay to protect that discount/bonus the insurance companies merely adjust the initial price (massively) upward and then apply the discount. Result is that we still pay more for our insurance irrespective of whatever NCD we have accrued.

I can see what you are saying, but you should bear in mind the premium is based on your risk, and since you’ve now had an accident you are deemed to be higher risk, so the premium is higher.

Had you not protected your no claims bonus your premium would still have increased due to the increased risk, but you would then get a smaller discount off that price as you would have fewer no claims.

I agree that the insurance industry is a con, and because it’s a legal requirement we have no choice but to pay the excessive premiums. The NCD helps make it a bit less extortionate.