On company insurance. Is my NCB afected if i take personal insurance at later date?

[hamstring]

Hi,

I changed jobs last year and part of my package was a company car and also included being put on the companies insurance. So I cancelled my own insurance (Last September). However, i had over 5 years of no claims bonus accumulated and someone recently told me that if I ever decide/have to go back to driving a private car that my no claims bonus will have to start from scratch again. I don't fancy having to pay astronomical insurance in 2/3 years time. My 2 questions are:

1) Is this true?

2) If so, should i get myself insured on say my brother or girlfriends car?

Thanks.

 

[Satanta]

1) Is this true?

2) If so, should i get myself insured on say my brother or girlfriends car?

If you let your insurance lapse for a certain amount of time you will lose your NCB. It's been discussed here on AAM before, but I can't recall the time offhand (3 years is popping into my head but I wouldn't be certain - update: It's two!).

This can also happen if you go as a name driver (the advice, as I recall, was to switch the main insured person and the named driver each year so both keep the NCB intact - for a couple with one car).

I had a friend (well, a few of them) go TP on bangers (sitting outside the house and never moving) for a couple of hundred euro for just this reason before.


Update: Here is the thread. http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=24961&highlight=NCB
The final post seems to suggest you may be ok, but I'd check it out with your most recent/current insurer (and possibly others so you're not limited in the future to that insurer) to be safe.