Driving a Company Car after Employment Ends

williduck

I’m currently changing jobs and my current employment is due to end on 5th November.

I have a company car for business and personal use, provided by my employer through Lex Autolease.

They won’t be picking the car up until after the 5th November, does anybody know if I am allowed to drive the car after 5th November - for instance 6th Nivember?

I presume insurance may be a major issue, but until I hand it back and it’s in my possession the insurance will still be valid as it will be parked outside my house. As a named driver on my wife’s policy I’m also insured to drive other vehicles on a third party basis.

Essentially, we are going away this weekend Saturday to Monday (6th) and we would prefer to use my company car rather than my wife’s car.

Thanks

Will

HogMan

Have you asked your employer they should be able to provide the most valid response?

neilmcl

If it's insured until they collect it then I don't see it being an issue. As above, check with your employer.

"picking it up after 5th November" sounds a bit vague, do you have an exact date?

Jsnb88

Only your employer can answer this I’m afraid

Car_54

williduck wrote: »

As a named driver on my wife’s policy I’m also insured to drive other vehicles on a third party basis.

Are you sure? It would be pretty unusual for DOC cover to include named drivers.

Iceweasel

Car_54 wrote: »

Are you sure? It would be pretty unusual for DOC cover to include named drivers.

I agree -it's normally only the policyholder who has the DOC.

I'd be checking that out right away.

arcon5

Ask your employer. There's a difference between it being insured and you being insured to drive it.

Only they will know the terms of the policy. It may be worded for all employees and contractors; it may be worded anybody authorised by the company. We don't know

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Iceweasel wrote: »

I agree -it's normally only the policyholder who has the DOC.

I'd be checking that out right away.

If the company has a large fleet I suspect that his company has only compulsory 3rd party insurance and covers their own costs for repairs.

What he probably has is blanket permission to drive other cars leased to the company so that they can drive another employee's car where appropriate, or possibly any car when driving on company business.

As the company is providing an element of insurance, then I would presume at the end of employment they would not be insured, though the company will be insuring or self-insuring for theft under their own policy. The driver will be removed from the policy on termination of employment (or the policy is so worded as to only allow employees, excluding some employees with problem driving records).

If the employee has left amicably, then they may be happy to extend cover as a matter of mutual convenience (e.g. the car is in the way, I need to be able to drive it to ensure it is left safely not abandoned in a vulnerable position on the road). If the employee has left under a cloud, then work on the assumption that they are not insured.

(I know of someone who is in the same position who was on 3 months notice, got another job and then within a couple of days went off sick with "stress" and simply has produced doctor's note after doctor's note to cover this - managing to fit in a holiday to the Far East during this - and they have kept the company car all that time. You can bet they will not be allowed a minute's extra time in that car).

loskie

why ask us? Has your company given you an answer you don't want? If your employment has ceased I would think you have no right to the car.

System

williduck wrote: »

I presume insurance may be a major issue, but until I hand it back and it’s in my possession the insurance will still be valid as it will be parked outside my house.

Not for you to drive if it is an employee only policy as you are no longer an employee.

As a named driver on my wife’s policy I’m also insured to drive other vehicles on a third party basis.

No you're not. Only the primary driver gets other vehicle cover and in almost all cases the insurance company requires the other vehicle to be insured in its own right.

Essentially, we are going away this weekend Saturday to Monday (6th) and we would prefer to use my company car rather than my wife’s car.

Might not be an option no matter how much you want to. To cover yourself you could arrange a short term insurance policy from those companies that provide 24hr policies but you'll be paying around £25-£30 a day.

Warwick_Hunt

IanMSpencer wrote: »

If the company has a large fleet I suspect that his company has only compulsory 3rd party insurance and covers their own costs for repairs.

What he probably has is blanket permission to drive other cars leased to the company so that they can drive another employee's car where appropriate, or possibly any car when driving on company business.

As the company is providing an element of insurance, then I would presume at the end of employment they would not be insured, though the company will be insuring or self-insuring for theft under their own policy. The driver will be removed from the policy on termination of employment (or the policy is so worded as to only allow employees, excluding some employees with problem driving records).

If the employee has left amicably, then they may be happy to extend cover as a matter of mutual convenience (e.g. the car is in the way, I need to be able to drive it to ensure it is left safely not abandoned in a vulnerable position on the road). If the employee has left under a cloud, then work on the assumption that they are not insured.

(I know of someone who is in the same position who was on 3 months notice, got another job and then within a couple of days went off sick with "stress" and simply has produced doctor's note after doctor's note to cover this - managing to fit in a holiday to the Far East during this - and they have kept the company car all that time. You can bet they will not be allowed a minute's extra time in that car).

Does his wife have a large fleet of vehicles?