If you read your car insurance policy it says you have to notify them of any incident that may lead to a claim.

Last year a garage roof fell on my car during the storms. Superficial damage only (scratches) but I dutifully told my insurance company, but stated at the time I DID NOT WANT TO MAKE A CLAIM!

Now I've come to renew my policy and have been charged an extra £80 becuase I have a 'no fault no payout claim' recorded against me!!!

Ludicrous or what? After talking to the monkeys and numpty's who work for private car insurance, I'm told a 'claim' is the word they use for 'incident' or 'notification' and the main point is that it says it was not my fault and no payout. BUT the main point to me is that because I was honest, I've been charged an extra £80 and this stays n my record for the next 5 years!!!!

WAKE UP INSURANCE COMPANIES!!!

Sorry, but I think you have been informed wrongly by someone who works in Customer Services, who has never worked a day in claims in his/her life.

The extra £80 will not have been against the claim, as the payment is £0 then this will NEVER count against you at renewal (as long as the claim is not ongoing).

It is more likely the extra £80 is due to market forces (increase in claims for that company, sharholders wanting more dividend, inflation, etc.) To prove this go on a car quote website, type in the fact that you have never made a claim, get the price, then amend the quote to say that you have made a claim but it was non fault paid £0 - the price will stay the same.

You do need to notify them. TBH if you dont, it wont make much difference, unless the TP makes a claim further down the road, then the underwriters can "reserve their rights", and you dont want that!!!

PS - A fault claim stays on the record for 5 years, but Insurance companies don't take notice of it for the third and fourth year!!

Sorry, half posted before finished typing. See below

Well Craig, I know it was an extra £80 for the notification because I initially tried to buy my insurance through the internet (confused.com) and had a quote I was happy with, but when I tried to purchase it I was told I had to phone them. This I dutifully did, and was told about this 'claim' on my insurance record, and the new premium was £80 more!! this is the only thing that was different.

I then went to other companies that came up from confused, tried to get insurance online, and had the same problem, and a similar increase in quoted premium! ... When I went back to my quote on confused, and tried to re-answer the question about a claim in the past 5 years (and I still maintain it WASN'T A CLAIM) there was no where for me to put that it was no fault and no money was paid out. I still had to call the insurer and pay an increased premium to what came up on the internet.

There's no risk of any other person (TP) claiming against me on this, so ultimately I would have been better off not reporting the incident, and would like to warn others of the same.

Thanks

yes this is very true, did the same many years ago, the insurance people basicly said on the phone they would send someone out to write the car off, (it was an oldie but a goldie). i got it fixed for £150 but was penalised next year for reporting the damage even though i did not claim

I agree you get punished for at least 5 years for being honest. I've been paying £50 a year extra for no fault, no claim, no accident. Honesty doesn't pay!

I agree you get punished for at least 5 years for being honest. I've been paying £50 a year extra for no fault, no claim, no accident. Honesty doesn't pay!

For anyone reading this thread. It does depend on the individual accident situation. If any third party is involved in anyway, it is always wise to report the accident to your Insurers. There are people who will say at the scene of a minor accident that they are happy not to involve Insurers. Then later in the day or months later, they then change their mind and you are then suddenly advised they want to make a claim for personal injury and/damage to their car. Also they may now want to blame you for the accident.

If you were never going to claim then why did you tell them about it??? why would they want to know!

the only time you would inform them was if you or a third party might want to claim at alater date after costs assessed and liability etc.

They see it as a potential you might make a claim later on when the true costs are known. To them it is a risk and thet risk has to be managed and costed out.

Maybe if you indemify them by writing to them saying you will not make a claim and all repairs payed for by you for this, you may get the marker withdrawn!