Had an accident.

tigers53

Dear Users

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there is any way out of this situation.

I had a accident in my dads car. I was to blame. I am fully comp for my car. But my insurer says that i am not covered to drive other cars.

Do i have to be a third party driver for my dads car?

The reason i'm asking is because i want the insurance to cover the other person damages. Not my dads.

Many thanks

jo

tberry6686

Are you a named driver on your fathers policy ? If not then you were almost certainly driving without insurance.

If that is the case then you may be prosecuted for that if the third party reports it to the police (likely when they find out), your father may be charged with allowing the car to be used by an uninsured driver. Your fathers insurance may be forced to pay out under the RTA in which case they will come after either you, your father or both to get their money back.

This could be a very expensive mistake.

N9eav

I concur with the above: You should either have a third party addition to drive other cars with the owners consent on your own policy, or be a named driver on your father's policy.


There is no "way out" I am afraid.


Did you think you were covered before you borrowed your Dad's car?

arcon5

I suspect you're under 25? A lot of insurers only allow you to drive other cars on a third party basis if you hit this age unfortunately. In which case your dads insurance will be forced to pay out by virtue of the Road Traffic Act - he will loose some no claims bonus and have to declare a claim for 5 years.

He's unlikely to be prosecuted if he reasonably believed you was insured -- but if the police get involved you will find your self with a trip to court, a fine, points, possible (but not necessarily) a small ban and some hefty insurance premiums in the future.

As for how his insurer will react when they find out they have to pay out for an accident by an uninsured driver --- I don't know.. somebody else will know more but I do wonder if they'd be able to come after him for reimbursement or cancel his policy or anything... I really don't know, but if they can and he doesn't persuade them not to then the consequences will be big.

In future read your own policy first, drive second. Not the other way round!!!

arcon5

Or I suppose you could pay for the other parties repairs yourself... and hope a personal injury claim doesn't follow putting you back in the same situation anyway...

Although that could turn out very costly indeed with you now owing money or a car to your dad :eek:

Strider590

Not many people seem to know this, but fully comp insurance no longer gives you TPFT on other vehicles.

It's the same generation that go about saying how VW Golf are the most reliable cars (they we're in 1980 something).

The reason the insurance companies changed this, was because of new drivers getting fully comp on an old 1000cc banger and then driving about (and often killing themselves/others) in daddies GTI, XR3, Cosworth, etc etc etc.

sinbad182

My current insurance policy and everyone I've had before it gives me third party on other cars with the drivers permission.

System

Strider590 wrote: »

Not many people seem to know this, but fully comp insurance no longer gives you TPFT on other vehicles..

Fully comp NEVER gave TPFT, they gave Third Party and a lot still do.

AdrianC

!!!!!! wrote: »

Fully comp NEVER gave TPFT, they gave Third Party and a lot still do.

Some do. Some don't.

OP - since yours doesn't, and since you're not a named driver on your father's policy, then - sorry, but you were driving uninsured. How bad's the damage to the other vehicle? Is it minor enough that an offer to pay in cash seems reasonable?

Right now, I think that's your best bet. If it's major damage, though, or the other driver insists on it going through insurance, you've got a problem ahead of you.

iolanthe07

fully comp insurance no longer gives you TPFT on other vehicles.

Mine does (Saga) - unequivocally. I've just checked.

System

iolanthe07 wrote: »

fully comp insurance no longer gives you TPFT on other vehicles.

Mine does (Saga) - unequivocally. I've just checked.

Are you sure that you also have Fire & Theft on top of Third Party?