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1. Will you insure me?

There may be some circumstances where we will be unable to provide an online quotation for car insurance:

• If any driver is not aged between 21 (19 if female) and 80.
• If you do not have at least 1 years No Claim Discount.
• If any driver has not held a full UK driving licence for at least 3 years.
• If you live in Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands.
• If any driver has had a driving licence suspended in the last 5 years. Our Contact Centre may be able to offer a quote - please see below for contact details.
• If any driver has a prosecution(s) pending.
• If you are not the main driver of the car. Our Contact Centre may be able to offer you a quote - please see contact details below.
• If any driver has not informed DVLA about any medical conditions that are required to be reported. (Click here to view the DVLA web page covering medical rules for licences).
• If any driver has not been resident in the UK for the last 3 years.
• If any driver has an occupation in the following categories: taxi or minicab driver, proprietor or controller; performer or presenter in films, TV, radio, music or other performing arts; professional sportsperson, manager or coach; non UK armed forces or diplomatic staff; or connected with gaming, nightclubs, circuses, fairgrounds, amusements, street trading, scrap waste or second hand dealing, fast food delivery. Our Contact Centre may be able to offer you a quote - please see contact details below.
• If your car is over 16 years old.
• If your car does not have a United Kingdom registration number, or has a registration number starting with 'Q'.
• If your car has been modified from the normal manufacturer's specifications. Our Contact Centre may be able to offer a quote - please see contact details below.
• If any driver has been convicted or cautioned in respect of any offence involving dishonesty, fraud or arson or have any prosecutions or police enquiries pending for such offences.
• If you wish to insure more than 2 additional drivers.

There may be other situations where we may be unable to provide a quote. The telephone number for our Contact Centre is 0845 607 0380 (office hours: Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm, Saturday 9am – 5pm and Sunday 10am – 2pm).

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2. Can I get a quote if I do not have a registration number?

Yes. We are aware that there may be circumstances where you will not have the registration number – it may be that you are thinking of changing cars and would like an indication of premium.

You can select from our list of cars to get a quotation, but should you decide that you want to buy a policy, the registration number will be required.

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3. Can I cover a personally imported car?

Yes, but only if the car has been built for the United Kingdom market and has a United Kingdom registration number. We only cover cars built specifically for sale in the United Kingdom.

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4. Do I need to provide evidence of my no claim discount?

If you decide to take out a policy with us, you will have to provide evidence of your no claim discount, which must have been earned on a private car insurance policy. Failure to do so within 24 days will result in your policy being cancelled.

Your proof of no claim discount is usually one of the documents in your latest renewal invitation from your most recent insurer. It shows the number of years' no claim discount which has been earned.

We only accept proof from UK insurers, relating to a no claim discount which has been earned on a private car policy. We cannot return your evidence of no claim discount once it has been used for your First Alternative policy.

The document must show:

• the number of years' no claim discount you've earned
• the expiry date of your last insurance policy and
• any claims you have made

If there is a gap since your previous motor insurance has expired, we will require a short covering letter giving the reasons for the break in cover.

We are unable to accept the following documents as proof of no claim discount:

• If proof of no claim discount is over two years old
• Certificates of insurance
• Insurance quotations
• If proof is from a non UK insurer

If you already have a policy with us and are buying a second car on which you have not earned any no claims discount then please phone our contact centre on 0845 603 7874 as we may be able to give you an introductory discount.

If you have any difficulty in obtaining this proof, please call us on 0845 603 7874.

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5. I've been driving a company car for the last few years. Will you give me a no claim discount?

If you are a company car user who is moving to your own insurance, please contact our sales team who can talk you through our requirements.

The requirements are a letter from your employer confirming:

• that you were the sole user of the company vehicle; 
• the dates you were covered under the company car scheme,
• details of any claims, incidents or losses which occurred during this period and whether these were settled on a fault or non fault basis; and
• that you no longer have a company car and that no more than 3 months have elapsed since you left the company car scheme.
• Please note if there have been any claims, incidents or losses settled on a "non-recoverable" basis, then your no claims discount entitlement is calculated as the amount of complete "claims free years" from when the incident occurred until the start date of your policy.

 

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6. What is protected no claim discount for life?

Protected no claim discount for life guarantees that you will not lose your no claim discount for the life of your policy, regardless of the number of claims you may have providing your policy remains in force and you continue to be eligible for this benefit. You may be able to add it for an additional annual premium at the start of your period of cover, if you have four or more years' no claim discount.

No claim discount protection for life can only be added to your policy at the start of the period of cover, and is a benefit that relates to your no claim discount only. It does not protect you against any other changes in your premium.

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7. Can you explain the full claims process to me?

If you would like some more information about making a claim on your car insurance, click here to go to our car insurance Claims FAQ page.

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8. What must I do if my circumstances change during the period of insurance?

You must tell us immediately if any of the following happens:

• you change your car
• you make modifications or changes to your car which improves its value, performance, appearance or attractiveness to thieves. This includes, but is not restricted to, changes to the engine, engine management or exhaust system, changes to the wheels or suspension system, changes to the bodywork, such as spoilers or body kits or changes to the windows, such as tinting
• you want to use your car for a purpose not included in your Schedule
• you become aware of any medical or physical condition of any driver covered by your policy which may affect their ability to drive
• you or any other driver covered by your policy is involved in an accident whilst driving another vehicle or suffers a loss, such as a theft, of any other vehicle or makes a claim on any other motor insurance policy
• you or any other driver covered by your policy are convicted of a motoring offence other than fixed-penalty parking offences or is banned from driving
• you change the address at which you normally keep your car
• you or any other driver covered by your policy are convicted of any offence relating to fraud, arson or dishonesty
• you or any other driver covered by your policy change occupation
• you change your annual mileage
• you or any other driver covered by your policy cease to be a permanent UK resident
• you or any other driver covered by your policy have a car insurance policy cancelled, made void or refused or had a renewal refused

We may then re-assess your cover and premium. If you do not tell us about any relevant changes, we may:

• reject or reduce your claim; or
• declare your policy null and void.

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9. Am I covered when I drive abroad?

Your policy will provide the cover required for Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, and during sea journeys between these places.

It also provides the MINIMUM cover you need by law (this is usually the equivalent of Third Party cover only) to use your car in:

• any country which is a member of the European Union; and
• any other country for which the Commission of the European Community is satisfied that arrangements have been made to meet the requirements of European Community Directives on insurance.

If you ask, we can provide an international motor insurance certificate (Green Card).

In return for any extra premium and an administration fee we may charge, we will extend the cover provided by your policy except for cover provided under motoring legal protection and breakdown assistance cover, to named countries in Europe for up to a maximum of 90 days in one policy year. We may charge an administration fee for this. 

If you want full cover abroad.
We will also give you an international motor insurance certificate (Green Card). Your car will also be covered while being carried by a recognised carrier between those countries for the period shown on the Green Card.

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10. How do I get my Certificate of Motor Insurance?

Your Certificate of Motor Insurance is held on our system and will be posted to your contact address by first class mail.

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11. What can I use my car for?

Your online cover allows use of your car for social, domestic and pleasure purposes, commuting to and from a permanent place of work and personal business use for you and your spouse/civil partner/partner, if named on the policy.

You are not covered to use your car for commercial travelling, any purpose in connection with the motor trade, carriage of goods or passengers for hire or reward, pacemaking, speed testing, rallies, trials or competitions.

If you want any other people to use your car for business purposes please call us on 0845 607 0380.

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12. Does your policy cover me to drive other cars?

There are certain occupations where driving other cars cover is not provided. There are also some restrictions relating to age and cover level. We will tell you during the quote if this cover is not available.

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13. How can I pay for my First Alternative policy?

We offer our customers a choice of easy payment methods. You can choose to pay your premium in a lump sum by debit card or credit card. Or, if you prefer, for an additional charge, the cost of your car policy can be spread over the year. Paying online is via secure server, which uses advanced encryption technology to ensure your details are safe during transmission. We accept the following credit and debit cards:

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14. What should I do if I don't want you to send me any marketing material?

If you no longer wish to receive marketing material, please click here to send us an email or write to the Data Protection Officer, First Alternative, The Observatory, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 0SG. Please note that due to the insecure nature of emails we cannot accept responsibility for data lost or intercepted in transit.

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15. What should I do if my insurance policy is no longer suitable for my needs?

If your insurance policy does not meet your needs or if you are dissatisfied with the cover provided by your policy, please call our contact centre on 0845 607 0417 to discuss your options. Your cancellation rights are provided in your policy booklet.

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16. How do I complain?

Our complaints procedure

We always aim to get things right first time for our customers although we know that sometimes you will feel this hasn’t happened. We want to hear about this so we have an opportunity to put things right for you.

If you need to complain we are committed to having an accessible complaints process where we will always try to resolve your complaint speedily and at the earliest possible stage.

Often if you ring us we can sort things out for you straight away, with this in mind please call us first.

If it’s about your claim,

Call 0845 604 0417 If it’s about any other matter,

Call 0845 607 7294

Every effort will be made to resolve your complaint for you within 48 hours. On the rare occasions this can’t be achieved then your complaint will be passed to our Customer Relations department, who act with the full authority of our Chief Executive.

Your complaint will be acknowledged upon receipt – telling you who will be managing your complaint and how long we expect this to take. Once their investigations are complete a final decision will be sent to you in writing.

The address of our Customer Relations team is:

Customer Relations
Esure
The Observatory
Reigate Surrey
RH2 0SG

If after considering our final response you are still dissatisfied, or on the rare occasion that a final decision hasn’t been sent to you within eight weeks, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. They are an independent body that arbitrates on complaints about general insurance products and other financial services. They can be contacted at:

The Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR
Tel: 0300 1239 123 or 0800 0 234 567
email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

The Financial Ombudsman Service will handle most complaints you might have but there are some instances that fall outside of their authority.

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17. How do I know if my cover has been accepted?

Once you have entered your payment details, the "payment confirmation" page will be displayed. This page is confirmation of your cover, and will display your policy number and cover start date. Your policy documents, including your Certificate of Motor Insurance, will be posted to you by first class post.

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18. How can I renew my policy?

Before the renewal date of your policy, we will provide you with details of the terms on which your policy may be renewed and any changes to the policy cover. We will also tell you what you need to do to renew your policy.

If you pay your premium by direct debit, your policy will automatically be renewed on these terms.

If you pay your premium by credit/debit card, we may automatically renew your policy using the payment details you have given us. Full details of how to renew your policy will be contained within your policy documents.

In the event that you do not wish to renew your policy you should tell us before the renewal date. If you do not tell us and your policy is renewed, we will continue to make deductions from your bank account if you pay by direct debit or if you pay by a single annual credit/debit card payment, we may deduct the full new annual premium from your credit/debit card.

If you wish to renew your policy using a different payment method or payment details, please contact us prior to your renewal date to arrange this.

If we are unable to offer you a policy we will let you know and you may be provided with details of the terms (including any changes to existing terms) on which your cover will continue via another insurer. By taking out this policy you agree that your data may be used to allow an alternative insurer to provide you with these terms before your existing policy expires.

If you pay your premium by direct debit and your insurer changes at renewal, your policy will automatically be renewed by the alternative insurer. If you pay your premium by credit/debit card, they may automatically renew your policy using the payment details you have given us. Full details of how to renew your policy will be contained within your policy documents.

In the event that you do not wish to renew your policy with the alternative insurer, you should tell them before the renewal date. If you do not tell them and your policy is renewed, they will continue to make deductions from your bank account if you pay by direct debit or if you pay by a single annual credit/debit card payment, they may deduct the full new annual premium from your credit/debit card.

If you wish to renew your policy using a different payment method or payment details, you will need to contact the alternative insurer prior to your renewal date to arrange this.

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19. What is Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE)?

The UK has one of the highest rates of insurance evasion in Western Europe. CIE is a new, vehicle record-based compliance and enforcement regime, introduced to reduce the number of uninsured vehicles. At present it is an offence to use a vehicle without insurance. From 2011, it will also be an offence to keep a vehicle without appropriate motor insurance, unless it has a valid Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). The registered keeper of a vehicle will be sent an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL) if it appears that they have no insurance. This letter will inform the registered keeper of their options to comply with CIE.

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20. Does the new law affect all registered vehicle keepers?

It will affect all registered vehicle keepers with a taxed vehicle that does not have insurance in force, unless the vehicle has a valid SORN. DVLA will send an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL) to all registered keepers without insurance on the Motor Insurance Database (MID), a database of all the insured vehicles in the UK, and not having a valid SORN.

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21. What is the CIE penalty for not having insurance?

A fixed penalty of £100 will be incurred.

The vehicle can also be clamped, seized and disposed of and if the fixed penalty is not paid the vehicle keeper could be taken to court and a maximum penalty up to £1,000 could be levied.

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22. What if I have changed my vehicle or have a Cherished plate?

It is essential you tell your insurer about any change of vehicle or vehicle registration number immediately so your records can be updated.

For further information on the Continuous Insurance Enforcement – www.mib.org.uk

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