insurance to test drive car to buy

thrifty_pete

I would like to buy a car from a private seller, but as I have no car currently, I can't use the cover most comprehensive policies have to test drive other cars.
I have looked at temporary insurance with tempcover.com, ecarinsurance.co.uk and insure4aday.co.uk buy none are great value.
Is it worth phoning insurers to see if they would let me start a policy with no car? I am decided on the make and model (group 12/50).

Pete

bouncydog1

Are you talking about the third party only cover that some insurers provide for driving other cars? These are now more uncommon and you would not be covered for any damage you did to the vehicle. If I was selling my vehicle I would not let somebody drive it third party unless they had the means to pay for the damage.

You can't insure a vehicle you don't have an insurable interest in so no insurer is going to issue a policy for you on that basis.

System

You don't have an insurable interest in the vehicle, but you do have an insurable interest if sued by the owner for writing off his car on a test drive. But even you had personal liability insurance against being sued for anything, it still wouldn't give RTA cover to drive the car on the road.

I think personal test drives are over-rated. It's much easier imo to detect faults if you are an observant passenger rather than concentrating on handling a strange car belonging to someone else.

macman

You may be covered under the seller's own policy.

Quentin

If a test drive is a must, then see if you can come to some arrangement over the cost for the owner to add you to his policy for the day

Eggy_Pumps

I always insist that anyone wanting to test drive a vehicle I'm selling is insured and can prove it. Often a prospective buyer will say "i'm covered on my policy because I'm fully comp." The problem with that, as bouncydog says, is that this is only 3rd party if at all. The last time someone had a problem with this (they looked like they were a few sandwiches short of a picnic anyway), I explained that if they hit something or were hit by a uninsured driver the damage to my car would not be covered. I had to laugh at his reply, he said, "that's a risk I'm prepared to take"! I said, "I expect you are, but I'm not!"

A few years ago a friend of mine had his car written off on a test drive when the potential buyer drove it into my friends house. He just shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Lots of expensive damage that my friend had no choice but to foot the bill for. Not insured, no witnesses and not way to trace the bloke who did the damage.

Adverts for motorcycles will often include a comment like "no test pilots" or no test drive without cash. This is no doubt because just dropping a stationery bike can cause £2k damage to fairings etc.

As for being covered on the sellers policy, I cant see that being an option on any cover without an additional cost and were there to be a claim, the fallout would surely just hurt the seller.

HappyMJ

thrifty_pete wrote: »

I would like to buy a car from a private seller, but as I have no car currently, I can't use the cover most comprehensive policies have to test drive other cars.
I have looked at temporary insurance with tempcover.com, ecarinsurance.co.uk and insure4aday.co.uk buy none are great value.
Is it worth phoning insurers to see if they would let me start a policy with no car? I am decided on the make and model (group 12/50).

Pete

Firstly allow the seller to drive the car with you as passenger. Maybe ask the seller to drive to a private car park and you try it. You won't need insurance for that as long as the car park is definitely private as in as employers car park protected by a barrier it won't be ok in a supermarket car park. Then if you really like it then take the hit for a 1 day insurance policy and ask if you can have an extended drive the next day before buying it. Make sure you have enough cash on you just in case you do write it off as it will still be your responsibilty.

thenudeone

bouncyd!!! wrote: »

You can't insure a vehicle you don't have an insurable interest in so no insurer is going to issue a policy for you on that basis.

Of course you have an insurable interest. YOU are going to be held liable for any damage you cause to the person's vehicle.

How do you think the short-term car insurance market works?

How can company motor insurances policies provide comprehensive cover for a hire car that does not belong to the company?

I don't have an insurable interest in anyone else's property but I can still buy insurance which will pay them if I am found liable for damage to it.

thrifty_pete

Insurance can be difficult to understand, but for me it seems straightforward in this case. I would be buying insurance to cover the car, and any third party liabilities anyone I hit. See https://www.insure4aday.co.uk/data/cms/tradewise/TWI_policy.pdf for example.
Just because I don't own the car, do not mean I have an incentive to drive recklessly as obviously my premium would go up for any motor policy I buy in the next 5 years.
I was hoping for a top tip of a cheap and good short term insurer, as the comparison sites don't compare short term policies.
Or even a reply from one of the "heavyweight" MSE Forum posters who have a lot of relevant experience!

thanks anyway,
Pete

lisyloo

Have you tried
http://www.dayinsure.com/

No connection, but I got a reasonable quote from them for a test ride (£22).

(p.s. Couldn't get added onto my friends insurance on a Sunday).

thrifty_pete

Great minds think alike! Dayinsure are the lowest prices I have found, and only have a £250 excess, most of the others have £500 excesses.
You do need to buy online though, so you'd need the numberplate beforehand when going for a test drive. Strange how some ads on ebay or autotrader have the number plate erased. Means you can't look them up on the DVLA for tax or written off problems.

Pete