Making a change to your policy

If you should need to amend, renew or cancel your policy you should first contact the insurance intermediary which arranged your policy with Premier Underwriting. Your insurance intermediary has detailed knowledge and experience of our products and will be able to deal with your enquiry immediately.

On the rare occasion that a matter needs to be referred to Premier Underwriting, your insurance intermediary will liaise with us on your behalf. Your insurance intermediary’s contact details are shown on the documents supplied with your policy schedule or insurance certificate.

The following are examples of changes you must notify to your insurance intermediary in respect of you or any person named as a driver under this policy, or in respect of your car:

• a change of your address or where your car is kept overnight
• a change of or additional occupation
• a change to the use of your car
• a change to the main driver of your car
• any drivers you wish to add to or remove from your policy
• any convictions not already notified to us, including fixed penalties or pending prosecutions
• any accidents, claims, losses or damages to any vehicle, whether or not a claim was made and regardless of blame
• any physical or mental condition, disability or infirmity requiring notification to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency
• the prescription of permanent medication
• if you intend to change your car, including getting an additional vehicle
• any modifications to your car (where it has been altered from the manufacturer’s specification). This includes changes to the:
  • appearance (cosmetic changes), such as alloy wheels or paint
  • bodywork, such as body kits or spoilers
  • suspension or brakes or engine
  • performance of the vehicle, such as the engine management system or exhaust
  • audio/entertainment system

This list is not exhaustive so, if in doubt, please notify your insurance intermediary.

If you need to make a claim, or to discuss an existing claim

Please contact your insurance intermediary. The policy documents sent to you by your insurance intermediary will show the contact telephone number you need to call when first reporting the accident/claim. Once you have reported the accident/claim, you will be referred on to our claims service if you wish to pursue a claim under your motor policy and/or if a third party is likely to make a claim.

Who will deal with your claim?

We have authorised our claims service to deal with your claim on our behalf. You should therefore refer all correspondence and telephone enquiries to them.
Appropriate contact details will be provided at the time the accident/claim is first reported to them.

All accidents/claims MUST be reported within 24 hours, whether you wish to make a claim or not, and whether it may be your fault or not. Failing to report an accident or claim can expose you to charges and expenses for which you are personally liable and could result in your insurance being invalid.

The cost to call an 0344, 0345 or 0330 number is the same as calling a normal local or national landline.

Please have your policy number and vehicle registration number ready when you call.

When you took out our policy through your insurance intermediary, you may have also purchased Legal Fees or Uninsured Loss Recovery insurance which is provided by another insurer. If you have either of these insurances, you should also contact your insurance intermediary on the telephone number supplied in the documents they issued to you, as they will be able to coordinate the other aspects of your claim with the various insurers.

If you have been involved in an accident with a Premier Underwriting policyholder and you believe them to be at fault, please contact our Claims team immediately. Where they are determined to be at fault, we will arrange for the recovery and repair of your car. We will also supply you with a temporary replacement vehicle while the work is being completed.

What to do at the scene of an accident?

If you are involved in any incident involving an injury to any person or damage to any other vehicle or property, you must stop. Give your name, address and insurance details to anyone who has a good reason for asking and get the same details of any other person who was involved in the accident.

If there is an injury, or you do not give your details to anyone at the scene, you must report the matter to the police within 24 hours.

If you are involved in an accident or incident (and if safe to do so) try to take pictures of the damage to any vehicles (including your own) or property that may be involved, along with pictures of the accident scene generally. You should also ask for contact details for anyone who may have witnessed the accident.

When can I contact you about a claim?

You can report a claim to us 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If you need to speak with a dedicated claims handler they can be contacted Monday – Friday 9am-5.30pm.

What is a claim?

This will depend on the type of policy you have. Please refer to your policy documentation and policy wording for exact terms of cover; the following is just a general explanation.

• Comprehensive cover – this will cover you for damage to, or theft of, your vehicle; and your liability to any third party where you have caused an accident.
• Third party fire and theft – this will cover you where your vehicle has been stolen or damaged by fire; and your liability to any third party where you have caused an accident.

Any third party involved in an accident with you is entitled to make a claim against your policy even if you don’t want to claim for damage to your vehicle.

What happens when I make a claim?

You can expect your claim to be allocated to our dedicated claims team.

It’s important that we have as much information about the claim incident as possible, so we will spend some time going through the incident details with you, please bear with us.

We will let you know if the incident is covered under the terms of your policy and if we require any further information or documentation from you.

How long will my claim take?

We understand this will be a stressful time for you and so we will endeavour to deal with your claim as quickly as possible.

If you have been involved in an accident with another vehicle, the other driver may dispute your version of events. This could mean that we need to carry out further investigations. Any further investigations into liability should not delay us in dealing with the damage to your vehicle, if this is covered by your policy. However, it may mean that we are unable to allow your no claims discount until such time as we have satisfied ourselves who is responsible for the accident.

How do you establish who was responsible for an accident?

When you report an accident, we give careful consideration to the information you provide and we aim to give you an early indication of the likely outcome.

Some accidents are easier to determine responsibility for than others. It is important, therefore, that you provide us with as much detail of the accident as you can. This might include your statement, a sketch, photographs or video evidence. The more factual information that you are able to provide, the better.

Where you provide us with details of witnesses to the accident, we will write to them and ask for a statement if necessary. In certain circumstances, we may need to interview you. We might also interview witnesses or visit the scene of the accident to prepare diagrams and take further photographs.

Where it is felt that it is necessary we might also obtain a copy of the police report, if they attended the scene of the accident.

Once we have gathered together all of the evidence that we consider is needed, we will make a decision and settle the claim on that basis.

The other driver has said they are claiming for injury, but they were uninjured at the scene of the accident. What will you do?

All claims for personal injury are carefully scrutinized to assess cause. This means that we will consider all the available evidence to determine whether it is likely on the balance of probability that a court will accept that the claimant is injured.

In all cases where you raise a concern or we have our own concerns, whether that is in relation to third parties, their passengers or your own passengers, the case will be referred to our counter fraud team.

The law has recently been changed to allow us to recover costs against the claimant where the claim is found to be fundamentally dishonest and, where this is the case, any legal expenses policy that is supposed to protect the claimant will not operate, meaning that the claimant is entirely responsible for our legal costs.

Where the evidence enables us to do so, we take a very hard line against claimants in these circumstances. In this way, we seek to protect you from paying additional premium to meet the cost of these fraudulent claims.

Why do you want to inspect my car?

We will arrange an inspection of your vehicle if you are claiming for repair or for the total loss value of the vehicle. Inspections are routinely carried out whether the repair is undertaken by one of our approved repairers, or a repairer of your choosing.

Depending on the nature of the inspection and the extent of any damage, the inspection may be a physical inspection or it may take place remotely by digital imaging.

In all cases, where an inspection is necessary, we would normally expect this to take place within 3 working days of the engineer being instructed.

If I’m not making a claim do I still need to report the incident?

Yes. As mentioned, we may be presented with a claim from a third party; therefore we will need your assistance to determine who is responsible for the accident.

Will I be given a courtesy car?

Subject to your policy entitlement, if your vehicle is repairable and you are using one of our approved repairers you will be provided with a courtesy vehicle for the duration of repairs. If you are supplied with a courtesy vehicle it will automatically be covered as a temporary addition on your current motor policy with us. Please be advised the courtesy vehicles are small run-around manual vehicles and we are not able to increase the size.

If your vehicle is not repairable or is stolen and unrecovered, we will unfortunately not be able to provide a courtesy vehicle. You may have purchased an optional extra policy through your insurance intermediary to cover you for this. If so, please contact them and they will explain the next steps.

Can I use a repairer of my choice?

Yes. However, we will need to approve your garage’s estimate for the repairs before we agree to cover the cost less your policy excess.

We will not be responsible for the quality of the repairs if you do not use one of our approved repairers. If you use a garage of your choice, the contract for the repair is between you and your garage; we are just covering the authorised repair costs less your policy excess.

I’ve been receiving correspondence from the third party insurer, what should I do?

If you have been receiving correspondence from a third party’s insurance company, solicitor, or accident management company, please let our claims team know immediately.

If my car is stolen, what will happen?

If your vehicle is recovered and repairable, it will be taken to an approved repairer or repairer of your choosing and repaired in accordance with the terms and conditions of your policy.

If your vehicle is not recovered or is damaged beyond repair, we will require you to complete a claim form and send us the following documents:

• Vehicle registration document (V5C), also known as a 'log book'
• Purchase receipt
• Evidence of payment
• Vehicle photographs

We will require original documentation, which we recommend is sent to us by recorded delivery. Copy documentation can be sent by email to speed up the process.

Please do not send the vehicle keys to us. We will request these from you in the event that we need them. Do, however, keep them safe for inspection as we may refuse to deal with your claim if you are unable to provide us with these.

It is likely that we will then need to interview you at your home address and take a statement from you about the circumstances leading up to and including the discovery of the theft. If we intend to do this, we will write to you with the name of the investigation company carrying out the interview.

If you are a genuine claimant, you have no reason to be concerned about this. Subject to your availability, we would expect this to take anything between one and two weeks to arrange the appointment.

Once our investigation has finished we will pay you the market value of your vehicle at the time of the theft, less your policy excess. If there is finance secured on your vehicle, we will need to pay the finance company first and any balance will be paid directly to you. You will be responsible for the balance of any finance agreement if the amount owed is higher than the value of the vehicle. If you have purchased GAP insurance from the dealer that sold the vehicle to you or through your insurance intermediary, you will need to ask them about the operation of that policy.

When we settle your claim, the vehicle becomes our property and you must notify us immediately if it is recovered.

My car is a total loss. How is it valued?

If your vehicle is a total loss, the vehicle will be assessed by an independent qualified engineer. This may involve a physical inspection of the vehicle or it may be undertaken remotely using images of the vehicle taken by the approved repairer. The vehicle is valued by reference to Glass’s Guide and other trade publications. The condition of the vehicle will be taken into consideration, as will any pre-existing damage and vehicle mileage. The vehicle is valued on the assumption that it has a valid MOT certificate where one is required and that it has been serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

The amount that we offer you will be based upon the engineer’s valuation. It is intended to be a sum of money that will put you in a position to purchase a replacement vehicle with one of similar make, model, year, specification, mileage and condition from the market in which you are likely to purchase the replacement. Whilst certain insurers may have had a reputation for making low offers, we offer the full amount of the valuation. Although we are happy to review any valuation on request, you should not expect this to result in an increase in the offer, as every care is taken to ensure that we get it right first time. If you have purchased GAP insurance from the dealer that sold the vehicle to you or through your insurance intermediary, you will need to ask them about the operation of that policy.

If you are not happy with the valuation, you should do some research to see whether vehicles advertised for sale in your local area support your view. If you still think that our valuation is low, telephone your dedicated claim handler and ask for the valuation to be reviewed.

If we can identify suitable vehicles offered locally for a similar amount to that we have offered, we will not increase the valuation.

If similar vehicles cannot be found advertised in your locality, a nationwide search will be undertaken to identify the likely sale value of the vehicle if one were available in your area.

We will issue an interim payment in the sum offered. Please note that you are free to bank any payments that we make to you in respect of your vehicle and continue to escalate the matter further. We will send you an additional payment in the event that an increased settlement is agreed.

If you are still unhappy with the valuation following this review you have the right to pursue the matter through our complaint procedure which is described in your policy documents and on our website. The matter will then be reviewed at a senior level and a final decision relayed to you, which you may then refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service if you choose to.

What happens if my car has been stolen or written off and my MOT had expired?

You must ensure that your vehicle is maintained in a roadworthy condition at all times and that it has a valid MOT certificate where required.

If you do not have a valid MOT we will deal with your claim unless it is established that your vehicle was suffering from a fault that would have been identified in an MOT test and that the fault has contributed to the cause of the loss. If we agree to deal with your claim, you will be required to submit your vehicle for MOT following any repairs and you will be directly responsible for the costs associated with putting the vehicle through MOT. If your vehicle is a total loss, you can expect the value of the vehicle to be reduced to reflect the difference in value between a vehicle of similar specification being sold with a valid MOT and one being sold without.

If my car is written-off can I keep it?

Yes. However, if we write-off your vehicle (assess it to be beyond economic repair) its details will be placed on the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR).

Your cover under your policy will be reduced to third party liabilities only (TPO) until you obtain a valid MOT certificate and produce a copy to your intermediary.

You should let us know as soon as possible if you want to retain your vehicle otherwise we may dispose of it. If you decide to retain your vehicle we will deduct the current value of the vehicle from our pre-accident valuation before settling the claim.

How to make a claim for my windscreen?

Please refer to your policy documents.

What happens to my no claims discount and will it be affected?

If you are involved in an accident that was your fault, when it comes to renewal unless it is protected, your no claims discount will be affected as a result of the accident. Your NCD may also be affected when protected if you make more than one claim in a policy year. You will need to contact the insurance intermediary that sold you the policy for more information on the effect this will have on your premium in future.

If you are involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault and you are looking to utilise your comprehensive policy, your no claims discount will be disallowed until we have an admission of liability from the other insurer. You will need to contact your insurance intermediary for more information about the impact of this, including if you protected your no claims discount. Once a claim is reported to us we will actively chase an admission of liability and will keep you updated with any developments.

Please be advised that unfortunately we are unable to place any repairs or inspections on hold whilst we receive an admission of liability from the other driver's insurer, we will however update you as soon as we do receive the admission.

You may be required to fill out a more detailed statement. We will contact you if this is the case and either post or provide a web-link to a downloadable form. Occasionally other insurers ask for this evidence even though liability seems straightforward.

What is an Excess and what does it mean?

Under the terms of your policy you are responsible for the first agreed amount of any claim made; this is known as a policy excess. Please refer to your policy schedule for the specific amount. Please note your excess may be made up of compulsory and voluntary amounts, in which case both will apply.

The excess is the amount you must pay for every claim for loss of or damage to your vehicle and applies regardless of who was to blame for the incident. You will be required to pay your excess directly to the garage upon completion of repairs. In the event your vehicle is declared a total loss, your excess will be deducted from any settlement.

For Customers

How do I contact you?

Please see full details on our Contact Us page

How do I get a copy of my NCD proof?

To request a copy of your No Claims Discount (NCD) proof please contact your insurance intermediary. Please refer to your policy documents for their contact details.

How do I make a change to my policy?

All changes made to your policy must be done through your insurance intermediary.

For Insurance Intermediaries

The policyholder has had a County Court Judgment (CCJ). Will you be able to cover them?

We accept policyholders who have had 1 CCJ within the last 3 years.

The policyholder has been declared bankrupt. Will you cover this?

We will not accept anyone who has been declared bankrupt until 6 years have passed since their bankruptcy was discharged (ended). If they are declared bankrupt mid-term during the policy, we will continue to cover the policyholder until the next renewal, when the risk must be re-broked.

The policyholder has an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA). Will you cover this?

Yes will cover the policyholder if they have had/have an IVA.

Transfer NCD - can only be transferred from Spouse / Civil Partner

We need a letter from the Spouse or Civil Partner transferring the NCD, to include wording: "… and in doing so I relinquish all rights." This letter must also be signed. Where the policyholder has died or is physically/mentally unable to authorise the transfer, NCD may be transferred upon request to us.

The policyholder has sold the vehicle, how long do they have to find a new vehicle before adding a Mid-Term Adjustment or cancelling the policy?

The policy may remain in force for a period of 14 days from the date the vehicle is sold to allow time for the customer to acquire a replacement vehicle. If no substitution is performed within those 14 days the policy must be cancelled.

The vehicle is a write-off, how long before the policy must be cancelled, if a new vehicle is not purchased?

We allow 30 days from receipt of the claim settlement to find a new vehicle and for the insurance intermediary to process the mid-term adjustment with the new vehicle details. There is no need for the policyholder to return the Certificate to their insurance intermediary.

Can you extend the 90 days' cover for driving abroad?

No, we cannot offer any extensions on the 90 days' cover for driving in the EEA and certain other specified European countries.

Can the policyholder add a temporary additional driver or temporary additional vehicle onto the policy to be used when driving abroad?

No, temporary additional drivers and temporary additional vehicles cannot be used for driving abroad.

Do you cover LPG conversions?

We will cover LPG conversions if the insurance intermediary obtains a copy of the installation Certificate within 14 days of the change.

Do mid-term convictions impact the policy?

No, any mid-term conviction is not applied until the next renewal.