Borrowing a friend's car for work purposes

Hebrews12

I need to borrow a car for a week work purposes and a friend has said I can use theirs. My insurance won't insure me because they say the car is already insured elsewhere. My friend's insurance won't insure me because they say it's being used for work purposes. Is this always going to be the case with all insurers? I'm thinking of asking other friends but there's no point if that's the standard.

Thanks for looking.

C

EdGasketTheSecond

You can always get insurance but 'at a price'. There's no reason why you can't insure the car that is already insured elsewhere; find a more professional insurance company.

Hebrews12

Thanks for this. So my insurance company - Direct Line - should in theory still insure me?

Car_54

Hebrews12 wrote: »

Thanks for this. So my insurance company - Direct Line - should in theory still insure me?

No. As Ed has said, there's no reason they CAN'T insure you, but it seems they WON'T insure you. That's entirely their prerogative.

Manxman_in_exile

Hebrews12 wrote: »

Thanks for this. So my insurance company - Direct Line - should in theory still insure me?

I think they "could" insure you rather than "should". Every insurance company decides what risks it is willing to take on and Direct Line clearly don't want this risk.


I think the 2nd poster is right; it's probably possible to do want you want, but you need to find the right company and it may be (very) expensive.


(PS - I was in a bit of a similar situation some years ago. I couldn't find an insurer to cover me on a car "that was already insured". I checked with the British Insurance Brokers Association and they said that the reason given was not true and that it was possible to do so. I gave up and did something different).


EDIT - cross post with Car 54!)

angrycrow

I had a similar situation a few years ago when I borrowed mother in laws car. My insurers would not cover as it was on cover with saga and sage would not add me as a named driver. I took temporary cover for a couple of days, think it was Ecar cost was still cheaper than a hire car.

loskie

great way to lose a friend just hire one.

Joe_Horner

If your planned use fits in with this:

Your temporary car insurance cover can only be used for social, domestic and pleasure purposes, commuting to and from a permanent place of work and personal business use. You are not covered to use your vehicle for commercial travelling, any purpose in connection with the motor trade or carriage of goods or passengers for hire or reward.

then tempcover.com should be able to quote for a weeks worth.

EdGasketTheSecond

In my experience temporary car insurance is as expensive as just hiring a car which is a lot simpler to organise.