Best Car Insurance Questions and Answers April 2009
Q. How can I find out whether another car has insurance or not online? I want to know this thanks.
A. askMID will tell you whether or not a car is on the Motor Insurance Database however for the free search you have to confirm that the registration you are searching on is registered, owned or insured by you or your employer.
You can pay a £3.50 fee to find out if another vehicle is on the MID but you must provide the date of the accident and the registration details of the other vehicle. If the vehicle appears then you will get the policy number, insurer of the other vehicle and a car insurance claims contact number to help you progress a claim with the insurer.
It is an offence to wrongfully obtain information of this nature without reasonable cause - known as "unlawfully obtaining data contrary to section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1988"
Q. No claim bonus car insurance? Hello I have had 7 years of no claim bonus on car insurance abroad, however I have no way of proving it. Do car insurance ask for proof of no claim bonus? And what happens if I don’t provide the proof?
A. A UK insurance company will want proof of any no claims bonus accumulated with a different insurer.
You should be able to find a car insurance company in the UK who would accept your no claim bonus but only with written confirmation from your previous insurer.
If you contact your previous insurer they should be able to provide confirmation of your no claims bonus in writing.
Q. Gettting car insurance for more than one car? My big brother has a BMW series 3 and got the insurance done for it through my Dad. I've not long passed my test and have been asked to buy a MG TF and was wondering would I still be able to get insurance through my Dad as well, even though my big brother has insurance through him for his car?
A. Your father should speak to his car insurance company and notify them that your older brother is the main driver of the BMW. They will also want clarification of who is the registered keeper of the car.
If it has not been declared properly and your brother is involved in an accident then he may find that he is not insured.
To answer the question about your own car insurance, if you have passed your test within the last 12 months then you can take Pass Plus which should give you up to 30% discount off your first year's premium.
There are a number of other ways of helping to reduce your premium:
- Reducing your annual mileage - most car insurance providers will give discounts for a lower-than-average mileage figure
- Have safety features such as a Thatcham approved alarm or an immobiliser fitted by a professional
- Find somewhere secure to keep your car overnight – preferably in a garage or parked off-road
- Drive safely and build up a No Claim Bonus
- Avoid after-market modifications to your car as these must be declared to the car insurance company and they may charge more
- For young drivers insurance - add a parent to the car insurance policy as a named driver
Q. I want to change my car mid-term but my current insurer won't insure that vehicle? I am selling my car and looking at getting a convertible for the summer. My current insurer won't insure me on the new car so I need to cancel. Do you know if there is any way to transfer the insurance as I don't want to lose the 6 months no claims I have racked up this year?
A. You won't qualify for any No Claims Bonus until you have had a car insurance policy for one year without making a claim. One year's no claims is the minimum you can transfer from one car insurer to another.
I'm sorry to say you would be better off waiting until you have a full year's no claims bonus before changing your car.
Or, bite the bullet and start accumulating your no claims from scratch with the new car, assuming you can find a new car insurance company who will cover you. You may find that a new insurer will offer you an introductory discount that means you don't mind starting again with your no claims ;-)
Q. I can't get insurance for under £1698? HELP? I am 19, male and unemployed. I've had my licence for 10 months now and just bought a Rover 214 16v (1.4 engine, insurance group 5 or 6)
- is there any way that I can get the premium down?? Maybe convince my Dad to pretend he is the main driver?
A. There has been a story in the news recently saying that unemployed drivers pay as much as 20% more for their car insurance so being only 19 and unemployed is going to make for hefty premiums I'm afraid.
There are several ways to reduce the cost of your car insurance premium but unfortunately asking your Dad to pretend he is the main driver is not one of them. If he agreed to do this and you were later involved in an accident you may find that you are uninsured.
You say you passed your test 10 months ago which means you are still eligible to take Pass Plus which should give you up to 30% discount off your first year's premium.
There are a number of other ways of helping to reduce your premium:
- Reducing your annual mileage - most car insurance providers will give discounts for a lower-than-average mileage figure
- Have safety features such as a Thatcham approved alarm or an immobiliser fitted by a professional
- Find somewhere secure to keep your car overnight – preferably in a garage or parked off-road
- Drive safely and build up a No Claim Bonus
- Avoid after-market modifications to your car as these must be declared to the car insurance company and they may charge more
- For young drivers insurance - add a parent to the car insurance policy as a named driver
I hope this helps?
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