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NI number requested by insurance broker

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Peanutte
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NI number requested by insurance broker

#230893

Postby Peanutte » June 20th, 2019, 2:21 am

I have just renewed the insurance on my car. This all went through on 12 June and I have an email welcoming me to the organisation.

I found the insurance through GoCompare. I now understand it is through a broker although I didn't pay any attention to it at the time.

I have now received an email asking for my name, date of birth, postcode, vehicle registration, driving licence number and National Insurance number. IIRC GoCompare ask for driving licence number but that is optional.

Checking back to emails received, it does say they will want my NI number.

I spent an hour with their online chat trying to find out why they need my NI number and all I got was it is to 'verify your driving licence'. I pointed out that DVLA deal with driving licences and DWP deal with NI numbers. I was told it is to check for undisclosed endorsements. After we went round in circles, I gave up. I did ask for their complaints procedure which he/she sent within the 'chat'. This says the next contact is the supervisor, then the Complaints Handling Manager. I asked for an email address for either of these. No mention of a supervisor and complaints can only be dealt with by phone to their online section. On I can write a letter. There is no email contact. (I would like a written record.) Cancelling the policy would cost me £50.

I have previously noticed on my credit report, id checks from insurance companies - house insurance and car insurance. And I can understand that they check with DVLA for 'undisclosed endorsements'. They do not need a credit check as I pay annually.

But NI number? I don't think DVLA has my NI number to cross reference me. My credit report does not have my NI number. Nor do my local council - registering to vote is widely recommended to facilitate id/credit checks.

My new insurance is Aegis. My last year's insurance was also with Aegis, but via a different organisation. They did not ask for my NI number.

My irritation is that I don't understand why they want/need my NI number. If they wanted this, they should have asked for it before I took out the policy. I get fed up with having to disclose what I think is unnecessary information.

Anyone else had to give a NI number to get insurance?

redsturgeon
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230907

Postby redsturgeon » June 20th, 2019, 8:27 am

I have never been asked for my NI number. What insurance company?

John

uspaul666
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230908

Postby uspaul666 » June 20th, 2019, 8:34 am

Perhaps they want to check your driving licence online with the government.
https://www.viewdrivingrecord.service.g ... nce-number?

Watis
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230914

Postby Watis » June 20th, 2019, 8:57 am

redsturgeon wrote:I have never been asked for my NI number. What insurance company?

John


Erm, Aegis.

Watis

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230916

Postby bungeejumper » June 20th, 2019, 8:59 am

You need your National Insurance number to obtain a code for a hire car. So now all I have to do is make the connection with the OP's situation. ;)

BJ

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230921

Postby Howard » June 20th, 2019, 9:13 am

bungeejumper wrote:You need your National Insurance number to obtain a code for a hire car. So now all I have to do is make the connection with the OP's situation. ;)

BJ


Yes, I had to give my NI number to Mrs H's insurer's approved repairer to get a courtesy car when we had a bump repaired. I think I have also done this personally for a car hire, but recently hirers haven't asked for the DVLA code.

It's a standard procedure to check endorsements on the driving licence as far as I know.

regards

Howard

kempiejon
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230922

Postby kempiejon » June 20th, 2019, 9:15 am

I think this could be to use the newish endorsement record. We use it at work before issuing the company vehicles new drivers to prove they have a clean(ish) driving licence. We sent them to verify their online record at https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
where is says
View or share your driving licence information
You can use this service to:

view your driving record, for example vehicles you can drive
check your penalty points or disqualifications
create a licence ‘check code’ to share your driving record with someone, for example a car hire company
The check code will be valid for 21 days.


You’ll need:

your driving licence number
your National Insurance number
the postcode on your driving licence

Perhaps you could offer them your record via the generated code see my bold above and keep your NI number to yourself?

bungeejumper
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230924

Postby bungeejumper » June 20th, 2019, 9:20 am

Howard wrote:Yes, I had to give my NI number to Mrs H's insurer's approved repairer to get a courtesy car when we had a bump repaired.

Going gently off-topic, but I wonder why that wasn't Mrs H's NI number?

It does, however, raise a general question as to the relevance of the insuring person's NI number, in cases where there may be more than one named drivers on the policy. Better than nothing, I suppose?

BJ

Howard
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230927

Postby Howard » June 20th, 2019, 9:29 am

bungeejumper wrote:
Howard wrote:Yes, I had to give my NI number to Mrs H's insurer's approved repairer to get a courtesy car when we had a bump repaired.

Going gently off-topic, but I wonder why that wasn't Mrs H's NI number?

It does, however, raise a general question as to the relevance of the insuring person's NI number, in cases where there may be more than one named drivers on the policy. Better than nothing, I suppose?

BJ


I'm the "car monitor" who does all the admin and car things in our family (including re-filling Mrs H's car as petrol stations are not her territory).

And I'm the "expert driver" who backed the car into the only lamp post in the car park. :oops:

regards

Howard

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230947

Postby XFool » June 20th, 2019, 11:18 am

uspaul666 wrote:Perhaps they want to check your driving licence online with the government.
https://www.viewdrivingrecord.service.g ... nce-number?

Ah! In which case, would it be possible for YOU to use your NI to 'Share' your licence details with the insurer without THEM knowing your NI number?

I am not certain about this.

kempiejon
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230948

Postby kempiejon » June 20th, 2019, 11:23 am

XFool wrote:
uspaul666 wrote:Perhaps they want to check your driving licence online with the government.
https://www.viewdrivingrecord.service.g ... nce-number?

Ah! In which case, would it be possible for YOU to use your NI to 'Share' your licence details with the insurer without THEM knowing your NI number?

I am not certain about this.

you can use the .gov service to
create a licence ‘check code’ to share your driving record with someone, for example a car hire company
The check code will be valid for 21 days.

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230961

Postby Slarti » June 20th, 2019, 12:50 pm

Watis wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:I have never been asked for my NI number. What insurance company?

John


Erm, Aegis.

Watis


I think that the correct question is which broker, because they are the one asking for the NI number.



I've just renewed my insurance and wasn't asked for my NI number and unless they could give me a very convincing reason for needing it, I would not give it. Which might just get over the cancellation fee.

Slarti

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#230981

Postby Lootman » June 20th, 2019, 1:50 pm

Your NI number is the closest thing to a national identity number that exists. So I believe that there is a creeping trend for governments and entities to ask for it more and more. If so, this is following the trend in the US where the social security number is now essential for almost any financial activity. It's no longer just for pensions and employment-related benefits but is a de facto unique personal identifier.

I recall that when PEPs were first introduced, there was no requirement to supply a NIN. Now it is mandatory. And this despite the fact that you can legally reside in the UK without having a NIN (e.g. a foreign national who moves to the UK but doesn't work).

I'd chalk this up as another step towards a Big Brother society, to be resisted vigorously.

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#231030

Postby gryffron » June 20th, 2019, 5:51 pm

Lootman wrote:Your NI number is the closest thing to a national identity number that exists.

NHS number is better. Since it is also issued to children, and your non-working visitors as soon as they use the NHS. When there was talk of UK national identity cards it was the NHS number that was proposed to be used on it.

Gryff

Peanutte
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#233539

Postby Peanutte » July 2nd, 2019, 9:14 pm

Update: After a few days, I received a voicemail (I missed the call) and an email - folllowed by a letter to say they were cancelling my insurance. And I was charged the £50 'set up' fee plus a few ££ for insurance cover for about a week.

I wrote back to ask (again) why they needed my NI number.

I have since received a lengthy response - in a real letter - essentialy repeating the same thing. The NI number is needed to validate my licence.
They also offered as a 'gesture of goodwill' to reduce the charge to £25.

I have since taken out insurance with my 'old' broker - Age UK. I explained about having my policy cancelled. The operator went away for a few minutes and then said that they didn't understand why my NI number had been requested - they weren't interested and it would not affect the price. My new insurance is again with Aegis. So it's not them insisting on it.

Out of curiosity I followed the link to DVLA to get a code to share my licence information - enter your driving licence number, NI number and postcode. Then it says "To access this service online, details from your DVLA record and your National Insurance number will be shared with other government departments (HMRC and DWP) to check your identity, as described in our privacy policy. I would like to use this service and understand that my data will be shared as explained above. [tick box] I agree."

So once you put your information in - you are allowing them all to have access to an awful lot of information about you. As for it only being to check your identity. Yeah right.

My argument with the broker is that if they feel that having my NI number is absolutely essential - they should have made it a condition of taking out insurance in the first place - not waited until they had my money and had started my insurance. And I am also waiting for them to actually explain why they want the NI number- just keep repeating 'validate your driving licence' is not really an explanation.

swill453
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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#233567

Postby swill453 » July 3rd, 2019, 4:25 am

Peanutte wrote:And I am also waiting for them to actually explain why they want the NI number- just keep repeating 'validate your driving licence' is not really an explanation.

Seems to me it's a reasonable explanation. Presumably they have an interface to the DVLA system where they enter details of a client, including NI number*, and get back the client's driving licence information including entitlements, endorsements etc.

Voilà, validation.

* - the NI number being a reasonable unique identifier for most of us.

Scott.

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#233581

Postby sg31 » July 3rd, 2019, 7:56 am

I don't believe any broker has the right to cancel your insurance, the insurance company do. The broker acts as an agent for you mainly but the insurer in some circumstances.

The broker/agent has the right to refuse to act as your agent but that is different to cancelling your insurance.

If a proposal form asks 'has any insurance company ever cancelled your policy...etc' you should still be entitled to answer 'no'.

Or have things changed since I was an underwriter?

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Re: NI number requested by insurance broker

#233591

Postby JohnB » July 3rd, 2019, 8:59 am

Keep up the good fight, Peanutte. I suggest you complain to Aegis, and threaten the broker with the GDPR regulator and insurance ombundsman. Keep being a thorn in their flesh and burn their staff time.

Can you name the broker here?


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