test drive and insurance

puddy

2 questions,

this is very interesting as i have always wondered what the situation is with insurance if you are test driving a car being sold by a private seller??

secondly, this business about insurance groups - my OH daughter is 21, she passed nearly 2 years ago. has an old banger micra, 1litre engine. she cant afford the insurance, its nearly 1700 quid. she lives in zone 2 london. is the car the problem, her age or the location??

axomoxia

jenner wrote: »

2 questions,

this is very interesting as i have always wondered what the situation is with insurance if you are test driving a car being sold by a private seller??

You would need to have driving other vehicles on your insurance (a very good reason to have IMHO).

Andy

rev_henry

jenner wrote: »

2 questions,

this is very interesting as i have always wondered what the situation is with insurance if you are test driving a car being sold by a private seller??

secondly, this business about insurance groups - my OH daughter is 21, she passed nearly 2 years ago. has an old banger micra, 1litre engine. she cant afford the insurance, its nearly 1700 quid. she lives in zone 2 london. is the car the problem, her age or the location??

Car sounds perfect, she's the 'right' gender for insurance but she's young and in fairly central London, which I imagine are the main factors. Consider having a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm and immobiliser fitted; the main risk in central London may be theft, cars like that are quite easy to steal (not that I know from experience!). The reduction in premiums may well pay for the alarm.

raskazz

rev_henry wrote: »

Car sounds perfect, she's the 'right' gender for insurance but she's young and in fairly central London, which I imagine are the main factors. Consider having a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm and immobiliser fitted; the main risk in central London may be theft, cars like that are quite easy to steal (not that I know from experience!). The reduction in premiums may well pay for the alarm.

By far and away the main risk in that case is that of third party damage and injury. The combination of age and location will mean that cheap rates are unlikely to be obtained. Security may assist in some reduction but it is unlikely that the reduction will be anything other than nominal.

newfoundglory

neilmcl wrote: »

OP, out of interest what is the car you want to test drive?

An astra sport hatch (1.9 cdti sri)

and a 1.6 ford ka.

harveybobbles

iolanthe07 wrote: »

Our Ins Policy covers anyone with a driving licence.

That must cost you an arm and a leg.

costs us about £8000 a year, that covers road risk for any driver over 18 with less than 6 points, covers the building, 50 cars in stock, plus public liability of £5,000,000.

rev_henry

newfoundglory wrote: »

An astra sport hatch (1.9 cdti sri)

and a 1.6 ford ka.

Erm, have you had insurance quotes for those yet?

newfoundglory

rev_henry wrote: »

Erm, have you had insurance quotes for those yet?

Yes, I have.

The astra was a little on the pricey side. About £2,100 fully comp with a £750 excess. Alternatively I can pay £1,200 and take a risk with a £3,000 excess.

The Ka is £1,400 with a £650 excess. But has much more expensive tax and higher parking fees (About £500 in total, which is twice that of the astra).

I do live in a high risk postcode which effects premium. Car would be parked on the street. If i got the astra i would have to move as i'd be worried it would be stolen. I reckon moving alone would take 4 or 5 hundred off the cost of insurance.

rev_henry

newfoundglory wrote: »

Yes, I have.

The astra was a little on the pricey side. About £2,100 fully comp with a £750 excess. Alternatively I can pay £1,200 and take a risk with a £3,000 excess.

The Ka is £1,400 with a £650 excess. But has much more expensive tax and higher parking fees (About £500 in total, which is twice that of the astra).

I do live in a high risk postcode which effects premium. Car would be parked on the street. If i got the astra i would have to move as i'd be worried it would be stolen. I reckon moving alone would take 4 or 5 hundred off the cost of insurance.

That's not as bad as I thought. What's the point of having comp if you've a £3000 excess? Surely TPFT would be better?

newfoundglory

rev_henry wrote: »

That's not as bad as I thought. What's the point of having comp if you've a £3000 excess? Surely TPFT would be better?

Its quite hard to work out what the best option is. I guess it depends on whether you have an accident or not, which is hard to predict and impossible to know. Depending on year and mileage, an astra sport hatch might be 7 to 10 grand or more. Is it worth a 3 grand excess?