Car Insurance - car kept at parent's address

Trying_to_be_good

I'm having the annual difficulty in arranging car insurance. I don't think the situation is that odd, but insurers do!

I share a car with my Mum. She bought it, new, in 2002. Two years ago, I split up with my now ex-OH, and my Mum didn't want me stranded so added me to the insurance on her car, and in Oct 2014 she left it with me and I became the main driver. She's in her 70s, I'm in my 40s, both with clean licences for over 20 years.

Being the honest people we are, I started trying to arrange car insurance with me as the main driver, with occasional business use (I'm an office worker, but sometimes travel to a different office). We were told the car needed to be in my name, as the main driver. It now 'lives' at my Mum's house, on her drive, but I'm still the main driver (I now live 3 miles away).

So:
Car is registered in my name, at my address, I'm the main driver with small amount of business use
Car lives at mum's house, on her drive, she's a named driver

Low overall mileage (<10,000, probably <6,000), low value car.

Any advice on the best way to arrange good value car insurance? I have two years' NCD as I didn't have car insurance in my name when I was married.

Thank you

Morph4610

Hi, any reason why it lives at your mum's house? Based on the useage it would seem to make more sense if it lived with you? Do you drive the car to and from work? If so how does this work if the car is 3 miles away? Where insurers always get jumpy is if your mums postcode attracts a lower premium than yours. Could be there's a completely logical set of answers here but on the face of it I get why insurers are struggling a bit

takman

It is quite strange that the main driver of a car lives 3 miles away from it and the named driver who uses it less keeps it at their house!.
If you use the car the most it makes sense to keep it at your house. There is also the extra risk of the registered keeper of a car storing it 3 miles away so that makes it seem like the car could easily be stolen and without you knowing about it for a longer than normal time.

stugib

How do you travel to get the car 3 miles away when you need it?

EdGasket

With Admiral my daughter's car has her as the registered owner (my address) but the place where car usually kept at a different address where she rents. Same with my son when he was in the forces. Not usually a problem to have 'address where usually kept' different to the registered/postage/administration address. Try Admiral/Elephant for a quote.

teddysmum

Perhaps a broker would be of use ?


When, because of new legislation, my husband wanted one of our cars to have me as main driver, a broker arranged for me to have some no claims credit, based on the fact that neither of us had an accident or claim on our record.

Trying_to_be_good

Thanks for all the comments.

The main reason for having the car at all is so that my Mum can use it if and when she needs to, unplanned. This really helps her independence.

I can plan when I'd like/need to use it - I run or walk to her house to get the car. It also means the car does actually get used a couple of times a month, and an occasional longer journey to keep it ticking over.

I live in the city centre, and whilst I do have a secure underground parking space here, the car genuinely lives at Mum's house.

I realise it sounds weird, but it's because I'm trying to be honest about the actual use/location of the car!

POPPYOSCAR

If you go online to insurers websites there is usually a chat helpline where you can ask any questions.

I found this very useful when looking for info when arranging provisional insurance for our daughter.

Morph4610

Hi, suspect the difference in postcode ratings is what insurers will find challenging i.e. if kept at yours you would attract a higher premium. You don't say how you get to work but you do say you sometimes go to other offices? Again another tricky one which suggests the car should more realistically be with you. Suggest you talk to a broker who at least should have a range of options with different insurers