The Crusader: Irritated no-fault driver takes a hit | The Crusader | Finance

“Why am I taking a hit?” an unhappy car owner wanted to know after seeing a rise in her motor insurance premium following a collision that was not her fault.

Crusader routinely receives complaints from consumers about this issue and their understanding about the actual consequences of being in a no-fault accident and any subsequent claim seem to differ markedly from that of insurers.

Being innocent with a clean driving licence and no record of a claim during the past 30 years did not help older driver Pamela Brown when a delivery van bashed her stationary vehicle.

++ If you’ve been affected by this issue or feel you’ve been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on maisha.frost@express.co.uk ++;

“I was correctly parked,” the disabled Blue Badge holder told Crusader. “The driver gave me his company’s details and his insurer accepted responsibility and agreed for my car to be repaired at a local garage. At no time was my insurance company involved, I didn’t need a replacement or any legal advice. The van’s insurers paid in full.”

So Pamela says she was dismayed when asked to pay an extra £65.44 on the annual premium that she had recently settled, part of a £1,731 multi-cover policy with Admiral that included her husband’s car and their home and contents.

Although the Browns were happy generally with their cover it was the reason for the additional charge that really irked them. The explanation they received was the same as given to Crusader when we put the issue to Admiral and reflects an industry-wide position that’s all about future risk assessments.

It explained: “When providing a quote for a new premium or at renewal, we ask if someone has had any accidents, incidents or claims in the last three years, regardless of fault or whether a claim was made. This information is just one of many used to establish their quote.

“Being involved in an accident doesn’t definitively indicate a driver to be a bad driver. However, when calculating a premium for a customer, we include many different rating factors to determine the risk that they will go on and make a claim.

“Our claims’ experience shows customers with non-fault claims or incidents are more likely to go on to make a fault claim in the future. The evidence we have for this is overwhelming and the way we calculate insurance premiums is based on our own extensive data from millions of motorists.”

[name has been changed]

All incidents need to be declared to your insurer even if you don’t make a claim. However, if the damage sustained in a no-fault accident is minor it could be worth paying for the repairs yourself as it might help lessen a future premium increase. A non-fault claim should not affect your no-claims bonus.