last week i called up 2 insurers to get answers and was told today something similar to what x9 said...
"it depends on the applicant's profile, and even if offered, the NCD can be removed at any time..." and that once their system had been updated with certain details, my later applications may not be processed in a normal way for some time.
according to their records, i was in-between licenses and buying risky (inappropriate?) vehicles for my profile (unmarried <30yo male with no dependents, no
property and no job in SG). FWIW, the vehicles i was trying to get cover at that time were: BMW S1k, Suzuki GSX-R1k, Vespa GT250, Porsche 997 and Lotus Evora S. all but the first and last were used vehicles. and 10 years earlier, i had wrecked a 190E merc in singapore...
she also mentioned it was conceivable that i could have sent in a bunch of paperwork to appeal for NCD but without guarantees, will take time to process and not automatically available.
i never knew and jumped the gun above (and likely 7 years ago). i feel cheated now, but... it is what it is.