leaving a gap of one week in car insurance

vikramrkin

Hi all,

I just bought a used car from cargiant. With this car, I get one week free insurance from Aviva. When that expires, is it ok to start the next insurance (I am planning to buy annual comprehensive insurance) after the gap of a week? I dont intend to drive during that period, so trying to save some money on the insurance.

Is this legal? Will this have any negative impact on my next insurance renewal?

Thanks
Vikram

rodenal

If you have a break in insurance you should, technically register the car as sorn (off road). Theoretically you should get a fine for not having continual insurance but the car still being taxed.

I suspect however, that if you leave the car sitting for a week off road between temporary insurance lapsing and the new one starting that you'll be ok.

rev_henry

Yes, I think there's a grace period, and they have to send you a couple of letters before fining you, so you should be ok.

cardinalbiggles

If it was me, and your not me obviously... so this is only advice, I would make sure my car was insured. At the end of the day you don't know what may happen and for the cost of a weeks insurance is it really worth taking the risk of it being damaged, set on fire or even just having to deal with DVLA?

daveys_2

Don't forget that if the car gets stolen in the time that it's not insured, then you'll get nothing back (except maybe a burnt-out wreck). Also it might be worthwhile to check, if you bought the car on finance that there isn't a clause in the T&C's insisting on you having continuous insurance

vikramrkin

cardinalbiggles wrote: »

If it was me, and your not me obviously... so this is only advice, I would make sure my car was insured. At the end of the day you don't know what may happen and for the cost of a weeks insurance is it really worth taking the risk of it being damaged, set on fire or even just having to deal with DVLA?

Good point. Thanks all.

I will save around £15 for a weeks insurance, but considering the above scenarios, I dont think it is worth taking the risk of not having an insurance.

rev_henry

vikramrkin wrote: »

Good point. Thanks all.

I will save around £15 for a weeks insurance, but considering the above scenarios, I dont think it is worth taking the risk of not having an insurance.

Depends where you live! Back home in Cumbria I wouldn't hesitate leaving my car uninsured in your situation - no crime has taken place there since about 1978.

cardinalbiggles

rev_henry wrote: »

Depends where you live! Back home in Cumbria I wouldn't hesitate leaving my car uninsured in your situation - no crime has taken place there since about 1978.

Yeah but to be fair there is nothing worth stealing there

rev_henry

cardinalbiggles wrote: »

Yeah but to be fair there is nothing worth stealing there

A handful of micra/yaris automatics owned by the old folks :rotfl:

laird

If you have financed the car then you'll probably be required under the finance contract to have comprehensive insurance so that may force your hand into buying the insurance for the week.

Yorkie1

Not to mention the recent law which requires you to have insurance in force if the car is not declared SORN (as referred to by another poster earlier on in the thread)