Can I sell an uninsured car?

nettymes

I am planning to buy a friend’s car, which means I need to sell my current car privately. It’s 10 years old with nearly 12 months MOT, and I suspect I may have a problem selling it at this time of year – ie getting close to Christmas. My insurance company will give me temporary cover for up to 30 days – haven’t asked the cost yet – but what happens if I haven’t sold it by then? Can I keep it on my drive without any insurance? It’s taxed till next March so that is OK for now.

And what about prospective buyers? Can they drive it on their own comprehensive insurance? If they haven’t got their own insurance, can my husband drive it to take them out?

Thanks.

Andyr11

You cannot have the car on public roads (being driven or parked) without a valid certificate of insurance effecting the car. Keeping the car on your drive will be allowed as this is classed as private land.

If anybody wanted to buy the car they would need to purchase insurance before the car is driven on the roads. I use tempcover.com for when my car is out of action (its a FIAT - out of action about 70% of the time) and I need to use another car for a day or so. I pay £23.95 for 2 days use of my dads BMW if he has a hire car or another car.

Andy

kenshaz

Yes of course you can keep it up your drive without insurance.

immoral_angeluk

Yes as long as it wasn't on the road. IF the other person had car insurance which insured them to drive other cars then they'd be able to take it for a test drive as well.

Bossyboots

immoral_angeluk wrote:

Yes as long as it wasn't on the road. IF the other person had car insurance which insured them to drive other cars then they'd be able to take it for a test drive as well.

but your husband won't be insured to drive it once your own cover runs out.

jacquij123

I though the actual car still had to be insured to be on the road although if you're not named on the policy you can drive it if you have that drive any other car clause on your own policy?

nettymes

Thanks everyone. I think it’s clear that I can keep the car on the drive without insurance and with tax.

I’ve read through the long thread which Martin started about driving other cars on comprehensive insurance. As long as a buyer had their own insurance which let them drive other cars they could take it for a test drive – but I think the wording of their insurance is key. My husband has this cover on his own car insurance and it looks like he would be able to drive it because; there is no other insurance in force, he would have the owner’s permission to drive the car, it’s in the UK, he still has his car and it’s not been damaged beyond cost-effective repair. But other policies may have different conditions, for example that any other car they drive must be insured at the time, in which case they couldn’t drive my car.

I’ve looked at tempcover.com, that could come in handy as well, thanks Andy.

I’ll just hope I sell it quickly!

brazilianwax

nettymes wrote:

My husband has this cover on his own car insurance and it looks like he would be able to drive it because; there is no other insurance in force, he would have the owner’s permission to drive the car, it’s in the UK, he still has his car and it’s not been damaged beyond cost-effective repair.

He won't have comprehensive cover on your car though - only third party fire and theft, so if he damages the car you won't be able to claim for it. I'm pretty sure the clauses always state that the car must be insured by the owner for this extension to be allowed.

I'm sure the car has to be insured by you to a minimum of Road Traffic Act though, otherwise those of us with more than one car would only ever have 1 insurance policy!

I think you should check with your husband's insurers......

Claire (used to work in the motor insurance industry)

Meatballs

You can keep it on your driveway when your tax runs out as well. But fill out a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification?) form as the DVLA fine people who don't renew their tax/declare it off the road.

Not sure what happens if you let the tax run out before selling it. Could be a pain as you are only supposed to be on the road untaxed if you are going to a pre-arranged MOT.

Bossyboots

brazilianwax wrote:

I'm sure the car has to be insured by you to a minimum of Road Traffic Act though, otherwise those of us with more than one car would only ever have 1 insurance policy!

Hereby hangs the reason for many insurers removing the DOC extension from their policies.

Apparently people would also insure a cheap car and then drive something far more expensive under the DOC extension. Many it seems were unaware that they were only third party covered (and I have lost count of how many times I have explained this to my neighbour who seems to think he is fully covered to drive his brother's car and vice versa).

Some DOC extensions only allow "emergency" use as well, so it is essential policies are checked before the car is taken on the road.

Bossyboots

Meatballs wrote:

You can keep it on your driveway when your tax runs out as well. But fill out a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification?) form as the DVLA fine people who don't renew their tax/declare it off the road.

Not sure what happens if you let the tax run out before selling it. Could be a pain as you are only supposed to be on the road untaxed if you are going to a pre-arranged MOT.

If the vehicle is going for test drives, it has to be taxed so it cannot be declared SORN.

Once the tax runs out the vehicle will need insuring again for the tax to be renewed.