Main user and named driver question .

poet123

In my first post I stated that it should be reported,your response implied that it should be reported because it may affect the friends ability to drive the car today, if the insurance co wanted to be pedantic.

That was incorrect,although it is an important change of circs,that does not mean she ought to worry about the legality of driving. I am not getting hot uner the collar! just want to ensure the OP allays the fears of a bereaved friend.

jack_spratt_2

I

am not suggesting any reasonable insurance company would make an issue of this but it has to be done at some point and its better to do it now

I also said

poet123

The implication was still there that if they wanted to, the insurance co could make an issue out of it......how could they do that?

silvercar

I think the question is whether the policy is still valid, now that the policy holder is no longer alive. If the policy holder's death cancels the policy (Note I said "if") then there is no longer a policy in force.

JonBoy_SCFC

silvercar wrote: »

I think the question is whether the policy is still valid, now that the policy holder is no longer alive. If the policy holder's death cancels the policy (Note I said "if") then there is no longer a policy in force.

excellent and interesting point

jack_spratt_2

I have known claims been rejected because the wheels had been changed and were not the standard specification and because the insurance company had not been informed !! I am not joking !! people just do not realise if a company wishes to be awkward they can .( they do not need any help to avoid paying out a claim)
Not that I am suggesting in this case they would take that attitude but they have to be told at some point why not now

poet123

Because as the OP explained, the policyholder died over xmas when the insurance companies were closed. The question was, whether as a named driver the widow could drive the car until the offices of the insurer re opened today. I said that she could,you implied that there may be a problem. There was never any intent to delay notification,nor "front" nor any other dubious intent. Just force of circumstance.

FlameCloud

Whilst Jack Spratt is correct on a technical level, (given that the the duty of disclosure is ongoing, and a material fact has changed)-

Policies sometimes give a 28 day requirment of notice period.
Insurers are people. They do use common sense sometimes.
The big one however, is that there is not an insurer in the land that will risk the deriding in the press for doing something so harsh as declining cover following the death. In a couple of years time, maybe, but not immediatly.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

Wheres Razkazz when you need him!

OT but If soneone changes there wheels then of course they need to disclose... i dont think that would shock 99% of people

Back On Topic - I'm leaning with Silvercar on this... if the policy holder is dead... is there even a live policy in force today for the OPs friend to be named against?

I say she needs her own insurance asap.

Any word back from the OP on what the insurance co said?

jack_spratt_2

Back On Topic - I'm leaning with Silvercar on this... if the policy holder is dead... is there even a live policy in force today for the OPs friend to be named against?

you are relying on the goodwill of the insurance company

OT but If someone changes there wheels then of course they need to disclose... i don't think that would shock 99% of people

You would be surprised how many people would think it was not important !!