Insurance - losing no claims bonus between insurers?

[Chicane-UK]

This has only become a problem in recent years it seems as I've accumulated no claims bonus. I will try and explain the problem and see if it makes sense, and see what people can suggest!

2 years ago, with a then total of 9 years No Claims Bonus I took out an insurance policy with Chris Knott insurance. They said that 9 years NCB was the maximum they accepted, so I asked when taking out the policy whether they would provide me with a letter should I choose to change insurers saying that despite them not recognising more than 9 years, I had earned an additional 1 or 2 years with them. They said "Sure!". Lo and behold, this year they seemed uninterested in offering me a competitive quote so I took my business elsewhere. When I asked about the aforementioned letter I was told this was "something they didn't do" so I'd essentially lost the last two years of no claims bonus.

I subsequently took out a policy with Aviva who seemed very well priced. I've subsequently discovered they only recognise a maximum of 5 years no claims bonus! Am now worried that when it comes to renewal time next year, I will basically have absolutely no proof of the additional 5 years (or 7 if you ignore the shafting I got from Chris Knott) no claims bonus when I take my business to another insurer.

Has anyone else run into this problem before? What did you do? Why is insurance such a ridiculous, convoluted, awkward system in this country!!

Thanks in advance.

[caprirob]

I've only ever had to prove NCD once - when I had a company car for a couple of years I had to get a letter from the ex-employer saying I hadnt had any claims whilst I was on their insurance.

I just tell insurers that I've got NCD effectively from when I passed my test in 1993 - apart from the instance above I don't recall ever having to prove it.

Wouldnt worry about it.

[mike9009]

I have recognised this as an issue as i have almost 16 years no claims, but pretty sure it makes next to no difference to insurers. I dont recall one insurer checking my no claims from another, but i always state i have x number of years. If i have an accident i am sure they could check my history and i would be proven right......

Might be a little risky though?

Mike

[EK993]

Are there any Insurers that apply discounts beyond 5 years NCD? I know most use 5yrs = 65% discount. So anything beyond that is meaningless.

[dcb]

Chicane-UK said:

Has anyone else run into this problem before? What did you do? Why is insurance such a ridiculous, convoluted, awkward system in this country!!

I've been on 9 years NCB for the last 9 years ;->

It seems to me to be much more fair to give a small premium
reduction for every year of good driving, however, asking
for fairness in the insurance industry is asking the impossible.

There's a commercial opportunity there for someone.

The Germans, predictably, organise this far better with NCB going up
to 22 years.

Last time I looked a Porsche 911 was about £300 fully comp if
you had 22 years NCB. Bargain.