Going down to one car

hjw1985

My husband and I seemed to be having a race last year to see who's car would die first! Unfortunately I lost and the OH got a new (well one year old) car last Dec. Mine held out until last week but as my OH lost his job earlier in the year and started a new one on much less money, we decided to go down to one car between us when mine finally croaked.

So I've scrapped it and am getting all the paperwork together etc. However, I just want to know anyone else experience of this. Although the car is in my husbnads name, he will be walking to work as his new job is only 10 mins away and I will be the one using it the most to commute the 50 mile round trip to work every day.

He has added me to his insurance but I don't want to lose out on my no claims just because the insurance and car are not in my name. His insurance is due in Feb and I have heard that Direct Line will let both named drivers earn a no claims but does anyone else know about this?

Anyone got any other tips for surviving on one car??!!

Thanks.

rev_henry

Insurance wise, if you're going to be the main driver you should have the insurance in your own name. If its not in your name, no claims bonuses are valid for two years without being used. So you could go without insurance in your own name for 2 years before your NCD would 'die', if you see what I mean. Hope that helps!

Oldernotwiser

I can't really see why this is your husband's car if you will be using it most. At the very least, why isn't it your (couple) car?

Altarf

rev_henry wrote: »

if you're going to be the main driver you should have the insurance in your own name.

Strangely I have found that some insurance companies are happier (i.e. cheaper) having someone other than the registered keeper being the main driver, than having someone other than the being the insured person (and the main driver).

rev_henry wrote: »

If its not in your name, no claims bonuses are valid for two years without being used.

Some companies recognise two year old bonuses, a few three. So one option is before the two (or three) years are up insure the car in your name, and then in two years time insure the car in your husbands name. And continue until you get another car, or decide you are never going to get another car.

hjw1985

Thanks guys for the help. Glad to know I will not necessarily lose my no claims although I'm guessing I can't earn any more in the meantime...

Oldernotwiser, the car was my husbands originally although now he won't be using it as much and I've only just got rid of mine which is why I haven't changed the registered keeper. Can we own the car jointly as a couple anyway? I would have thought the registered keeper would have to be one single person?

The plan was to stay as we are until his insurance is due and then try and see which combination of owner/main driver works out the best for the following year.

hothothot_3

sorry can someone here confirm what I didnt realise before.....if you dont make use of your NCD for a period of two years (say you do dont drive for 2 years) - you lose it all and have to start again?

Altarf

It is not whether you drive or not, but having an insurance policy in your name.

Most insurance companies don't recognise an NCB more than two years after the end of the last policy (with some it is three years). So after two (or three) years most insurance companies treat you as if one never existed.

dizziblonde

We dropped down to one car in January when we moved onto a better bus route for oh's work. He walks to the bus stop and goes in by public transport (previously he had to drive down the M1 to the tram terminus) and I rely on the car for my commute to work (no fixed place so I could be all over the region on a given week). On the way home from work, he gets off the bus a few stops earlier at the gym and I meet him there (stops me skiving out of going since I have to pick him up!)... the only time we miss 2 cars is when he's off work and I'm at work so he doesn't have the use of a car during the day.

His was much older and less reliable than mine anyway, and parking is severly limted in our street - it thrives on a goodwill arrangement of one car in front of each house and any extras go at the end of the street (cul-de-sac but with no turning area at the end so you have to either three-point it when the place is quiet, or go out backwards) - so we'd have hardly seen the car if we kept it on.

I still tend to refer to it as my car out of habit - even though we probably drive it equally over the course of a week - insurance is in my name with him as named driver (I've got a much higher no claims and am older... and female), I'm registered as the keeper and I pay the insurance/tax/petrol as he pays some other household expenses to balance things out... it's "the car" really (also answers to "that wretched moneypit" on occasions).

rev_henry

Altarf wrote: »

Strangely I have found that some insurance companies are happier (i.e. cheaper) having someone other than the registered keeper being the main driver, than having someone other than the being the insured person (and the main driver).



Some companies recognise two year old bonuses, a few three. So one option is before the two (or three) years are up insure the car in your name, and then in two years time insure the car in your husbands name. And continue until you get another car, or decide you are never going to get another car.

Not sure I quite followed that but ok! Does sound strange, but then again insurance companies are a law unto themselves.

Altarf

Let me try again.

Persons A & B live together, and jointly own a car, but the DVLA will only let one person be the 'registered keeper'.

1. The car is registered by person A and person A insures the car, but tells the insurance company that person B is the main driver. This was the situation for the first 2 years after B disposed of their car.

To prevent the loss of their NCB, B now needed to insure the car, so -

2. The car is registered by person A, but person B insures the car and tells the insurance company that they are the main driver.

The insurance companies were happy with either scenario, but charged slightly more for scenario 2.

A solution would be to re-register the car to B, so you would have -

3. The car is registered by person B and they insure the car, and tell the insurance company that are the main driver.

Although obviously this would add another 'keeper' to the car, and may not be good for future values.