How can I accrue claim-free years?

Who accrues claim-free years?

Only the policyholder accrues claim-free years. So you only accrue claim-free years if there is a car insurance policy in your name. A partner or child of the policyholder does not accrue claim-free years, even if they drive the car as much or more than the policyholder. Damage-free years are personal. This means that you cannot simply transfer them to another person's name. There are some exceptions, for example in case of death.

Without your own car

In principle, therefore, you only accrue claim-free years if you have a car insurance policy in your name and drive that car without any damage. If you and your partner have a car that is not in your name, the claim-free years will be in your partner's name. In that case, it is important that you are listed on the insurance policy as the regular driver. Your partner can then transfer (part of) the claim-free years to you by means of a waiver. This requires your partner's permission. This is also not possible if you have never been on the policy as a regular driver.

Insurance in parent's name

Young people under the age of 24 struggle to find affordable auto insurance. As a parent, you might want to transfer some claim-free years to your son or daughter. Transferring claim-free years is only possible in a limited number of cases. The policyholder can transfer the years to someone listed on the policy as one of the regular drivers. In that case, the other person has actually contributed to accumulating the claim-free years. So giving a son or daughter a number of years is only possible if they are on the policy as a regular driver.

Lease car

With a damage-free history in a lease car, you may be entitled to additional damage-free years. You demonstrate this with a so-called lease statement. This statement is issued by the lease company at the end of the lease contract. How many claim-free years you will receive for damage-free driving is up to the insurer. The number may vary between insurers.

Regular driver

Car insurance premium is determined based on the characteristics of your car and on the details of the policyholder and regular driver(s). It is usually based on the age of the youngest driver. Young people pay a higher premium because they are more likely to make claims than other drivers. Still, it is important that you provide the correct information to the insurance company. So be honest about the regular drivers of your car.

Can I lose accrued claim-free years?

You can also lose claim-free years built up with effort by not using them. After terminating a motor insurance policy, you will receive a statement of accrued years from the insurer. You can use this when taking out a new insurance policy. What if you do not take out a new motor insurance policy? Claim-free years that are no longer linked to an insurance policy were only valid for one year in the past. This was considered an unreasonably short period. With most insurers, therefore, claim-free years not linked to insurance are now valid for three years. If they are not linked to an insurance policy within these three years, the claim-free years expire.

Can I lose 5 years of accumulated claim-free years due to damage?

During a current car insurance policy, your claim-free years will not simply expire. What can happen, however, is that you will lose claim-free years. By claiming on your car insurance policy, you lose claim-free years. One claim can cost you five claim-free years. Fewer claim-free years can cause your premium to rise sharply in the following policy year. You do not lose accrued years with all claims. Damages that are insured in the WA limited casco are not at the expense of the claim-free years. These include, for example, windshield damage, storm and hail damage and theft of the car. In case of damage caused by a collision or vandalism, the claim on the insurance will be at the expense of your claim-free years.

Claim-free years transferable since 1-1-2022

Since Jan. 1, 2022, claim-free years are transferable in some situations. Upon death, for example, they can be transferred to the surviving partner. Also for lease drivers and drivers who have lived abroad for years, it is now possible to transfer claim-free years. This way they do not lose their accumulated claim-free years. You can read more about this new regulation in our blog post.

Also read:

Using claim-free years for another motor vehicle

Private lease - What happens to accrued claim-free years?

Car insurance - what misunderstandings exist about it?

Claim-free years: What's the deal

Transferring accrued claim-free years