URGENT. Does anyone know any insurance company that insures impounded cars?

Nodding_Donkey

Why, if you* allow someone to drive your car then it is up to you to make sure they are insured.

*generic 'you' not you personally

AdrianC

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

Why, if you* allow someone to drive your car then it is up to you to make sure they are insured.

*generic 'you' not you personally

You may very well believe, in all good faith, that the other driver IS insured. They may well believe that, too.

Here's one real-world example...
A friend has lent us his VW campervan for an extended period whilst he's out the country. I have "somebody else's car" cover under one of my own policies. It doesn't specify the type of vehicle covered - just refers to "cars" - yet the policy itself is for a vehicle that isn't really a "car", but a full-size and fairly agricultural LWB 4x4. Nothing else in the wording says it wouldn't be perfectly valid. But is it a "car"? This campervan is well under the weight limits to not be drivable on a car licence - it's actually smaller and lighter than the policy the vehicle covers. Being registered as a motorcaravan, it's subject to the same speed limits as any normal car, rather than the lower van speed limits. Does my "somebody else's car" insurance cover me to drive it? I think yes. The van's owner is fully aware of the details and thinks yes. But what do the insurers think? There's only one way to find out - but is the word of a call-centre operative to be taken as gospel? The ONLY way you'll find out for sure is to NEED to find out in a court or through a claim.

FWIW, since the question was raised, we've not relied on that clause - and I've now been added to his policy. But I may very well have driven it a few times before we did that.

Did he know in advance that I was going to drive it at that time? No. Was it taken without his consent? No.

Was I uninsured? Should he have been prosecuted for causing/permitting me to drive uninsured? Should his ~£5,000 van be crushed as part of _my_ penalty?

What about a leased business vehicle that's insured for any employee over a certain age to drive, but that clause hasn't been communicated to the staff - and one particular employee happens to be just under that age? Or any driver under a certain number of points - and one particular employee happens to be unaware of a court case because the paperwork's somehow missed him?

fivetide

I actually got done in a similar situation on a motorbike.

The wording of the policy was "vehicle with an appropriate license" but the definistion of vehicle was then four wheels not two so despite paying out insurance on two cars and one bike I managed to get an IN10 (this was a long time ago now)

They decided not to do my friend the owner for aiding (or whatever the offence is). It didn't turn out to be a disaster but I would say I was absolutely the model of someone very heavily insured being done just because they could be versus someone who simply sees being stopped, fined etc and as an acceptable hazard as they will do it time and time again.

Lum

It's quite easy to end up accidentially uninsured, especially if you buy over the phone.

Example:

You go to look at a car for sale, private sale. Buy the car, call up the insurance company, tell them you want the policy to start today, call centre operative mistypes the date and tells you you're good to go. When the paperwork arrives two weeks later you realise you drove home uninsured.

maninthestreet

AdrianC wrote: »

You may very well believe, in all good faith, that the other driver IS insured. They may well believe that, too.

Here's one real-world example...
A friend has lent us his VW campervan for an extended period whilst he's out the country. I have "somebody else's car" cover under one of my own policies. It doesn't specify the type of vehicle covered - just refers to "cars" - yet the policy itself is for a vehicle that isn't really a "car", but a full-size and fairly agricultural LWB 4x4. Nothing else in the wording says it wouldn't be perfectly valid. But is it a "car"? This campervan is well under the weight limits to not be drivable on a car licence - it's actually smaller and lighter than the policy the vehicle covers. Being registered as a motorcaravan, it's subject to the same speed limits as any normal car, rather than the lower van speed limits. Does my "somebody else's car" insurance cover me to drive it? I think yes. The van's owner is fully aware of the details and thinks yes. But what do the insurers think? There's only one way to find out - but is the word of a call-centre operative to be taken as gospel? The ONLY way you'll find out for sure is to NEED to find out in a court or through a claim.

FWIW, since the question was raised, we've not relied on that clause - and I've now been added to his policy. But I may very well have driven it a few times before we did that.

Did he know in advance that I was going to drive it at that time? No. Was it taken without his consent? No.

Was I uninsured? Should he have been prosecuted for causing/permitting me to drive uninsured? Should his ~£5,000 van be crushed as part of _my_ penalty?

What about a leased business vehicle that's insured for any employee over a certain age to drive, but that clause hasn't been communicated to the staff - and one particular employee happens to be just under that age? Or any driver under a certain number of points - and one particular employee happens to be unaware of a court case because the paperwork's somehow missed him?

Arer both your LWB 4x4 and the VW camper van in the 'PLG' taxation class? The tax disc in the windscreen should sate the taxation class.

spacey2012

One of you may be prosecuted.
If this nephew had insurance all that is relevant on that certificate for purposes of RTA is within one box on the actual certificate.
If this provides cover for other vehicles it can list clauses that are covered in a schedule.

If the Nephew does not have insurance the test for prosecution in Magistrates is know as acting with due Diligence.


Examples of due diligence are "inspecting in person an insurance certificate which was later found to be false"

Examples of not acting with due diligence : A verbal reassurance or promise from the driver .

Only company I know that will provide a certificate which will allow release of a vehicle seized is Direct Line fully comp, they are not interested where the car is now, the certificate has within the boxed bond area that it can be used to secure he release of a car seized if it is the vehicle bearing the same registration.
Other than direct line it is a speaclist, only draw back is it takes a week for documents.

Retrogamer

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

In the second case anyone stupid enough to drive a £40k car without insurance deserves anything they get.

I'm assuming you've missed the dozens of threads on here and other motoring forums where the insurance companies have cancelled their clients policy by accident without informing them?

AdrianC

maninthestreet wrote: »

Arer both your LWB 4x4 and the VW camper van in the 'PLG' taxation class? The tax disc in the windscreen should sate the taxation class.

Yep. I'm not sure that's proof positive, though - since so was the 3.5t LWB hightop bare panel van Merc Sprinter that a mate used to own. Would you expect that to fall within that "other car" insurance clause, too?

thenudeone

TrickyWicky wrote: »

There is no law that says you must have specific "Get car out of the pound" insurance. IMO the police are going above and beyond the call of duty.

It is a specific offence under the RTA to give false information or withhold material information to obtain a certificate of insurance.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/174 s174 (5)

If the police suspect that you have done so in order to obtain the certificate you are presenting to them (which they have good reason to in this situation), it is reasonable, IMO, for them to check with the insurance company.

Retrogamer

thenudeone wrote: »

It is a specific offence under the RTA to give false information or withhold material information to obtain a certificate of insurance.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/174 s174 (5)

If the police suspect that you have done so in order to obtain the certificate you are presenting to them (which they have good reason to in this situation), it is reasonable, IMO, for them to check with the insurance company.

I think what was being implied is if your insurance company don't ask if your car is impounded and your policy says nothing about any restrictions on impounded cars then there is no reason to inform your insurance company of it, or for the police to check if you have.