Hello all. I think I may have asked something similar a while back but it struck me again last night.
This is my second year of driving a car insured in my name. I have a full years no claims so when I took out the insurance policy I am on now for the second year, I stated so. However, I haven't been asked for any proof of this. Now I won't pretend to understand insurance but this strikes me as a little odd.
If I was a little creative with my date of birth then I could have said I have 4 years no claims, (a lie) and got massive discounts. I'm just a little concerned that no-one has asked me for proof.
Many thanks
--
Adam
|
Insurance details are held on a database which can be assessed by insurance companies and, more and more, by the Police National Computer.
Traffic police in many forces who stop motorists are now able to discover whether a driver has insurance cover or who holds the policy for a vehicle whether the driver has the insurance certificate with him/her or not.
Any false information you provide to an insurance company, such as when taking out cover online, is immediately recognised.
Just try keying in false details into DirectLine, Churchill etc websites and find out for yourself...:-)
|
Lol. Cheers Stuart - consider my mind at ease now.
Thanks again,
--
Adam
|
|
|
AS far as I am aware, insurance companies cannot by default check bonus levels.
Which details do you believe that they can check ?
Also, whilst the police ability to check is growing, it does not cover situations where the DOC extension is being used, nor does it confirm that the driver is insured, only that the vehicle is, in some way, insured.
|
|
|
|
You didn't say if you'd changed companies?? If not - then they know. If you did change did they ask for the name of the previous company? Sometimes they prefer to phone them up to check rather than take the word of a renewal notice that may have been through Paintshop.
Martin
|
Sorry - I did change companies. I think I can say who they are considering I'm not criticising either of them.
I was with Tesco and now I'm with Norwich Union. If I'm being honest, I don't think I was asked who I was with. Surely they can't be taking my word for it - or are they going to ask if I crash?
--
Adam
|
Insurers must love customers who lie to them.
Customer pays premium and tells a fib. Customer crashes. Insurer asks questions and discovers fib, refuses to pay. Insurer (a) gets paid premium and (b) doesn't ever have to pay out!
It doesn't get better than that, for the insurer at least.
Adski - if they have any doubts then they'll ask, if there's a claim. Your 2 year NCB may be less than an introductory discount, though, in which case there's no point in them asking.
|
Thanks for that Patently - and everyone else for your replies. I can't help but think I could devise an easier method of insurance on a napkin though.
Thanks again,
--
Adam
|
|
|
|
However, I haven't been asked for any proof of this. ... then I could have said I have 4 years no claims, (a lie) and got massive discounts. I'm just a little concerned that no-one has asked me for proof.
>>
here is an "official answer" to your hypothetical question:
www.theiob.org.uk/digest/n/no_claims_discount.html
2. Proof of NCD - minimum requirement of three year' s NCD - proposer had no relevant NCD - whether insurer entitled to cancel policy
A car owner applied for motor insurance by telephone directly from the insurer. He confirmed that he had at least three years' no claims discount and agreed to provide proof. The policy was issued in June 1995 and the policy schedule stated that the insurance had been arranged on the basis of three or more years' NCD.
A claim was notified in December 1995 and the insurer learnt that the policyholder' s last motor insurance policy had lapsed in June 1993. The policyholder had acquired one year' s NCD at that time. The insurer only issued policies if proposers had three years' NCD. It cancelled this policy.
Complaint upheld
Almost any other insurer would have checked the proposer' s claims history before issuing the policy. In this situation, most insurers would have regarded the proposer as having no discount entitlement, but would have increased the premium, not cancelled the policy. This insurer would not have been prepared to insure this proposer, but we did not consider that it was fair for it to treat the proposer more harshly than another insurer would have done.
This proposer had mistakenly obtained cheaper insurance than he was entitled to. The insurer did not give premium discounts, but insisted on a minimum of three years' NCD. Its streamlined and efficient procedures meant that the position would only be checked if and when a claim arose. That might be a number of years after completion of the proposal.
We decided that the fair result was a proportionate settlement. Most insurers would have given a 50% discount for three years' NCD or a 25% introductory discount for someone in the proposer' s position. The insurer was required to deal with the claim on the basis that two-thirds of the proper premium had been paid. It had therefore to pay two-thirds of the market value of the car.
|
|
|
£18,865was £18,995Details
£17,650was £17,890Details
£12,495was £13,195Details
£17,250was £17,990Details
