insurers threatening to cancel my policy

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 19 Dec 2019 at 13:05

Hades said:
A multicar policy is a policy where one policy holder has multiple cars.

Nope

If you check Admiral its clear its also family members etc.
Each car earns its own NCB

What could have happened to the OP is they matched his NCB (its one of the things they will do for second cars if they dont have their own NCB), which was probably an admin error and why he would appear to have lost his NCB
Even if they had made both the wifes, on transfer she should be able to keep the NCB for that car.

Hades · 19 Dec 2019 at 13:07

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Nope

If you check Admiral its clear its also family members etc.
Each car earns its own NCB

What could have happened to the OP is they matched his NCB (its one of the things they will do for second cars if they dont have their own NCB), which was probably an admin error and why he would appear to have lost his NCB
Even if they had made both the wifes, on transfer she should be able to keep the NCB for that car.

Ah OK. Didn't realise that.

Kenai · 19 Dec 2019 at 13:07

Hades said:
A multicar policy is a policy where one policy holder has multiple cars.

Direct Line say otherwise, I'd be inclined to take their word for how their policies are setup.

Southy_ · 19 Dec 2019 at 14:59

Can confirm, I have a multi-car discount with Directline, it's just a small discount for having multiple cars in the same house.
Me and my wife are main drivers on our respective policies with our own NCD.
I am a named driver on her policy, but she is not on mine (2 fault accidents in 3 years from her puts my premium up £150)

rhysduck · 19 Dec 2019 at 15:30

Admiral Multi Policy (including House Insurance)
2 Cars
I'm named driver on her.
She's not on mine.
Both drivers get NCB for their own respective cars.

Mine's super cheap. I could not get it cheaper anywhere. Been like that a few years now.

Foghorn Leghorn · 19 Dec 2019 at 17:53

rhysduck said:
Admiral Multi Policy (including House Insurance)
2 Cars
I'm named driver on her.
She's not on mine.
Both drivers get NCB for their own respective cars.

Mine's super cheap. I could not get it cheaper anywhere. Been like that a few years now.

That's how Aviva and Adrian flux multi car policies work too

LuckyBenski · 19 Dec 2019 at 19:06

DL were **** with me about NCB. Seemed broadly incompetent through several encounters really.

I joined DL when driving a boss's car, we specifically chose them as they allow named drivers to have NCB when opening their own policy later. Years down the line and I'm buying the car... they wanted £1100! Previous quote with my boss was 700 and I got it for 435 from Admiral in the end.

Admiral were great, agreed with me that if I proved I'd been driving the car 5 years (previous DL certificates!) they'd consider it as experience.

We later phoned Direct Line with the lower quote and they were totally unable to move below 1100. Chumps.

Iamzod · 20 Dec 2019 at 08:01

Hades said:
A multicar policy is a policy where one policy holder has multiple cars.

Not with DL, i used to work there, the system isn't set up for that to work like that. Sounds like he has put both policies in his wifes name so he hasn't lost the NCD as there are still 2 seperate sets, however his wife holds both.

Hades · 20 Dec 2019 at 09:59

Iamzod said:
Not with DL, i used to work there, the system isn't set up for that to work like that. Sounds like he has put both policies in his wifes name so he hasn't lost the NCD as there are still 2 seperate sets, however his wife holds both.

Yes that's been pointed out a couple of times above and I was happy to stand corrected.

bazaarboy · 20 Dec 2019 at 16:24

Just to give you guys an update.
DL absolutely refused to recognise my NCD in writing. Effectively they said you set up your two cars as policies on your wife's name, and me as named driver.
New insurers also won't recognise any notional NCB (don't blame them).
I accept that I'm at fault for not checking precisely how the policies were set up and correcting them at the time.

My DL renewal was around 600, new insurance was 450 paid in full already.
New insurers want another 400 if I cant provide NCB.
DL have been brazen enough to quote me 700 for a new policy in my name and with the expressed agreement of reinstating my 11 years NCB...!

i have two options :
Pay new insurers the extra and start with 0 years NCB
Cancel new insurance and get a measly refund of 150, and pay 700 to DL and re gain NCB...

What would you do?

Oh, and yes the insurance industry is one big extortion racket!

MassiveJim · 20 Dec 2019 at 16:34

OUCH!!

in this case DL are the cheaper option, get a refund from new insurer and take out new policy with DL.

LuckyBenski · 20 Dec 2019 at 17:09

Personally, on principle - suck up the cost, reclaim your NCB, then next year **** off DL for good for all your plans. They offer loads of false benefits clearly.

Rids · 20 Dec 2019 at 18:52

No harm in threatening Direct Line wit the Ombudsman - claims referred to the Ombudsman cost an insurer no matter in whose favour the Ombudsman rules. Can be used to give your complaint some traction.

Rroff · 20 Dec 2019 at 19:00

LuckyBenski said:
DL were **** with me about NCB. Seemed broadly incompetent through several encounters really.

I joined DL when driving a boss's car, we specifically chose them as they allow named drivers to have NCB when opening their own policy later. Years down the line and I'm buying the car... they wanted £1100! Previous quote with my boss was 700 and I got it for 435 from Admiral in the end.

Admiral were great, agreed with me that if I proved I'd been driving the car 5 years (previous DL certificates!) they'd consider it as experience.

We later phoned Direct Line with the lower quote and they were totally unable to move below 1100. Chumps.

I've experienced both sides of it with Admiral - they've been great to deal with and my latest renewal was slightly cheaper than last - but my dad had them, after several years of using them, suddenly jack up the price (no recent change in circumstances) by like 3x what he was paying and unable to move more than a tiny bit so he ended up going elsewhere at under half what they wanted.

Hope they don't do it to me as I find their system easy to work with, they've been very helpful when I've needed to do stuff and the prices have been reasonable for me so far (as far as insurance ever goes).

muon · 21 Dec 2019 at 12:53

Why would you get only £150 for cancelling a £450 policy that has barely run.

That is outrageous as it suggests a cancellation fee of close to £300.

Should be running a mile from such insurers. Direct Line cancellation fee is for example is £48. £0 if within 14 days.

As for getting back NCD, all you need to do is add your wife to your next policy and you will be fine. It hasn't disappeared.

muon · 21 Dec 2019 at 13:04

Rids said:
No harm in threatening Direct Line wit the Ombudsman - claims referred to the Ombudsman cost an insurer no matter in whose favour the Ombudsman rules. Can be used to give your complaint some traction.

Pretty sure DL won't budge. They are basically being told, as far as they are concerned, to fraudulently swap NCD. Insurers always say to check documents and so I doubt without any further evidence the Ombudsman will find in the OPs favour.

Rids · 21 Dec 2019 at 19:01

muon said:
Pretty sure DL won't budge. They are basically being told, as far as they are concerned, to fraudulently swap NCD. Insurers always say to check documents and so I doubt without any further evidence the Ombudsman will find in the OPs favour.

Worth a shot, an Ombudsman investigation, no matter the result, costs an insurer a couple of hundred quid. Can't remember the exact amount. Maybe they can't do anything on the NCD but could lower the premium they've quote as a goodwill gesture to avoid an Ombudsman referral. Insurers do it all the time.