Getting car serviced by independent mechanic - what do you do about insurance?

arcon5

buglawton wrote: »

Then I suggest reading this 6th May article

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11585053/Motorist-selling-car-is-banned-after-buyer-was-killed-during-test-drive.html

For the car owner, 12 month ban, large fine and loss of vehicle as a result of his lack of due diligence.
Hence why I posted here.
Not sure I have a solid answer yet.

LOL
comparing a bonafide independent garage doing a glorified oil and filter change to a private individual allowing another private individual drive their car with the view of it being sold quite simply is ridiculous.

vikingaero

buglawton wrote: »

Do you ask to see his insurance certificate showing he's fully comp covered when taking your car to the MOT station for example?

What if he shows you it and then decides to cancel it?

Come to think of it, even at garages or branches of Kwik Fit, how do you check that they are insured properly?

Sounds like you are so risk averse that you need to either:

- service your car yourself

or

- stand outside the garage to supervise them

benjus

buglawton wrote: »

showing he's fully comp covered

What's fully comp got to do with anything?

buglawton

Joe_Horner wrote: »

That's an entirely different situation.

A prospective buyer would not normally have insurance to drive any car so, as the owner, it's your responsibility to be sure they have before allowing them to drive it. If you don't take reasonable steps to check then you're in trouble.

A garage (especially somewhere like an MOt station) would be expected to carry a motor traders' policy which will cover them to drive cars that are with them for testing / repair. It's a standard part of setting up a garage.

So, as the owner, if you take it to a "reputable garage" rather than Joe Bloggs with a bag of tools in the council car park it would normally be reasonable to assume that at least the minimum basic insurance was in place.

Which is why I worded this thread title quite carefully. In the past I've had a self employed mechanic collect and deliver the car back. So he drives it and quite a few miles too.

To the last post, what's fully comp got to do with it, well if the mechanic writes you car off, who exactly are you expecting to replace it?

journeymanpro

missile wrote: »

Most garages will have a sign displayed saying your car is driven at your risk.

you must use some pretty cheap and nasty garages. this is not common at all.

buglawton

Read.. my... lips... not a garage, an independent self employed mechanic

Stevie_Palimo

buglawton wrote: »

Read.. my... lips... not a garage, an independent self employed mechanic

A rather simple solution here for you is to train to become a mechanic and then no more problems for you again.

Herzlos

buglawton wrote: »

Read.. my... lips... not a garage, an independent self employed mechanic

And does he work out of a garage or just his driveway?

Then he should still have a fully comprehensive policy covering any car in his care, unless he's a total cowboy.

If a car gets damaged, he or his insurance will take care of it.

dacouch

Herzlos wrote: »

And does he work out of a garage or just his driveway?

Then he should still have a fully comprehensive policy covering any car in his care, unless he's a total cowboy.

If a car gets damaged, he or his insurance will take care of it.

There are a fair few circumstances that a mobile mechanics motortrade policy will not provide cover for

Herzlos

Which circumstances are they?

It won't be test driving, or collecting/returning cars, or damage whilst on site.