markthevalla

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!

Since December 2011 I've been requesting non standard proof of no claims letters from UK car insurance companies (Sheilas Wheels/Direct Line/Budget), they've constantly posted out the insufficient automated letters !!!

I've even sent them letters stipulating exactly the criteria as per ICBC requirements.

We're now in Vancouver, been here since beginning April, we have a car, we have received letter from ICBC stating they've reviewed the information passed over to them from the broker at the dealership (which was everything we managed to get out of the UK companies) and they're not willing to give us 40%, but 25% instead, as an agent/broker issued the Budget insurance info to them and not the insurance company, we also need to provide further info for period between 2006-2008 and march 2012 to april 2012.

Yet again the trials and tribulations of attempting to draw blood from a stone has resurrected itself !!

el_richo

When i moved i had a letter from Direct Line confirming i had 10 years claim free driving with them, and the date i closed my "account".

Because i didn't have the start date on the letter, they wouldn't accept it. So i sacked it off and we insured the car under my wifes name with me as a named driver. My wife got full discount based on the length of time she's had a driving licence, and nothing to do with insurane history since she'd been out of Canada for a long time and had not driven.

Welcome to Canada

markthevalla

Hi El-Richo.

It's been a bit of a nightmare tbh.

We requested both mine and wifes history from UK insurance companies.

Wife had the better results from UK, so we used hers when buying the car.

But now even that's not enough.

If I manage to get Direct Line to sort mine out, then it would mean mine is the best, hopefully we could then just settle up the difference with ICBC for her current plate and get new plate in my name with her as named driver.

So is your wife Canadian ? I'm just wondering is that why ICBC accepted the length of time of holding a licence as adequate enough ?

Aviator

Be cautious of using the 'majority' driver to get a higher discount if that person is not the majority driver. ICBC may refuse claims (and have I believe) if this comes out after an accident.

Many people have come unstuck with ICBC and claims history discounts. They are a lot stricter now than they used to be. We got ours discounted by sending in renewal notices and with a phone call.

el_richo

Yes my wife's Canadian. I just found it funny that I had proven claim free driving history and my wife hadn't driven for 9 years or so.

Aviator

If she had a Canadian drivers license, they can check her claims history though. Great way to keep a clean record though, don't drive!

markthevalla

I see your point on the named driver issue, my wife will be the main driver, as I currently walk to work and will be commuting by train soon, so really need UK insurances to get their acts together, they've had long enough !!

el_richo

Yep she hadn't had car insurance for years

markthevalla

So the less you drive here, the better you get in the eyes of ICBC

el_richo

No but the longer you have a license, the more favorable they see you. Even if you've not driven for years.

When an immigrant from the uk comes over with years of experience and an incorrectly worded letter, they start all over because the BC license will show them as a new driver with no history

markthevalla

Yep that's what I meant, have a BC licence but dont drive for x number of years and ICBC give you more discount....weird, ah well....in the UK if you haven't had insurance of your own for more than 2 years, you gotta start all over again !

__TJ__

I used the template letter in the wikki, it includes a mock up letter of exactly what you need them to say, only one who has struggled to comply so far is sheils wheels but having phoned them they have agreed to just include what I'm asking for so that should be right soon.
Annoyingly dh has had 10 claim free years, but although his last insurer confirmed that he had not made any claims on any policies for that time they would only accept the 4 years we could individually prove (problem being we are pants at keeping records of that stuff. And motor insurance database only helps if you know the date and make/reg of the car. Groan)

Former Lancastrian

So how would it work for a Canadian who has been driving over here for 10 years say in BC and then decides to move to the UK never having a UK driving licence or insurance?
Would they have to take a driving test and how much would their 1st insurance policy cost them?

JonboyE

By far and away the biggest influence on the discount or premium you pay for your car insurance is the number and frequency of at-fault claims on your driving record. Every other factor added together will be little more that a few dollars a year here and there.

Aviator

We all pay higher premiums, because high risk drivers, such as younger and new drivers are more heavily subsidised.