Insurers withholding NCB

[John mangan]

I was involved in an accident on my motorcycle back in March. The bikes been repaired. The other party has accepted 100% liability and My excess was waived and I've since traded the bike in.

Renewal time is up and my insurer wrote to me last week to say they couldn't offer me a competitive quote so "goodbye".

I phoned them and asked for proof of NCB and they said sorry claim still open as they haven't recovered the costs from the third party yet.

I can't get insurance from on my new bike now because the claim is open and being considered my fault.

My premiums have gone from £450 to over 3k!

I was hit from behind! It's not my fault and the third party admitted liability.

can the insurer do this?

[MissFM]

Re: Insurers withholding NCB

Hi John Mangan and

What despicable behaviour from the insurance company, I'm so sorry.

There are experts on this subject here who will probably be about later in the day with sound practical advice - meanwhile try not to worry too much, this really doesn't sound fair at all. x

[des8]

Re: Insurers withholding NCB

Hi and welcome.

The short brutal answer is "yes, they can"
The NCB is not a discount that an insured is automatically entitled to, and it is earned by not making a CLAIM, not by being not to BLAME
It is a discount that insurers allow out of the goodness of their hearts () and because it is good for business. The passing of proof for one insurer to another is an unwritten arrangement between insurers which does not have to be honoured.

On a more practical level, viewing the huge increase in premium, can we assume you a) had a number of years NCB and b) on trading in, your replacement bike is a tad more powerful.

You would seem to have comprehensive insurance, on which you made a claim. Having made a claim the company are quite entitled to withhold the proof you want , until the third parties' insurers reimburse them. If they don't recover their money for whatever reason, your insurers will deduct a certain number of years bonus from your proof, so instead of having say 6 years
NCB your proof will show 3,4 or 5 (policy on this varies company to company).
You could request the insurers give you the reduced proof of bonus as an interim measure, until the full bonus is available.
You could also write to the third party involved, tell him as a result of the accident your insurance premiums have increased because his insurers have not reimbursed your insurers who are therefor with holding proof of NCB. As he was wholly responsible for the accident you are holding him responsible and liable for this extra cost.
In the letter advise him to pass it to his insurers,
This won't produce an immediate reaction, but it might hurry them up and it does lay down a way forward for you.