Frequently asked questions
We have listed some of the most common questions that we get asked below. You may also find the answer you are looking for in one of the more specific sections e.g. Making a claim.
If you can’t find your the answer to your question – don’t worry just give us a call on 0845 272 7603 and one of our consultants will do their very best to help you.
Accessing your car insurance documents online
If you are experiencing problems accessing your online car insurance documents please click here for our FAQ's
- Can I get immediate cover?
- Do you offer cheap car insurance?
- Your system does not recognise the make and model of my car - what should I do?
- Does The Green Insurance Company policy cover me to drive abroad?
- Does The Green Insurance Company policy cover me to drive other cars?
- When will I receive my insurance documents?
- What does No Claims Bonus stand for?
- What is an excess?
- Will you insure my car if it has modifications?
- Can you provide insurance for my vehicle if it has been imported?
- Will you supply a courtesy car while my car is being repaired?
- I've been a named driver on someone else’s policy for a few years - does that entitle me to a no claims discount if I start my own?
- Can I pay by instalments?
- Do the years I've spent driving a company car count towards my no claims discount?
- How do I make changes to my policy?
- Will you cover the car I've been lent by a garage?
- What if I lose my certificate?
- Do I need to be the registered owner of the car?
- How do I renew my policy?
- Do you sell classic car insurance?
Answers:
Can I get immediate car insurance cover?
Immediate cover is only available over the phone. Provided you have a valid debit or credit card and your payment authorises, we can issue cover. If you wish to buy your car insurance online, we can provide cover within 24 hours. If you want immediate cover please call 0845 272 7604 where one of our team will be happy to help. If our lines are closed, we will not be able to assist until the following day.
Do you offer cheap car insurance?
We like to think that we offer low cost car insurance but it does really depend upon your individual details. We try to keep our prices as low as possible and we are always looking to find ways to make our car insurance even cheaper.
As we offer green car insurance, we have made sure that we do not pass these extra costs on to you - the customer.
Cheap car insurance is not always the best option, you also need to pay attention to the cover that you are being given and what sort of service the company will provide.
Your system does not recognise the make and model of my car. What should I do?
Sometimes we are unable to identify the make and model of your car just from the registration number. When this happens, select no to the question ‘Do you know the registration number of the vehicle you would like to insure?’ and leave the registration field blank. You will then be asked to search for your car’s make and model manually. Once you have done this, the system will display a list of vehicle models. You should select the correct model of your vehicle from this list. If you are unable to find the exact car details, please call us on 0845 272 7604.
Does The Green Insurance Company policy cover me to drive abroad?
As well as UK car insurance cover, we can also provide the same level of policy cover for 90 days a year in the European Union. But please call us so we can check this for you or refer to your policy booklet before you travel.
Does The Green Insurance Company policy cover me to drive other cars?
This depends on individual circumstances. If you are already a customer, it will be shown on your certificate of insurance.
Driving other cars applies to the policyholder ONLY and allows them to drive other cars (but not motorcycles) on Third Party cover ONLY. This cover is only available for driving in the UK. Further terms and conditions apply, for which you should refer to the policy book or contact us.
When will I receive my insurance documents?
We send all our documents by 2nd class post and you should allow 5 working days for any documentation to reach you. We also offer special mail services which carry a charge but will get your insurance documents to you for a guaranteed date of delivery. To keep our costs low and help the environment, we do not send out paper policy booklets, these can always be found on our website and can either be printed or downloaded to your computer.
What does No Claims Bonus mean?
No Claims Bonus represents the number of years you have held a policy without making a claim or having a claim made against you. Any No Claim Bonus that you have earned can only be used on one policy at a time.
What is an excess?
An excess is the part of a claim that you will have to pay. Excesses are shown on our website, will be explained to you when you call and if you have bought a policy, these are shown on the schedule of insurance that we sent to you.
Will you insure my car if it has modifications?
It depends on which modifications your vehicle has. We currently quote for some modified cars online or over the phone, on 0845 272 7604.
Can you insure my vehicle if it has been imported?
Yes, as long as the car has been built to the UK specification and is available to buy in the UK market. Please note that if your car has been imported, we will only cover right hand drive models from Europe provided they are identical to the UK model. Otherwise, we are unable to provide cover. If you are unsure please call us on 0845 272 7604 and we will check if cover can be provided.
Will you supply a courtesy car while my car is being repaired?
If you have Comprehensive cover, you are entitled to a guaranteed courtesy car for the duration of repairs to your own car provided it is as a result of a claim and you have used one of our approved repairers. We also offer a low cost optional extra that allows you to have a courtesy car on fire and theft cover or if your car is written off or stolen and not recovered.
I've been a named driver on someone else’s policy for a few years - does that entitle me to a no claims discount if I start my own?
You may be eligible for an introductory discount, please call for a quote on 0845 272 7604 as we cannot do this online.
Can I pay by instalments?
Certainly, you can pay by direct debit from your bank account. You will need to pay a deposit, usually by debit or credit card. You must be 18 or over to pay by instalments. Some policies are subject to paying by monthly instalments as an extra discount is given, if this is the case, this will be clearly explained to you.
Do the years I've spent driving a company car count towards my no claims discount?
You may be eligible for an introductory discount, please call for a quote on 0845 272 7604 as we cannot do this online.
How do I make changes to my policy?
Please contact us on 0845 272 7603 where one of our team will be pleased to help you.
Will you cover the car I've been loaned by a garage?
We will cover any courtesy or hire car as long as it has not been insured by the garage or hire company. An additional charge will apply. Please contact us on 0845 272 7604 to arrange cover.
What if I lose my certificate?
We can replace your Certificate of Motor Insurance for a small charge. To get a replacement certificate, just call us on 0845 272 7603.
Do I need to be the registered owner of the car?
No, we will accept certain other owners. Please call us on 0845 272 7603 to discuss.
How do I renew my policy?
Please contact us on 0845 272 7609 where one of our team will be happy to help.
Do you sell classic car insurance?
No, sorry we don’t sell that type of insurance. With our policy, the most that will be paid out is the market value of your car (provided the damage is covered by the policy).
Classic car insurance is a specialist policy where the value of the car is agreed before the policy starts. It suits older cars (usually more than 20 years old) that are driven less than 3000 miles a year. It is usually cheaper to buy a classic car policy than a conventional car insurance policy.