Did you know? You may be able to drive someone else's car on your insurance.

Savvy_Sue · 13 February 2006 at 9:10PM

some insurance companies have definitely withdrawn the DOC cover, it's been mentioned on this board before, can't remember who it is but definitely check you ARE covered before relying on this.

DeeRus · 14 February 2006 at 9:54PM

Can EVERYONE PLEASE be careful with this - I work for the largest insurer in the UK and this extension (if you indeed do have it), will most likely be withdrawn at your next renewal.

It's not the Insurers who are driving this, because it's actually a loophole, where people would insure say a Ka and actually own and drive another car and use this other car as their 'regular' vehicle, which was most likely a 'luxury' type.

It actually costs all of us and makes it difficult to track down the drivers out their with no insurance cover, one of the main uses of the MID, which is the electronic system the police use to check your car (assuming you are stopped or involved in an accident)

PS - I'm a recently joined member of this forum/newsletter and think it's the best - I was forwarded it by one of my mates (yes he works for the same company!)

themissingdigit · 14 February 2006 at 11:02PM

speaking from 1st hand experience.
i borrowed my mothers car parked it on my drive & it was then stolen. the insurance company refused to pay. but because we had only said it was parked there & stolen, we then had to bend the truth a bit & say my mother parked it there & put the keys through my letter box as i wasn't in. they then paid out but would not of done otherwise. basically while you have the car there is no insurance to cover that vehicle at any time until the owner has it back.

golddustmedia · 15 February 2006 at 10:22AM

This "loophole" is really intended for reliable drivers to temporarily use another persons car legally and unfortunately is regularly abused. For example I occasionally need to borrow my fathers car if I'm visiting them by train and my car is at home 200 miles away. However when younger I was aware that some friends used this loophole to get behind the wheel of GTi's etc where they would buy said car in a parents name and insure say a 1 litre fiesta for a few hundred pounds but regularly drive an XR3i (this is going back a few years eh!?).
I recall however one lad I knew wrote off his hot hatch when he pranged another car at speed and the insurance covers only the "third party" i.e. the car he hit. He lost his own car (all be it in parents name) and of course his own injuries were not covered by an insurer.

Bottom line is it's a useful addition for genuine drivers but looks likely to go due to greedy abuse. :-(

catleugh · 15 February 2006 at 11:03AM

My Third Party Fire and Theft insurance covers me to drive any car not belonging to myself.

thetope · 15 February 2006 at 12:35PM

my third party fire and theft insurance also covers me to drive a car that is registered to another person. it is through diamond but this should also apply to elephant and admiral, as they are all under the same umbrella

wiserbutpoorer · 15 February 2006 at 1:20PM

I am somewhat worried by this thread - when I did my motor insurance exams the Driving Other Cars extension was seen as an emergency cover only. One explanation was that it was really only to clarify the position if an "unisured" driver had an accident i.e. the insurer concerned was the Driver's as there was a presumption that in order to prevent State interference with Motor Insurance (like the French system) some insurance should be made available.

The argument as I remember was that the cover was very restricted and could leave large uninsured expenses.

To my mind this falls in the same category as children driving their own car which is insured any driver by parent, or not completing the change of owner on the car Registration form (when buying a secondhand car) so that it is not owned by you whilst you are driving it home.

It seems to work for the man down the pub but I would not want to rely on it if there was a nasty accident.

However, motor insurance policies have developed since I last drafted a policy so the above may no longer apply.

lowedb · 15 February 2006 at 2:40PM

Strangely, having had a policy for a few years without this, it has now been added on at my last renewal.

I've always known about it being there, but never used it as I don't see it saving any money if you make a mess of someone elses car.

thetope · 15 February 2006 at 2:50PM

i wouldn't use it to drive another car frequently, but i occasionally borrow my dad's estate car to transport large items, for which it is very useful, and means i don't have to get him to give up his day to drive stuff around.

murphz1 · 15 February 2006 at 2:59PM

I recently had a bump whilst driving a car on my third party insurance that had been lent to me by a business assocaite whilst mine was off the road.

When a claim was made against me / my insurance company for whiplash, I thought all would be well.

What actually happened was that E-sure, my company decided they didn't want to pay out as the vehcie was comprehensively insured on another policy and attempted to sue thew other insurer.

In the meantime, I end up getting summonsed by the claimant as Esure were not actioning the claim or admitting the liablitly. I am in the proces of fighting a County Court Judgement being registered against me, although Esure have now decided to pay out!

I WONT BE DOING IT AGAIN!!

Did you know? You may be able to drive someone else's car on your insurance.

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