Drive any car insurance

[Cheezey]

Since I got rid of my MX5 a year ago and my Jag before that I haven't had a car. I'm a mile from work so I just walk and I have my wife's car the rest of the time. I'll get a car at some point but I want it to be something I really want not just for the sake of it.

 

I do sometimes find the need to nip somewhere without my wife's car available. There are usually plenty of cars available but I'm not insured. I've pondered putting my wife's car in my name so I can have third party cover but I'm never at ease with that. I've never heard of anyone making a claim using their insured to drive any car part of their fully comp but I can imagine it being a nightmare.

 

I had a look about online a while ago but it was more trade policies and I'm not trade.

 

Anyone got any real world experience?

[fatharris]

If the other car isn't insured on a separate policy then I believe you're not covered. I remember someone on here saying it covers you as long as you start and stop on private land but I wouldn't chance it.

[Dead_E23]

If the other car isn't insured on a separate policy then I believe you're not covered. I remember someone on here saying it covers you as long as you start and stop on private land but I wouldn't chance it.

 

Doubt that - when you most need it, chances are it'll be because you've come to a very abrupt stop on a public road.

[Kiltox]

Trade policy and lie / change cars often

[lesapandre]

Or get a cheap as chips runabout in the meantime? Citroen AX are very handy and the Cit' C15 van very hardy and useful? I have a W124 Mercedes too. It can sit weeks and always starts and is ok for a long trip. 

[Fraz]

If the other car isn't insured on a separate policy then I believe you're not covered.

This is exactly true. Both cars need to be insured regardless. If it doesn’t say on the cover note, it does in the terms and conditions of the policy.

[STUNO]

My car insurance policy reads....Under the "what we don't cover" section..

 

If your vehicle is being used by certain drivers :

 

There is no cover when your vehicle is being used or driven by any person who at the time of the event:

 

Was not legally licensed to drive in New Zealand.

 

Was not complying with the conditions of their drivers licence.

 

Had been advised, directed or instructed not to drive by a medical or other professional person.

 

--------------------------------------

 

This means that a car's insurance is valid for for any legal driver to drive it, no "permission" is needed from the insurance co.

It is also quite legal to not insure a car and drive it on the streets. BUT you pay if the accident caused by you happens. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

If the other car isn't insured on a separate policy then I believe you're not covered. I remember someone on here saying it covers you as long as you start and stop on private land but I wouldn't chance it.

 

not what i was told when i specifically asked the question when making a renewal

[fatharris]

not what i was told when i specifically asked the question when making a renewal

Fair enough, I couldn't remember the exact wording!

[Faker]

Third party extension cover when using a borrowed car, the borrowed car must have it's own policy in place by its owner or user. Go and find your policy agreement... It's in there somewhere..

 

The older ones amongst us will recall way back... a friend owning an xr3i, rs-turbo, or some other hot hatch.... registered in daddy's name. Son would have an insurance policy for an uno or something, and drive the hot hatch on the third party extension. It was rife in the 80's and 90's. Insurance companies put a stop to it in the naughtys. Borrow a car and it has to be insured by its owner.

[JJ0063]

Third party extension cover when using a borrowed car, the borrowed car must have it's own policy in place by its owner or user. Go and find your policy agreement... It's in there somewhere.

Correct

 

DOC’s covers you to drive somebody else’s car as long as it’s insured. I.e. you can’t drive your own cars on the extension and the car must be insured elsewhere.

 

Another thing people often don’t realise is that driving other cars third party is exactly what it says - cars. Doesn’t cover vans, pick ups, car derived vans etc. Private cars only. The only way around this is through wording, the odd policy states ‘driving other vehicles’ and therefore can’t be restricted.

[The Moog]

Not all do this, my last policy didn't have the had to be insured clause and when I asked they said was fine as long as not getting it back from being impounded etc.

[Eddie Honda]

I do sometimes find the need to nip somewhere without my wife's car available.

I get on my motorcycle. Failing that I walk, get a taxi/bus/train.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

Re: DOC cover.

 

We have this "vehicle also needs to be insured" bollocks every time this question comes up.

 

The main thing is to check your own Certificate of Insurance and Policy Wording. They generally exclude retrieving things from the pound now. They also may say that you can't borrow your spouse/partner's car. They might also exclude those in the motor trade. Just because the insurance is Comprehensive, don't assume it includes DOC. Lots of Comprehensive policies don't have DOC as standard and is chargeable as an extra. It also applies to the policyholder and not any named drivers. It will be for third party risks only. It won't cover you if your own insured vehicle doesn't exist. It will probably have territorial limits too - e.g. UK only.

 

Make sure you carry the Certificate of Insurance

 

Here's my cert wording:

 

 

And my policy document wording:

 

 

May I refer honourable Shiters' to carefully read the judgement Pryor v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police 2011

[dollywobbler]

Day insurance? If it's not very often.

[Dan_ZTT]

This means that a car's insurance is valid for for any legal driver to drive it, no "permission" is needed from the insurance co.

It is also quite legal to not insure a car and drive it on the streets. BUT you pay if the accident caused by you happens.

This may be the case in NZ but is definitely not so in the UK. If a car is driven on a public road without insurance it can be seized and crushed and you will get a big fine + points on license.

[Dan_ZTT]

Day insurance? If it's not very often.

For the odd day here and there it may be almost as cheap to hire a car.

[Rave]

I don't think there's a way round this problem that's both cheap and legal. I now have trade cover as a 'part time trader' and I can add up to 6 cars at a time just by emailing the broker the registration of whatever car I want to add- however I'm paying through the nose for it.

 

I was once stopped for a routine check by the police while DOC-ing. My Mondeo was taxed and insured but not MOTd at the time IIRC (requiring a niggly job I'd not got round to doing). They stopped me after having seen me driving out of Bromley just after closing time with three well oiled passengers on board, and so pulled me over to check I'd not been joining in. Having established that I had no alcohol on my breath (I'm now teetotal), they did the usual walk round the car to make sure that there was tread on the tyres and did the check to make sure the paperwork was in order. When I told them that the car was my father-in-law's and I was DOC-ing, they said "OK, give us the registration of your car then" and ran it through the computer- which apparently established that it did have a fully comp policy in place; and they were happy and let us on our way. Its lack of MOT didn't flag up, though I appreciate that I was most likely on legal thin ice there (and MOTd it soon after). Obviously the car I was driving was insured in my father-in-law's name (with my mum as a named driver).