Driving any car on own policy

NotFrugalEnough

Morning,

I've got a question about the third party cover most car insurance companies include for cars not owned by the policy holder.

My problem is this:

A friend has recently cancelled his car insurance for a car which is garaged for the winter. It still has MOT and tax, which he will leave to run out. This car needs driven to a dealer for repairs, which he has asked me to do since I'm insured (3rd party) for any car under my own car insurance.

My question is:

Am I insured for this car, or does the car in question have to be insured by the owner?

"Insured for any car not belonging to the policy holder" seems far too open, so I'm assuming there must be further restrictions on this?

Any help gratefully received.

dogbot

The driving other cars extention is being phased out by many insuers because it is expensive to offer, is not used by a fairly high percentage of customers and the police absolutly hate it.

Number one thing to do therefor is check your policy to check that you are actualy covered for driving other cars and what the exact wording is.

The extention will provide third party only cover for you to drive a vehicle not owned by you. There is no cover for any loss or damage to the vehicle it's self.

You need to check the definition as it might be restricted to "in an emergency" or something.

If you find that you are covered and do drive the vehicle for your friend - make sure he understands that there is no cover for the vehicle and agree with him how you will share this liability. When you drive the car, take your insurance certificate and a copy of the wording along with a contact number for the insurer - if you drive past a police traffic car the chances are the car will be flagged on ANPR and you will be pulled over.

darich

To backup what dogbot said.....you wold be covered to drive it under your own policy but remember it has no insurance of its own.
That means that if you stop for 2 mins to buy a newspaper and someone steals it, or it's damaged while parked then there is no insurance cover to pay for the damage or to replace the car.

Incidentally - I've never seen a policy state the driving other cars extension only works "in an emergency". In my experience, you either have it or you don't. there may be exlusions but never on any policy I've ever had.

lisyloo

Does your friend have a breakdown recovery policy? e.g. AA, RAC, autoaid.

May be easier jus to get it recovered.
Even if you are insured to drive it, it is not insured whilst not being driven, so it's best not to stop and go from private land to private land.
Excellent advice to take a copy of the insurance.
The police can impound it when they don't find it insured on their database, so you will need proof.

Make sure you friend understands it's not insured in a accident whether you are at fault or note.

BenL

I was under the impression that the other car had to have its own insurance in force as well for you to be able to drive it under the 3rd party extension your insurer offers.

I'd say No and get them to use a day insurance company and drive it themselves.

Quentin

BenL wrote: »

I was under the impression that the other car had to have its own insurance in force as well for you to be able to drive it under the 3rd party extension your insurer offers.

No. There is usually no need for the car to also have any insurance of its "own". It is covered by the TPO insurance the driver has. Any third party claim would be dealt with by the driver's insurer.

iamana1ias

Quentin wrote: »

the other car

No. There is usually no need for the car to also have any insurance of its "own". It is covered by the TPO insurance the driver has. Any third party claim would be dealt with by the driver's insurer.

Until it's parked on the public road with no driver. At that point it's uninsured

emmell

My cousin got pulled up doing this as the car flashed up as no insurance but when she gave them her details and they checked it out there was no problem. It's not insured without a driver if it's parked on a public road or a private road.
There is no problem legally, the only problem I can see is if you were to have an accident that was your fault you would lose your no claims bonus.
ML.

iamana1ias

emmell wrote: »

It's not insured without a driver if it's parked on a public road or a private road.

That doesn't make sense

Quentin

emmell wrote: »

There is no problem legally, the only problem I can see is if you were to have an accident that was your fault you would lose your no claims bonus.

That isn't the problem. (You always lose some NCB when you have a claim that was your fault).

The problem is if you were to have an accident that was your fault you would have to pay for the repairs out of your own pocket!

lisyloo

There is also the case of damage to the car in a non-fault accident e.g. slide on some ice and hit a lampost - a genuine "accident" and no-ones fault.
There is the friednship to consider.

This should be sorted out UP FRONT.
i.e. the driver and the owner should agree who pays for damage.
If I were the driver and the owner was asking me for a favour then I would expect the owner to pay for non-fault damage even if I was driving.

But I'd just call my recovery company and get them to take it.