Temporary Insurance when fixing/selling a car

grass_is_greener

Hi all

I am currently trying (and struggling) to sell one of our family cars as my OH has recently got a company car.

The insurance lapsed so I didn't renew it while we were trying to sell it. Trouble is, whilst trying to sell, some idiot smashed the fog light, we have tried to fix it but it needs to be taken in to a garage and go up on a ramp as the bumper needs to come off. We will also have to get the MOT (and possibly) brake pads fixed at the same time which is obviously not a cheap thing as this is due in January. On top of this, the tax is due!! So we are looking at paying about £400 to fix the car and then insurance on top as we need to drive it to and from the garage and have it insured for people to drive when they view it ......

so .... what is the cheapest way of insuring the car temporarily, given that it is christmas and we dont know how long it will take to sell. I have looked into temporary insurance but these seem to cost a fortune. Can I take out a normal insurance and cancel after a short period without being penalised???

Many thanks in advance and apologies (I am female and pretty useless when it comes to this kind of thing).

scheming_gypsy

easiest way is to ask your current insurer if they can add it as a temporary car. With regards to test drives; the common scenario is to make it clear that test drives are only available to people who can prove they're insured to drive it, either a trade policy or DOC on their fully comp.

grass_is_greener

Sadly I have just rung my current insurers (privilege) and they say that there is no way of insuring a second vehicle on the same policy. The only way they would is if we had just bought a new car and were selling our original car insured with them.
I have checked out the temporary insurers but they all charge a fortune and you have to give them a time, I dont know how long it will take to sell the car. Catch-22.

zappahey

What's the value of the car? Is it worth spending the £400 or just punt it on ebay as-is.

Weird_Nev

Most companies are good at giving pro-rata refunds, so you could just insure it on a normal policy and then get refunded the rest, although this means significant initial outlay.

The_Turner

Would it not be cheaper to have the garage collect and return the car?

neilmcl

You now have no choice but to insure your vehicle under the new rules, either that or SORN it. There's no reason why you can't take out a full policy and cancel it within the statutory 14 day period, cheaper than taking out temp insurance.

grass_is_greener

zappahey wrote: »

What's the value of the car? Is it worth spending the £400 or just punt it on ebay as-is.

The car is somewhere between £3 and £4,000 so I think it is probably worth spending the money to get it right. However, it is not a 'popular' car so has been proving very difficult to sell (even when it was in VGC.

Weird_Nev wrote: »

Most companies are good at giving pro-rata refunds, so you could just insure it on a normal policy and then get refunded the rest, although this means significant initial outlay.

Okay, I am not sure I have the money right now, on top of the work the car needs. I could do this but need to be really sure that I will at least recover some of the money when the car is sold.

The_Turner wrote: »

Would it not be cheaper to have the garage collect and return the car?

I hadn't thought of that, thanks. Does the car not have to be insured to be towed though? I need to get the insurance to get it taxed too I guess and for test drivers.

grass_is_greener

neilmcl wrote: »

You now have no choice but to insure your vehicle under the new rules, either that or SORN it. There's no reason why you can't take out a full policy and cancel it within the statutory 14 day period, cheaper than taking out temp insurance.

Now, there's an idea, I hadn't thought of the 14 day cancellation period, thank you. Not really ethical but it would allow me to tax it, get the work done and then get it back on the drive.

neilmcl

grass_is_greener wrote: »

Now, there's an idea, I hadn't thought of the 14 day cancellation period, thank you. Not really ethical but it would allow me to tax it, get the work done and then get it back on the drive.

OK, but don't forget the other bit. If you do this you and then cancel you will still need to keep taking out insurance until you either sell it or SORN it else you can be liable for a fine under the new continuous insurance rules.

http://www.mib.org.uk/Motor+Insurance+Database/en/Continuous+Insurance+Enforcement/default.htm

grass_is_greener

neilmcl wrote: »

OK, but don't forget the other bit. If you do this you and then cancel you will still need to keep taking out insurance until you either sell it or SORN it else you can be liable for a fine under the new continuous insurance rules.

Ah, right I see now, thank you.

It looks like it is my only way forward but not really a route I want to go down. It is a shame that the uninsured drivers have made it so difficult for those who try and do the right thing.