Just wondering - I took out NCB protection on my policy, and on the insurance document it lists how many "lives" the protection has remaining. Does this mean that if I make a claim, they won't jack up the premium until I run out of lives? Or is it just that I get to keep my NCB years?

 

(oh and a thankyou to those who followed up on my 'injured car' thread - I haven't been able to visit the board for a few weeks and so didn't get to answer at the time :) )

Hi Raz,

 

out of current experience - I spoke to both AON and LIfesure today - their "protected ncb" works like this.

 

I had (in August) 2 "lives" on my ncb. No claims, no nuffink.

 

Then some git hit me and I had to make a claim (so my insurance would claim against git's insurance). Strike one "ncb life".

 

So I now only have 1 "ncb life" left. So my premium is unaffacted apart from market forces. When git gets taken to court and coughs up, I will get 1 "ncb life" back again putting me back to 2.

 

If the accident had been my fault, then I would now be at 1 "ncb life" - hence only 1 get-out-of-jail-free card left. Lose this one and bingo - lose all ncb.

 

One thing which nearly caught me out is this. My Z was written off. I bought the salvage and am in the middle of having it repaired. My renewal is in 10 days and I had not had any notice so I rang the insurers. Lifesure said that the car was written off so the policy had lapsed. They sorted it in the end (thanks guys) but if anyone was bought back their car as salvage to repair and put back on the road, check your insurance - you will probably need to rearrange it.

 

HTH - Gio

Interesting info Gio, thanks. Seems a bit unfair that they took one of your 'lives' until the third party's insurer covers costs, but I suppose that's insurers for ya =/

 

So, hopefully, since I still have all my NCB lives, the premium shouldn't change if I claim...

Yep, that's what they told me. Protected ncb has just saved me a lot of money / hassle, so if any of you out there don't have it, try and get it next time.

 

Cheers - Gio