Q about insurance, please help!

[so ashamed]

Hi, I was convicted of drink driving last August, and only have 3 months of my ban left. Hence why I am now starting to think about insurance. My question is regarding the question that insurers ask when giving a quote online; how long have you held your license for? What I mean is, do I say 0 years, as I will have only just got my license back? Or can I say 8 years (as I passed my test and got my license in 2004)? Please someone help me with this, I'm a bit confused as to what answer they expect, and I don't want to say 8 years to find out down the line that my insurance is invalid because I gave the wrong answer! Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[hello123]

It's since you passed your test so 8 years.

 

[Regretfulgirlie]

Hi, I was convicted of drink driving last August, and only have 3 months of my ban left. Hence why I am now starting to think about insurance. My question is regarding the question that insurers ask when giving a quote online; how long have you held your license for? What I mean is, do I say 0 years, as I will have only just got my license back? Or can I say 8 years (as I passed my test and got my license in 2004)? Please someone help me with this, I'm a bit confused as to what answer they expect, and I don't want to say 8 years to find out down the line that my insurance is invalid because I gave the wrong answer! Thanks in advance for any help.

Go on to comparethemarket.com: I was VERY pleasantly surprised. What are you scared of? You won't have to buy then and there! I was banned for 3 years and I got a quote of £500 (And I live in S London) so don't worry...

 

[samsam89]

It's since you passed your test so 8 years.

Correctamundo!

You passed your test 8 years ago, which they will input into the computer.

You will obviously also tell them that you were disqualified for 15months.

The computer will just take the period of disqualification away from the amount of years you've held your license and that gives them how long you've held a valid license for.

 

[golden14]

you've held your licence for 8 years as far as they are concerned. I doubt they actually remove the ban period from the 'valid licence' period. 8 years is how long you've had the licence for. Biggest issue is all your no claims is gone!
I got a quote for a used 911 turbo worth (£25k) from the company mentioned above. £2,500pa quote which was less than before my ban, and only £200 more than the same company quote me for a £5k 944...Go figure!

 

[samsam89]

you've held your licence for 8 years as far as they are concerned. I doubt they actually remove the ban period from the 'valid licence' period. 8 years is how long you've had the licence for. Biggest issue is all your no claims is gone!
I got a quote for a used 911 turbo worth (£25k) from the company mentioned above. £2,500pa quote which was less than before my ban, and only £200 more than the same company quote me for a £5k 944...Go figure!

I used to work for an insurance company, and that is effectively how it works. You're right, it doesn't "remove" it, per say, the computer just takes the ban into consideration and loads the appropriate amount onto the premium. It automatically knows you haven't had your license for the last x amount of months/years, and it just auto-calculates.

I'm not quite sure where you get the bit about no claims bonus being gone? Unless you are talking about your individual situation.

Your no claims would be stepped back or be completely wiped (dependant on how many yrs you had built up) ONLY IF you made a claim. A drink driving ban in itself has nothing to do with your NCB. However, nearly all insurance companies refuse to accept NCB if it hasn't been attached with a policy for 2 years.

So if you were banned for more than 2 years & had NCB, then it's pretty much gone and you'll have to start over.

But if you received less than 24 month disq, and you didn't make a claim: you're good to go with the same amount of yrs bonus as you had before disq.

 

[so ashamed]

I used to work for an insurance company, and that is effectively how it works. You're right, it doesn't "remove" it, per say, the computer just takes the ban into consideration and loads the appropriate amount onto the premium. It automatically knows you haven't had your license for the last x amount of months/years, and it just auto-calculates.

I'm not quite sure where you get the bit about no claims bonus being gone? Unless you are talking about your individual situation.

Your no claims would be stepped back or be completely wiped (dependant on how many yrs you had built up) ONLY IF you made a claim. A drink driving ban in itself has nothing to do with your NCB. However, nearly all insurance companies refuse to accept NCB if it hasn't been attached with a policy for 2 years.

So if you were banned for more than 2 years & had NCB, then it's pretty much gone and you'll have to start over.

But if you received less than 24 month disq, and you didn't make a claim: you're good to go with the same amount of yrs bonus as you had before disq.

Thank you! Sense atlast! I still have my 6 years no claims bonus on a certificate, and regardless of my DR10, I never claimed on insurance because I didn't have an accident, so it is still valid and still will be when I drive again in November (only 15 months after ban). It says valid up until 2 years.

So basically I can say I've held a lisence for 8 years, as long as I give them details of the ban (which I was going to anyway)?

Regretfulgirlie, where are you coming from, I didn't say I was scared???!!!

 

[sparks27]

Hi, I was convicted of drink driving last August, and only have 3 months of my ban left. Hence why I am now starting to think about insurance. My question is regarding the question that insurers ask when giving a quote online; how long have you held your license for? What I mean is, do I say 0 years, as I will have only just got my license back? Or can I say 8 years (as I passed my test and got my license in 2004)? Please someone help me with this, I'm a bit confused as to what answer they expect, and I don't want to say 8 years to find out down the line that my insurance is invalid because I gave the wrong answer! Thanks in advance for any help.

I would imagine your biggest worry would be the question, Have you had any driving convictions in the last 5 year. You are actually punished with a ban but the punishment continues for a further 5 year with over inflated insurance policies. Im finding it really difficult atm to get a policiywithin an affordable price.