Understanding the jargon
We thought we should try and shed some light on the most popularly used words and phrases when buying car insurance. If we've left anything out, you're welcome to contact our friendly staff and they will be happy to answer any questions you have.
Audio/Visual Cover
Our Audio/Visual cover applies to all comprehensive and third party, fire and theft policies. It includes stereos, car phones and any other permanent audio/visual equipment, which is covered up to £1,250 or 15% of your car's value, whichever is lower.
Bonus Accelerator Policy
Diamond's Bonus Accelerator gives you a year's No Claims Bonus in just 10 months. At the end of the 10 months we'll give you a renewal based on another full year's No Claims Bonus.
If you want to leave Diamond after the 10 months (although we hope you'll want to stay with us) then don't worry because we'll give you proof of the year's No Claims Bonus you have earned with us.
Courtesy/Replacement Car
If you make a claim on your policy and the repair work is authorised by us to a Diamond approved repairer, you will receive a Courtesy Car whilst your vehicle is being repaired. The replacement car will be insured through Diamond under your policy of insurance, on the same terms and conditions as your own car. This applies to comprehensive policies only.
European Cover
By law, you need a minimum level of cover to use your car in any of the countries which are members of the European Union. We provide this for up to 90 days and we even offer the option to extend your cover for additional days. You will need to contact Customer Services to do this and there is a charge.
Excess - Compulsory
If you make a claim you must pay an excess, regardless of who is to blame. If you have comprehensive cover and make a claim, you calculate the total excess by adding together the relevant compulsory and voluntary excesses.
A compulsory excess automatically applies to your policy. This depends on the car that is covered, the age and experience of the drivers on your policy.
Excess - Voluntary
A voluntary excess is the excess you agree at the start of the policy and forms part of the total compulsory excess (as we described above). Increasing the amount of voluntary excess does reduce your premium. If you make a claim for windscreen damage and have windscreen cover (this is automatically included with comprehensive cover) there is a separate windscreen damage excess.
Financial Conduct Authority/FCA
The FCA are an independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK. They have been given a wide range of rule-making, investigatory and enforcement powers in order to help retail consumers achieve a fair deal.
Handbag Cover
Included for all our comprehensive policyholders, we cover your bag and its contents up to the value of £300 in any one incident for loss of, or damage to it, caused by accident, fire, theft or attempted theft, whilst it's in your car.
Hire Car
Our Hire Car product is extra cover you can take out whereby we'll keep you on the road in the event of an accident (where your vehicle cannot be repaired), recovered theft (which renders the vehicle a total loss) or if your vehicle is stolen and not recovered. We will supply a class A car for up to 21 days (Comprehensive policy) or up to 14 days (Third Party Fire and Theft policy).
Medical Expenses Cover
We will pay medical expenses of up to £100 for each person injured if your car is involved in an accident. This applies to comprehensive policies only.
Named Drivers
This refers to any driver named on the car insurance policy in addition to the policyholder.
No Claims Bonus/No Claims Discount
No Claims Bonus or No Claims Discount are measured in years and are built up depending on the number of full insurance years that you have not had a claim. For example, if you haven't made a claim on your car insurance for 4 years then this would mean you have 4 years no claim bonus. If a claim is made on your car insurance then this will affect your no claims discount by 2 years. So somebody with 5 years No Claims Bonus will have it reduced to 3 years at renewal. Building up your no claims years will give you a bigger discount on your future insurance premiums. If a claim occurs which is not your fault and we have to make a payment, your No Claims Bonus will be reduced unless we can get back all that we paid from those responsible.
No Claims Bonus - Guaranteed
You are only able to have your No Claims Bonus guaranteed if you have 5 or more years No Claims Bonus. This means that you can make unlimited fault claims without losing any of your No Claims Bonus years. Even though your No Claims Bonus will not be affected, in most instances a claim will lead to some increase in premium at renewal. However, our motor premium calculation will include the No Claims Bonus discount to which you are entitled.
No Claims Bonus - Protected
You are only able to have your No Claims Bonus protected if you have 4 or more years No Claims Bonus. This means that you can make up to two fault claims in 3 years without losing any of your No Claims Bonus years. Where your No Claims Bonus remains unaffected, in most instances a claim will lead to some increase in premium at renewal. However, our motor premium calculation will include the No Claims Bonus discount to which you are entitled.
Personal Injury Cover
This cover provides you and your spouse/civil partner with personal accident compensation in the event of serious injury following a car crash. We include up to £5,000 of Personal Injury Cover as standard on our comprehensive policies. You can extend this cover by contacting us.
Windscreen Cover
Diamond will pay to repair or replace broken glass in your car's windscreen or windows and any scratching to the bodywork caused by broken glass, as long as there is no other loss or damage, for comprehensive or third party, fire and theft Diamond policyholders. An excess will apply.