Car Insurance open claim question

Before I get to the main issue, since this has a bearing, I've had a dual insurance situation. I would normally renew in December each year, but did so in Dec 2023 with ByMiles, then ended up leaving them in Sept 2024 because it cost me more in the long run.

I then insured with company A, and then as December 2024 rolled round, I got the usual influx of reminder emails about it. I've had hell of a lot going on, and bought car insurance with company B, having completely forgotten about A.

When Sept 2025 came along, I thought, "Well, I can't be with A, so why are they asking me to renew?" and then the penny dropped.

Following a friend's advice who's been in this situation, where he got half back from A, and half back from B, I started to phone B.

And here's where we come to the open claim, since in June 2025, an old woman drove into the back of me in a supermarket car park, while I was parked up and my car was off. Even she said afterwards, "I shouldn't be driving!" Well, I was in agreement!

Anyway, it caused damage to my car which I claimed through company B (having forgotten about A), even though the woman and her family were trying to pressure me to settle privately - but I'd rather do this through the correct channels, especially since none of this was my fault.

I spoke to B and they mentioned this was an open claim, which I understand means that both B and her insurance company are still trying to resolve the matter. The advisor said it could even take up to a year to resolve.

My plan, today, was to cancel B and start the dual insurance process, but then B told me that cancelling at this stage, with an open claim, means no refunds at all.

But what they weren't clear on, and so I need to get advice on (since the advisor wasn't clear), is that I don’t know how any potential refund would be affected when the claim is resolved.

Hence, for today, to err on the side of caution, I've kept B's insurance going while I find this answer.

My question is: If I do cancel now – and I get zero refund at this time – what happens when the claim is resolved, presuming it’s in my favour?

Does B refund me the 50% for dual insurance as I was expecting? Or do they just think that since I'm no longer with them, "We’ll keep the refund!".

I also don’t know if they'd notify me about that once I’d left - whether if cancelling now or leaving in December 2025 when the policy expires, since I’d heard nothing about it from anyone that it was still open!

Ugh, why is this so complicated? Thanks in advance for any advice.