What is the point of protected no claims bonus?

Asked by: Aimee Von  |  Last update: July 2, 2023
Score: 4.4/5 (64 votes)

No Claims Discount explained
You can choose to pay to protect your discount - this is known as a protected no claims discount - and means that you can keep your discount, even in the event of making a claim. Another important factor is the ability of your insurer to recover the costs from another party.

Is it worth protecting no claims bonus?

If you have five years' no claims discount, it will significantly cut the cost of your car insurance. You could lose all that for just one accident. You would also normally lose your discount for being in an accident with an uninsured driver, if you had to make a claim on your own insurance.

What does it mean if your no claims discount is protected?

No claim discount (NCD) protection is an optional cover which protects your NCD from one "at fault" claim every year. It does not protect the overall price of your insurance policy, but does guarantee that your premium won't increase next year as a result of a claim.

Will my insurance go up if I have protected no claims?

If you've protected your no claims discount, then making a claim shouldn't affect the number of years that contribute to your NCD. But if you've had an accident, the basic cost of your premium is likely to go up.

Do I lose my no claims bonus if someone hits me?

Even if someone hits your car and you make a claim for the damage on your insurance – it is likely that you will lose your no-claims bonus. Remember it is a 'no-claims bonus' and not a 'no-blame bonus'.

Do This to PROTECT Your No Claims Bonus!

35 related questions found

Is 9 years no claims the maximum?

Proof of no-claims when your no-claims bonus is higher than your new insurer's maximum. You may go to a new insurer with a higher amount of no-claims bonus than they will accept – for example, if you have 9 years no-claims bonus, but the maximum they apply is 4.

How many years NCB Do you need to protect it?

Normally you need to have at least five years No Claims Discount to qualify for No Claims Protection, however we have three insurers who do offer this benefit on a lower amount of No Claims Discount.

How many years does NCD last?

That depends on your insurance provider and how long it's been since you last had cover. Many insurance providers will say a no-claims discount is invalid if there's a break in your car insurance of two years or more. But other providers may go to three years.

How many years no claims do you lose after an accident?

If you make one claim on your insurance and your insurance provider pays out, your no claims discount is typically reduced by two or three years. It could be further reduced if you make two or more claims. So, if you have eight years of NCD and make a claim, in theory you'll be left with five or six years' NCD.

What is 65% No Claim Bonus?

65% Claim Free Privilege Life1 is earned after you've had 65% Claim Free Privilege Plus1 for three claim free periods. At this discount level, your 65% No Claim Bonus1 is protected for the life of your policy.

Can I Protect 2 years no claims?

Your proof of NCB will usually only be valid for two years, although this will depend on the insurer. So if you are planning on taking a break from driving for more than two years, you might have to start from scratch with your next car insurance.

Do I lose my no claims bonus for windscreen replacement?

No, your NCD is not affected for any windscreen claims.

Will I lose my no claims bonus if I sell my car?

Although your bonus is attributed to a specific policy, it can be transferred to another car if you change vehicles. If you switch insurers before the year is up, however, you won't get the NCB for that year. The same is also true if you sell your car and wait for a period of time before finding a replacement.

How do you lose your no claims bonus?

When you make a claim on your policy you'll usually lose some or all of your NCB if your insurer has to pay out – even if it's not your fault. How much of it you actually lose depends on how many years NCB you have, as well as the insurer. After an accident, there might be some situations where your NCB isn't affected.

How do I stop losing my no claims bonus?

If you're a named driver as well as having your own insurance, and you make a claim as a named driver, you won't usually lose your no-claims bonus. Most of the time it affects the policyholder.

Can you protect 3 years NCB?

You can pay to guarantee or protect your NCB. 'Guaranteed' means a claim won't reduce your bonus but you won't get extra discount that insurance period. 'Protected' allows two claims in three years before the bonus is reduced, and, again, you won't get any discount in that period.

Do insurance companies check NCB?

Do insurance companies ask for proof of no-claims bonus? Yes. If you're switching to a new car insurance provider and tell them you have an existing no-claims bonus in your application, they'll probably need to see some proof.

How much difference does 1 year no claims bonus make?

The amount of discount earned increases with each year of claim-free driving. So after one year you might get 30%, with the percentage increasing each year until you get 70% NCD after five years. Most firms offer a maximum NCD of 70%, although some offer 75% or 80%.

What happens if you use no claims bonus on 2 cars?

Unfortunately you cannot use your no claims discount twice. You can only use your no claims discount on one vehicle at any one time. However, you will be able to start earning another no claim discount if you take out a policy on a second car.

Can I transfer my no claims bonus to my wife?

Yes, but this only applies to couples who are married or in a civil partnership it does not apply to co-habiting couples. It can only be switched once so cannot be switched back.

Can I use my no claims on 2 cars?

Unfortunately, you can only use one set of no claim discount on one vehicle at any time. To earn multiple sets of no claim discount you need to insure multiple vehicles at the same time.

Will my insurance go up if I claim for a windscreen?

If you've claimed for windscreen repair or replacement within the past 5 years, you will need to declare it to your insurer every time you take out insurance. However, in most cases it will not affect your insurance premiums, meaning that the price shouldn't go up.

What is bonus protection?

What does bonus protection mean? Most car insurance companies operate under the bonus-malus system. This means that the premium decreases from year to year if no accidents occur - until the lowest premium level is reached.

What happen to my NCD if I sell my car?

If you sell your old vehicle and decide to purchase a new one, the NCD from the old vehicle can be transferred to the new vehicle. If, however, you do not acquire a new vehicle and your NCD remains unused after one year, it will be reversed .