All about claim-free years
Claim-free years are the years in which you do not report a claim with your car insurance. For every year that you do not report a claim, you get 1 claim-free year. The more claim-free years you have, the lower your premium will be. You can get up to 80% discount on your car insurance. Do you report damage? Then you lose your claim-free years.
What are claim-free years?
Claim-free years show how many years in a row you have not reported a claim to your car insurance company. They determine how much no-claim discount you get and thus how low your premium is. The more claim-free years you have, the higher your no-claim discount. If you do claim damage, you can lose several no-claim years at once. Claim-free years are built up per insurance year.
Damage-free years give discounts on your car insurance policy
For every year that you do not report a claim, you get 1 claim-free year. You then move up one step on the bonus-malus ladder, which means that you receive an increased discount on your premium. After 15 claim-free years, the discount can reach 80%. If you claim damage, you usually go down 5 steps. As a result, your premium may increase substantially, or you may even receive a surcharge if you have negative claim-free years.
Want to know exactly how the bonus-malus ladder works? Read more about the bonus-malus ladder.
Impact of claim-free years on your premium
Suppose you pay €1,200 per year for car insurance with no claim-free years. With 10 claim-free years, for example, you get 65% discount through the no-claims ladder. That means your insurance premium drops to about €420 per year due to the no-claims discount.
Arithmetic:
- Basic premium without discount: €1,200
- 65% discount thanks to claim-free years: €780 discount
- Premium payable: €420 per year
If you then claim a damage and lose 5 claim-free years, your discount drops to 40%, for example. Your premium then rises to about €720 per year.
After claim:
- Basic premium: €1,200
- 40% discount: €480 off
- Premium payable: €720 per year
The loss of claim-free years will cause you to pay €300 more in premium each year. Calculated over several years, this can add up to thousands of euros in additional costs.
Keep your discount with no-claims protection
A no-claim protector is extra insurance that allows you to claim one damage per year without losing your no-claim discount. So you retain your premium advantage even after a claim.
Your claim-free years do decrease and this can have consequences if you switch to another insurer. They look at your actual claim-free years and not at the discount you have retained.
Drop in claim-free years after 1 claim
Claiming damage can cost you 5 claim-free years. Damages insured in the WA Limited Comprehensive insurance are not charged to the claim-free years. Think of damage by fire, storm, hail and lightning, damage by stray animals, windshield damage and burglary and theft. In case of damage due to a collision or vandalism, the claim on the insurance will be at the expense of your claim-free years.
Negative claim-free years
Don't have many claim-free years yet? For example, because you are a novice driver or if you claim damage several times in a short period of time? Then you can even get negative claim-free years. This will make your car insurance more expensive. You will not get a discount on your premium, but a surcharge. You will pay more for your car insurance in that case.
Want to avoid having fewer claim-free years left after a claim? If you pay for the damage yourself, you won't lose any claim-free years. You can have a maximum of minus 5 claim-free years.
Transferring claim-free years to your partner
Claim-free years are personal. You only build up claim-free years if there is a car insurance policy in your name. So your partner or child does not build up claim-free years. Not even if they drive the car as much and are regular driver on the policy.
In some cases, however, claim-free years can be transferred to your partner. For example, in case of divorce or death. Claims-free years that have been transferred to a partner can therefore no longer be used in a car insurance policy. You can never transfer claim-free years to children.
Claim-free years from other vehicles
In principle, claim-free years are only valid for the type of vehicle for which they were accrued. Some insurers do accept accrued claim-free years from other vehicles as justification for a discount.
For example, if you switch from a motorcycle to a car. However, this is not a set policy and varies by insurer. Therefore, always inform in advance if transfer is possible. You can never take the claim-free years from your moped to your car insurance.
Claim-free years and a second car
Many insurers offer a second car scheme if you already have a car insured in your name. The second car of, for example, your partner or child at the same address can then benefit from the same no-claim discount as the first car. No claim-free years are then required for that second policy.
Claim-free years expire
Claim-free years have an expiration date. If your claim-free years are no longer associated with an auto insurance policy, they may expire. This does not happen immediately but only after 3 years.
Do you cancel your car insurance and don't take out a new insurance policy within 3 years using the claim-free years? Then you lose them.
Retrieving claim-free years in Roy Data
Claim-free years are kept in Roy Data. This is the central database of Foundation EPS (Efficient Processes Claims Insurers). When canceling a car insurance policy, the insurer registers your accumulated claim-free years.
Not sure if you have already accumulated claim-free years? You can request this data yourself with the inspection form. You can also ask your current car insurer. The insurer must also inform you annually how many claim-free years you have. This is stated on the insurance policy you receive every year.
Demonstrating claim-free years
Sometimes your claim-free years are not in Roy Data. Then you have to show in another way how many claim-free years you have accumulated. The new insurer will accept these years based on your proof. You can prove this in the following ways:
Lease Statement
If you have been driving a leased car, no claim-free years are recorded in your name. A lease statement does allow the leasing company to show how many years you have driven the leased car and how many claims you have reported.
Employer Statement
Insurers do not always accept an employer's statement. It is important that you were the sole driver of the car. Ask your employer for a statement from the car insurance company. The new insurer will decide whether to approve the employer's statement.
Divorce waiver
In a divorce, it is possible to allocate (part of) the claim-free years to the ex-partner who does not have the years in his or her name. With a waiver, claim-free years can be transferred.
Damage waiver from abroad
It is sometimes possible to bring along claim-free years from abroad. To do so, request claim-free certificates from your foreign insurer.
The maximum number of claim-free years
Since 2016, you can build up to 99 claim-free years with any insurer. Before this, insurers could determine this themselves based on their bonus-malus table. This is now the same with every insurer.
Do you have more than 15 claim-free years? With one claim you always go back to 10 claim-free years.
Frequently asked questions about claim-free years
How do I know how many claim-free years I have?
You can request your claim-free years from your current insurer. You can also submit a request for inspection via Stichting EPS to see what is in Roy Data. This information also appears annually on your policy schedule. It is smart to check this regularly. Especially if you want to switch insurers.
How long do claim-free years remain valid without car insurance?
They are kept for 3 years after you cancel your car insurance. Within that period, you can still use them with a new insurance policy. Wait too long? Then they automatically expire and you start again at zero without a premium discount.
How many claim-free years will I lose in the event of a claim?
In most cases, you lose 5 claim-free years per claim. This applies especially to claims that fall under third-party or fully comprehensive insurance coverage. As a result, you can fall back considerably on the bonus-malus ladder, resulting in a higher premium.
Do I always lose claim-free years in the event of a claim?
No, not all claims have consequences. Damages that fall under WA Limited Comprehensive insurance, such as windshield damage, theft or storm damage usually do not affect your claim-free years. When in doubt, it is better to call your insurer before making a claim.
Can I carry over claim-free years from my leased car?
Yes, you can do that through a lease statement. This states how many years you have driven the lease car and whether any damage has been claimed. Since 2022, insurers must include claim-free years based on a lease statement in Roy Data. That way you can take them with you to private insurance.
Can you buy claim-free years?
No, claim-free years must be built up by yourself by driving claim-free. Some small claims are better paid by yourself to avoid loss of years. A no-claims protector can provide temporary protection, but this does not change your actual claim-free years.
What happens to claim-free years after a divorce?
Upon divorce, claim-free years can be transferred to the ex-partner via a waiver. Only with an officially signed document will an insurer accept this transfer. Without such a statement, the years remain linked to the person in whose name the insurance was.
Can I transfer claim-free years to my children?
No, claim-free years are personal and transfer to children is not allowed. Only partners are eligible for transfer. For example, in the event of death or divorce. Children must accrue their own claim-free years.
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