Car insurance can be a minefield of complicated terms, with tons of words and phrases that have a unique meaning in the insurance industry. Trying to decipher some of these terms can complicate the process of getting an insurance quote, and could leave you confused. To give you a better idea of what you need and what to expect from the policy you choose, we’ve compiled a glossary of common car insurance terms.

Black box insurance

Black box insurance, like we provide at drive like a girl, uses telematics technology to analyse factors about the way you drive. If you drive safely, certain black box insurers will give you rewards. With drive like a girl, if the data collected proves that you ‘drive like a girl’ then you could be rewarded, with more savings when you renew if you continue to drive safely. For more information about finding cheap car insurance that can keep you safe, take a look at our main website, or get a quote now.

Compulsory Insurance Enforcement

All vehicles must now be insured at all times, unless declared ‘off road’. If a vehicle shows as uninsured on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) the registered keeper will be sent an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL), explaining that it’s a legal requirement for all vehicles to have insurance, unless it has been declared ‘off road’ by a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/overview.

Excess

Excess is the amount you would have to pay towards the cost of an insurance claim (even if you have an accident that isn’t your fault). The amount will vary depending upon the type of claim you make and will be displayed on your Car Insurance Schedule. Voluntary excess means you decide whether you want one and how much it is, while compulsory excess is a fixed amount set by the insurer. Any voluntary excess selected will be added on to the compulsory excess amount.

 

Immobiliser

An anti-theft device that is activated when the key is removed from the ignition. It stops a car from being started until it is deactivated.

 

Main driver

This is the person who uses the car most of the time. It is important to be honest, and not mislead insurance companies by claiming to be the main driver if it is in fact someone else.

 

Mid-term adjustment

A mid-term adjustment is a change made to your policy during the policy term. This might be because you have changed car or moved house. Sometimes this can affect the price of your premium, however you must always tell your insurer if any of your details change. Please note: if you are insured with drive like a girl and your policy or renewal start date is on or after 15/09/14, the certain fees will apply for mid-term adjustments. Please see the Terms and Conditions document for more information.

 

Named driver

A named driver is an individual permitted to drive under the insurance policy in addition to the main policyholder. You can add up to two named drivers to your drive like a girl policy.

 

No Claim Discount (NCD)/No Claims Bonus (NCB)

No Claim Discount is a discount on your premium based on the number of consecutive complete years you have driven without making a claim.

 

Policyholder

The car insurance policy will be in the name of the policyholder. It’s the policyholder who earns any No Claim Discount at the end of the policy year, so make sure the policy is in your name if you’re hoping to earn a No Claim Discount.

 

Premium

Your premium is the amount you pay for your insurance, which can be paid monthly or as a single upfront payment.

 

Renewal notice

This is sent out by the insurer to notify policyholders that their policy is coming to an end. It will also include the customer’s new quote (renewal quote) and explain how to renew. If you don’t want to renew your policy, make sure you give enough notice to your insurer. With drive like a girl, you need to let us know more than 3 days before your renewal date – the earlier the better.

Risk

Car insurance is calculated by assessing a driver’s risk; in other words, how likely they are to make a claim. This is calculated by looking at the information provided when the customer gets a quote, and combining this with the insurer’s knowledge and experience from previous customers.

 

Underwriter

The underwriter assesses the risk of potential car insurance policyholders. It is their job to decide whether or not to provide someone with insurance.