What age range does John Lewis Car Insurance provide cover for?

We accept customers from the age of 17 up to the age of 99. Please note that policyholders under 18 years of age are unable to pay by instalments.

Can I insure someone who only has a provisional licence?

Yes. If you’re buying a policy online and wish to include a provisional licence holder as an additional driver, please follow the usual steps, making sure you select provisional licence type from the drop-down box.

How do I add another driver and how much does it cost?

If you wish to add an additional driver, please call us on 0845 610 0355. You'll need to provide us with details about them which include their full name, date of birth and information on any claims they may have had in the last five years and any convictions that are unspent or pending. The cost of adding an additional driver will depend on this (and other) information.

Please be aware that we charge a fee of £20 to make alterations mid-way through your policy. This covers our costs for making the changes and issuing new documentation to you.

Can I drive any other car?

This will depend on the insurer of your policy. Please check your quote summary before you purchase, or if you’ve already purchased, your policy schedule or Certificate of Insurance.

What is the Motor Insurance Database?

The Motor Insurance Database (MID) contains the insurance policy details of all insured UK vehicles. It was set up to try and combat people driving without insurance. Under the Continuous Insurance Enforcement law, if you own a car, it must be insured at least against third party risks at all times whether it’s on the road or off, unless the owner has made a formal Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

The DVLA makes constant comparisons between its register of vehicle keepers and the MID to ensure that all drivers have insurance.

I'm thinking about buying a car that has been imported from outside Europe. Can you provide cover?

Yes, we can usually provide cover for most imported vehicles although you may need to call us on 0800 916 6815 for cover on certain imports.

Can you provide me with a quote for my classic car?

Yes, John Lewis Car Insurance can offer cover for classic cars.

Can you provide cover for my caravan as well as my car?

If your car is covered by us, we’ll provide Third Party Only cover when you’re towing your caravan. If you require cover for the caravan itself, we would suggest you contact a caravan club, which will be able to provide comprehensive cover.

My car has been modified. Can you provide cover?

In most cases yes. However we cannot provide cover for cars with certain modifications, including cars that have been modified to increase the top speed or performance. You can call us on 0800 916 6815 to find out more.

How do I tax my vehicle?

There are two main ways to tax your vehicle:

    1. Online via the DVLA's website

All you need is:

• your vehicle to be insured
• a valid, current MOT Certificate (if your vehicle is over three years old).

Simply complete the information required by the DVLA and you will receive your tax disc in the post.

    2. At a Post Office

As long as the DVLA have sent you a reminder form or you have the V5C registration documents, or the V5/2 counterpart. You will need:

• a paper copy of your Insurance Certificate or cover note
• your original MOT certificate (if your vehicle is over three years old).

If you don't have a copy of your current Insurance Certificate or cover note, please see the Policy Documents section for details about how to request replacement documents.

I’ve had access to a company car. Can I get a discount for this?

If you no longer have access to a company vehicle and you haven’t made any claims, we may be able to offer a discount. You’ll need to provide proof of your claim-free driving history from your company.

If I've been named on another policy, am I entitled to any No Claims Discount?

Like most insurers, John Lewis Car Insurance will only reward the actual policy holder with No Claims Discount. We may however be able to give you an introductory discount when you come to us if your driving has been claim free.

Do I need to provide proof of my No Claims Discount?

Yes, you will be asked to provide proof of your No Claims Discount when you purchase your insurance. This could take the form of a renewal notice from your previous insurance company, or a letter on headed paper from that company.

Do you give second vehicle discounts (ie can I use my No Claims Discount more than once)?

No, you can only use No Claims Discount on one insurance policy. However, we may be able to offer a discount when you insure a second car with us.

What if my No Claims Dicount was earned in another country?

If your No Claims Discount has been earned in a different country, it may still be accepted.

Please post your proof to us including:

• A short letter containing your name, John Lewis Car Insurance reference number and a brief reason for writing.
• Your original proof of No Claims Discount entitlement, on company letter headed paper, written in English.
• Proof of your No Claims Discount entitlement which states the number of years (not percentage) that you’ve earned.

Please send your proof to:

John Lewis Car Insurance
Prospect House
Gordon Banks Drive
Trentham Lakes North
Stoke on Trent
ST4 4TW

Can I protect my No Claims Discount?

If you have at least four years No Claims Discount, you may be able to protect the discount for an additional amount. You can only protect your No Claims Discount before your policy starts.

No Claims Discount protection means that you can make up to two fault claims in three continuous years of insurance and your No Claims Discount won't be affected. Your protection is lost after the second claim, which means that if you make a third claim within three continuous years of insurance, you’ll lose some of your No Claims Discount.

How do I make a claim?

If you need to make a claim, please call us immediately on 0845 610 0360 and our award-winning claims team will be able to help. For full details of the claims procedure, please see page 8 in your Policy Wording.

Read more about how to make a claim


How will my claim be settled?

We aim to settle your claim as quickly and efficiently as possible. We'll always keep you up-to-date on the progress of your claim by letter, phone, or email - whichever you prefer.


Do you offer a Courtesy Car in the event of an accident?

Yes, John Lewis Car Insurance is designed to keep you on the road. When you use an approved repairer, we’ll provide you with a Courtesy Car for the full duration of repairs to your car (comprehensive cover only), and unlike most other insurers, we'll also provide a Replacement Car for up to 21 days if your car is written-off or stolen - all as standard (terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations apply).

What happens when my policy is due for renewal?

Our Car Insurance policies run for 12 months. We'll send you details for your renewal including your premium well in advance of your renewal date.

If you're happy with the renewal premium and you pay for your insurance in full by credit/debit card, you’ll be able to renew your policy by telephone. If you pay for your insurance in monthly instalments by Direct Debit, you don’t need to do anything - we’ll automatically renew your policy and continue collecting the monthly payments. If we can’t do this, we’ll write to you.

How do I cancel my John Lewis Car Insurance policy?

If you wish to cancel your policy please call us on 0845 610 0355.

You can also cancel your policy by writing to:

John Lewis Car Insurance
Prospect House
Gordon Banks Drive
Trentham Lakes North
Stoke on Trent
ST4 4TW

Please note that we do charge a fee of £35 for cancelling mid-way through your insurance, and no refunds will be payable if there are any fault or pending claims on your policy.

How do I make a complaint?

If you're unhappy with any part of the service, we want to hear about it. You can find the complaints procedure in the policy wordings for the insurance policy or any of the optional extras.

Read more about how to make a complaint

How do I request duplicate documents?

If you need duplicate documents, call us on 0845 610 0355 to arrange this. Please note that we do charge a £5 fee to reissue new documents. Alternatively if you choose to receive electronic documents, you can download all your insurance documents on your computer so you’ll always have them at hand. Our policy wordings can be printed from our website at no charge.

I have lost my policy booklets, can I view them online?

Yes, you can view the policy wordings for John Lewis Car Insurance and any optional extras online.

Under what circumstances can’t you provide insurance?

There are some instances where we cannot provide Car Insurance, for example:

• If your car has more than seven seats or is a commercial vehicle
• If your vehicle is a van or pickup
• If your car is used for private hire, driving instruction, any form of selling, soliciting for orders or collecting money
• If you use your car in competitions, rallies or for any purpose connected with the motor trade
• If all drivers (yourself included) don’t have one of the following:
  • a full UK drivers licence
  • a provisional UK drivers licence
  • an automatic UK drivers licence
  • an EU drivers licence or other European drivers licence
• If you or any drivers have been disqualified under the 'totting up' procedure (TT99 or XX99) within the last five years
• If you’re not a permanent UK resident (excluding Northern Ireland).

Please note that we cannot provide you with insurance if you don’t take responsibility for, and check all questions and default answers in the application. As such it's your responsibility to amend answers accordingly if they are incorrect.

How many motoring convictions do you accept?

We need to know about any convictions, for you or any named drivers, that are unspent or pending. The number of convictions that we accept depends on the age of drivers, make and model of car, and the date of the convictions.

How do I change my address details?

If you’re changing address, you'll need to let us know as soon as possible. Please call us on 0845 610 0355.
Depending on where the new address is and if there is any change to where the car is kept overnight, you may find there is a change to the premium. Please be aware that we charge an administration fee of £20 for making changes mid-way through your policy.

If I’m buying a new car how do I transfer my existing policy to the new vehicle?

We'll need to have all the details about your new car before you buy it. Please call us on 0845 610 0355 so that we can transfer your policy to the new car. Depending on the make, model and age of the new car, your premium may change.

Please note that we charge a £20 fee for making this change and issuing new documentation to you.

Do I get a refund if I sell my car after paying my insurance premium?

Yes, providing there have been no fault or pending claims under your policy. If you sell your car within 14 days of paying your insurance premium, you'll receive a full refund, less a pro-rata amount for the number of days cover you received. If you sell your car after 14 days, you'll receive a pro-rata refund based on the cover you’ve had.

However, please bear in mind that we charge a £35 fee for cancellation mid-way through your policy and no refunds will be payable if there are any fault or pending claims on your policy.

I frequently take my car to Europe. Can you provide cover?

We cover you for a maximum of 90 days per year in Europe as standard. If you’re planning a longer trip, you can take these 90 days consecutively. Our European Rescue motor breakdown cover provides assistance if you break down in Europe, in addition to full breakdown cover in the UK, and it can be added to your policy for just £70 per year.

You can find more detailed information on European Cover in our 'Expert View' on driving abroad.

If you have any queries please call us on 0845 610 0355.

When do I need a Green Card?

In most European countries you don't need a Green Card any more.

See a list of countries that don't require a Green Card.

If the country you’re planning on travelling to does not appear on this list, you'll need to let us know so we can make sure you’re covered and arrange any necessary Green Card - please call us on 0845 610 0355.

How do I request replacement documents?

If you need replacement documents, call us on 0845 610 0355 to arrange this. Please note that there is a £5 charge to reissue new documents by post.  There is no charge however if you choose to receive your documents by email.  You can then download all your insurance documents to your computer so you’ll always have them at hand. Our policy wording can be printed from our website at no charge.

Can I receive my documents via email?

If you would like to receive your documents by email, please send the following information to us at customerservice@johnlewiscarinsurance.com including your:

• reference number
• full name
• date of birth, and
• vehicle registration number.

I have lost my policy booklets, can I view them online?

Yes, you can view the policy wording for John Lewis Car Insurance and any optional extras online.

How do I view my policy wording?

To view these documents you need Adobe Reader installed on your computer.

TIP - Save any electronic copies to your computer to allow instant access and reduce the need for paper filing.

Click here to view your policy wording

I’m having difficulty accessing my online documents

If you’ve signed up to receive your documents by email and are having problems downloading or accessing documentation we’ve sent to you, the following troubleshooting tips may help.

• Have you had them delivered to a private or business email address?
  Many companies have security settings that may prevent downloads. Refer to your IT team, or alternatively forward them to your private email address and download them to your home computer.

• Do you have the necessary program to download them?
  To view these documents you need Adobe Reader installed on your computer.

• You may not yet have opted to receive online documents
  If you would like to receive your documents by email, please send the following information to us by email at customerservice@johnlewiscarinsurance.com including your:
  

- reference number
- full name
- date of birth, and
- vehicle registration number.

Please note: By submitting this information you're agreeing that you are the policyholder authorised to make a change to this insurance policy.

Where are my documents?

We make every effort to send out all documents within 3 - 5 working days of them being requested. If you’re expecting your documents by post, please allow a reasonable length of time for these to be delivered by Royal Mail. Any documents that you’ve requested to be sent via recorded or special delivery will require a signature – please make sure that someone is available to sign for them.

If you’ve requested to receive your documents by email, make sure that any security settings that may stop your mail being received have been disabled. For example if you’ve specified a work address rather than private address, the mail containing your documentation may have been blocked.

If you’ve allowed a reasonable amount of time and your documentation still hasn’t arrived, it's possible we may not have the correct postal or e-mail address for you on file.

Please give our Customer Services Team a call on 0845 610 0355 to check the details that we have on file.

Please note that there is a £5 charge to reissue new documents by post.  There is no charge however if you choose to receive your documents by email.  Please refer to our Important Information for details of our charges.

How do I change my payment dates?

To make life a little easier, you can choose your payment date.

If you’d like to change your payment date, we can't delay your payment, only bring it forward. For example, if your policy starts on the 1st of the month your instalment will be on the 28th of every month. If you want to change the date, it can be brought forward to any date before the 28th of the same month but can't be delayed until the following month.

Please give our Accounts Team 15 days notice to set up or alter your Direct Debit instruction so that we have your details in plenty of time to take the first payment.

If you would like to change your payment date please give our Customer Services Team a call on 0845 610 0355.

What happens if I’m due a refund?

If a refund is due on your account, we’ll contact you to let you know.

If your policy has been cancelled or you’ve paid for it in full, we’ll refund any money to the card you originally paid with. If you haven’t received your refund within 15 days please contact our Customer Services Team on 0845 610 0355 who’ll be happy to help.

If you pay for your policy by instalments and have made changes resulting in a reduction to your premium, we’ll spread any refund across your instalment plan and reduce your monthly payments. We’ll contact you with your revised instalment amounts.

Please note: Where possible following cancellation, we’ll always refund any money via the original method of payment, i.e. to the card you paid your deposit with. If we don’t have valid card details we’ll process your refund by cheque or refund to a card that you have subsequently paid with.