Claim against named driver

[w00tman]

Morning all.

Just a quickie - I had an accident driving my wife's car last year, and obviously declared this through the insurance. The updated policy certificate says "accident, July 2017, Mr Smith" for the cover shortly to end.

When it comes to renewal, we're doing a comparethemarket exercise at the moment as the renewal is a touch too high. When we are doing the named drivers to be on the policy - does the claim go against me (i.e. one additional driver with one accident and my wife none) or does it go against my wife given it was her policy that covered the bill? I guess it would be my wife's claim, but me noted as driving at the time.

Just want to make sure everything is hunky-dory with the policy we put in place. The renewal docs suggest it is my wife's claim, which would make sense even if I was driving as it's her policy that paid out.

Thanks!

[anonymous-user]

w00tman said:

Morning all.

Just a quickie - I had an accident driving my wife's car last year, and obviously declared this through the insurance. The updated policy certificate says "accident, July 2017, Mr Smith" for the cover shortly to end.

When it comes to renewal, we're doing a comparethemarket exercise at the moment as the renewal is a touch too high. When we are doing the named drivers to be on the policy - does the claim go against me (i.e. one additional driver with one accident and my wife none) or does it go against my wife given it was her policy that covered the bill? I guess it would be my wife's claim, but me noted as driving at the time.

Just want to make sure everything is hunky-dory with the policy we put in place. The renewal docs suggest it is my wife's claim, which would make sense even if I was driving as it's her policy that paid out.

Thanks!

You had the accident, claim goes against you. Same as if you got points driving your wife’s car.

[KevinCamaroSS]

It is her claim, your accident.

[barker22]

Roman Rhodes said:

You had the accident, claim goes against you. Same as if you got points driving your wife’s car.

Points go against the driver
Claims go against policy holder

[deckster]

barker22 said:

Roman Rhodes said:

You had the accident, claim goes against you. Same as if you got points driving your wife’s car.

Points go against the driver
Claims go against policy holder

But you still need to declare the accident, regardless of whose insurance policy is claimed against. The question is invariably 'claims or accidents' so it doesn't really matter, both driver and policyholder are declaring it either way for the next few years.

[catso]

IME both driver and policy holder lose out. Some years ago my Wife had an accident in my car, following which her and my car insurance went up up but also my motorbike insurance because the claim had been in my name.

So you lose all ways with a claim, yet only gain from benefits such as NCD the once...

[TwigtheWonderkid]

catso said:

IME both driver and policy holder lose out. Some years ago my Wife had an accident in my car, following which her and my car insurance went up up but also my motorbike insurance because the claim had been in my name.

So you lose all ways with a claim, yet only gain from benefits such as NCD the once...

There are 2 aspects that can effect your insurance with a claim. Firstly your accident/claim history. Are you the type of person who has accidents and /or makes claims under your policy. This is a yes or no, across all your vehicle insurances. If your motorbike insurers give you a discount for not making motor insurance claims, you will lose that discount if your apprentice crashed your work van.

Secondly, your no claims bonus, which is a discount specific to a particular policy. If you don't claim on that policy, you won't lose your ncb on that policy.

[catso]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Secondly, your no claims bonus, which is a discount specific to a particular policy. If you don't claim on that policy, you won't lose your ncb on that policy.

Call it what you want but they still charged me more on the bike policy which is just in my name (wife doesn't even ride bikes) for an accident that my Wife had in my car (wasn't even her fault but the van driver and his mate lied and in the absence of independent witness was down as both at fault with each responsible for their own damage).

I can see the justification for charging more for the car policy as the (now high risk) driver is named on it and also on her own policy but it's not really fair to charge more for my bike insurance under those circumstances.

In hindsight I'd have been better off to have not claimed and just paid for the repair myself.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

catso said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Secondly, your no claims bonus, which is a discount specific to a particular policy. If you don't claim on that policy, you won't lose your ncb on that policy.

Call it what you want but they still charged me more on the bike policy which is just in my name (wife doesn't even ride bikes) for an accident that my Wife had in my car (wasn't even her fault but the van driver and his mate lied and in the absence of independent witness was down as both at fault with each responsible for their own damage).

I didn't say otherwise, re read my post. If your bike insurers give a discount for policyholders who have never claimed on any motor policy, which they are entitled to do, you will lose that discount if you made a claim on another polcy, even if you weren't driving.

But your bike ncb would not have been affected by the claim on your car policy.

[Retroman]

You both need to declare it going forward from my understanding
You because you had an accident
Her, because she had a claim on her policy

[anonymous-user]

deckster said:

barker22 said:

Roman Rhodes said:

You had the accident, claim goes against you. Same as if you got points driving your wife’s car.

Points go against the driver
Claims go against policy holder

But you still need to declare the accident, regardless of whose insurance policy is claimed against. The question is invariably 'claims or accidents' so it doesn't really matter, both driver and policyholder are declaring it either way for the next few years.

That is what I meant - you explained it better!

[Hazuki]

Retroman said:

You both need to declare it going forward from my understanding
You because you had an accident
Her, because she had a claim on her policy

I had the exact issue the OP has when I renewed earlier this year. Accident in my wife's car, with me driving (named driver) 100% fault of the driver who pulled out on me without warning - dashcam saved a 50/50 settlement.

On my renewal policy
- Tick yes to accidents/claims in last 5 years for me
- Wife named on policy, tick no accidents

On her renewal policy,
- Tick no to accidents/claims in last 5 years for her
- Me as named driver, tick yes.

This was done online whilst speaking to the insurance rep at Tesco Car Insurance. I queried what would happen if I wasn't a named driver on my wife's policy, would it still need to be declared and the answer was no as 100% of the losses were claimed from the other party. Work that one out, I'm still scratching my head.