Group car ownership / community car

Mr.Boy

A bunch of us in our church live in the same village and have quite a close community (not a commune!)
We quite often have arrangements where we add our friends to our car insurance so if someone needs a car who doesn't own one, they can borrow one for a day easily. But this gets a bit convoluted - we mostly have a car per family and it's daft us all having second cars but one shared one between us would be great.
I'm wondering about the idea of just sorting out a "community car" - a co-op type of setup where we all co-own a car and split the costs and are all insured on it. I can't find anything like this from Google but I know companies and obviously car-hire places have special arrangements so I wondered if anything like this exists?
One of us could buy a car and then add all of us to the insurance and we do it informally but I wonder if there's a neater solution... anyone? I guess we could even consider doing it officially through the church itself if that makes things easier with their official status as a charitable entity.

Thanks for any help - I wondered if it's something housemates might do in a student house, or sport teams, etc?

LandyAndy

Interesting idea.


Only one entity can be the owner or the keeper so you may have to set up 'The Friends of St Mazda' or some such body and that would have to insure the car with an 'any driver' policy.


I think it might be more involved than is worth it.

Rolandtheroadie

Wouldn't be keen on being the insurance holder, if anyone has a bump, you've a claim to declare on your own policy.
Our local community centre used to run a minibus. They would rent it out to local community groups, for a set price per mile, to cover the running costs.
No idea the workings of it, but probably something along landyandys idea.

Mr.Boy

Yeah I hadn't considered that specific bit but one person being responsible legally would be annoying. Someone is bound to have an accident eventually and if that impacts the policy-holder on their own car it would be a pain. Is this definitely the case though?

System

Community cars certainly exist. There are schemes in London, usually involving electric cars, where people in the scheme can do this.

The best thing to do is to ring some insurers first and find out what they think would be the best way to set this up and then follow their advice. It may involve setting up a Non-Profit Company or organisation, the car belonging to thatand the company/organisation insuring the vehicle for any driver. That then protects any one individual from having to get a policy in their own name and suffering the impact of another driver making a claim.

marlot

What a great idea.

A quick google found this, which looks helpful? https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/running-community-and-informal-car-clubs/

Mr.Boy

marlot wrote: »

What a great idea.

A quick google found this, which looks helpful? https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/running-community-and-informal-car-clubs/

That's brilliant, excellent find Thanks.

Car_54

LandyAndy wrote: »

Interesting idea.


Only one entity can be the owner

Why? Any property can be jointly owned. (That doesn't mean it's a good idea).

Ectophile

If you're worried about financial nasties coming to bite you if something goes wrong, then you'd need to set up a small company to own, hire out and maintain the car. A lot of clubs and charities are set up as a "company limited by guarantee". Instead of shareholders, they have members. If the company goes bust, the members' liability is limited to a fixed amount, perhaps £1.

G_M

Car_54 wrote: »

Why? Any property can be jointly owned. (That doesn't mean it's a good idea).

You're right. But I suspect LandyAndy meant Registered Keeper.

forgotmyname

Someone will need to keep track of who is driving and when and who pays when someone breaks it?

I imagine the excess will be quite high. The registered keeper will get all the parking tickets and speeding fines. You will need to know and prove who was driving.

Say i pick up a speeding ticket, you name me i deny it, where is your proof?