Car insurance following death of owner

Mike_J

I appreciate that when the owner of a car insurance policy dies, the policy dies.  This question is about the best way of getting replacement insurance.  My wife is insured as a driver on my insurance (for many years) and also on her dads insurance (she used to drive him to hospital appointments etc), both as a specifically named driver.  He has now died but she will need to continue to drive the car to take her mum to appointments.  We are weighing up what to do about the car (get rid and use taxis, or keep for convenience).  The biggest factor will be the insurance costs.  Any ideas for options.  I could take out a basic policy on her name but as she was a named driver she has zero no claims in her name.  Have considered a mileage based policy as usage will be minimal.  Anybody else have any suggestions ? (vehicle was previously insured with General Accident who have so far just said .... "if the policy holder has died, the vehicle isnt insured".   Thanks

caprikid1

"I could take out a basic policy on her name but as she was a named driver she has zero no claims in her name."

The above is not an option as most likely fronting.

Do the legwork get some quotes, might even be worth a black box policy.

No claims bonus is a little bit of an industry scam to be honest, ultimately it comes down to perceived risk, car, area, years driving etc.

You will almost certainly find a company that will mirror the no claims you have due to her on the policy.

Herzlos

She's best getting a policy in her own name to build up some NCD, but if she's been driving for a while without any claims her premiums shouldn't be too bad.

Insurance is usually cheapest if she's the registered keeper of the car she's insured on too, though it's not essential.

Whether your selling the car or not, it'll be easier if you transfer the cars ownership to someone else, which you can do with the V5 slip and register your wife as the new keeper of the car. Then you can look at either insuring and keeping it, or selling it.

I'd recommend that if the car is almost never used, it's going to be much less hassle to sell it on and use your car or taxis instead. Cars doing barely any miles will cost a lot more in maintenance, and all of the fixed cost stuff will be a lot more expensive on a per mile basis too.

DullGreyGuy

caprikid1 said:

"I could take out a basic policy on her name but as she was a named driver she has zero no claims in her name."

The above is not an option as most likely fronting.

Do the legwork get some quotes, might even be worth a black box policy.

No claims bonus is a little bit of an industry scam to be honest, ultimately it comes down to perceived risk, car, area, years driving etc.

You will almost certainly find a company that will mirror the no claims you have due to her on the policy.

Hows it fronting? How can her deceased father still be the main driver?

A little mean of GA to cancel the policy straight away, most will move the policy into the "Executor of"  for an interim period whilst probate/ownership of the vehicle is resolved (or at least started) - as in literally it states that rather than naming the executor. They cannot drive the vehicle but it remains legally insured to be able not to have to SORN it and named drivers can continue as before. Just have to make sure payments can be made if its on installments.

She just needs to get quotes with 0 NCD declared and get the best price she can, just be careful with declaring the legal owner and keeper correctly which is a slight complexity pre-probate. 

sheramber

My husband's insurance continued his policy as an executry with me named as main driver.  I was previously a named driver.

At the end of the policy year they credited me with his 9 year NCB on my own policy.

shiraz99

Mike_J said:

I appreciate that when the owner of a car insurance policy dies, the policy dies.  This question is about the best way of getting replacement insurance.  My wife is insured as a driver on my insurance (for many years) and also on her dads insurance (she used to drive him to hospital appointments etc), both as a specifically named driver.  He has now died but she will need to continue to drive the car to take her mum to appointments.  We are weighing up what to do about the car (get rid and use taxis, or keep for convenience).  The biggest factor will be the insurance costs.  Any ideas for options.  I could take out a basic policy on her name but as she was a named driver she has zero no claims in her name.  Have considered a mileage based policy as usage will be minimal.  Anybody else have any suggestions ? (vehicle was previously insured with General Accident who have so far just said .... "if the policy holder has died, the vehicle isnt insured".   Thanks

That isn't true at all. When my dad passed away earlier this year, his car insurer (Esure) gave 30 days grace on the insurance after which I had the choice of taking on the policy in my name or cancelling it and looking elsewhere. As it was I managed to sell the car withing the 30 day grace period. They said this is pretty standard practice.

The insurer will/should have a bereavement department that you should deal with.

SaverRate

If they just cancel the insurance on death I would feel that it warrants a complaint as they have a duty of care.

Shocked at their attitude as GA are part of Aviva! 

Car_54

SaverRate said:

If they just cancel the insurance on death I would feel that it warrants a complaint as they have a duty of care.

Shocked at their attitude as GA are part of Aviva! 

They may have had a duty of care to their customer, but not to the OP.

gord115

caprikid1 said:

"I could take out a basic policy on her name but as she was a named driver she has zero no claims in her name."

The above is not an option as most likely fronting.

Do the legwork get some quotes, might even be worth a black box policy.

No claims bonus is a little bit of an industry scam to be honest, ultimately it comes down to perceived risk, car, area, years driving etc.

You will almost certainly find a company that will mirror the no claims you have due to her on the policy.

If you take out a policy in your name, but list your wife as the main driver, this is not "fronting,"

We have done it on my wife's car for a number of years with no problems even when another driver ran into her and we had to claim against them.

Any comparison website asks "who will be the main driver?"

You just select your wife....easy.

Car_54

gord115 said:

caprikid1 said:

"I could take out a basic policy on her name but as she was a named driver she has zero no claims in her name."

The above is not an option as most likely fronting.

Do the legwork get some quotes, might even be worth a black box policy.

No claims bonus is a little bit of an industry scam to be honest, ultimately it comes down to perceived risk, car, area, years driving etc.

You will almost certainly find a company that will mirror the no claims you have due to her on the policy.

If you take out a policy in your name, but list your wife as the main driver, this is not "fronting,"

We have done it on my wife's car for a number of years with no problems even when another driver ran into her and we had to claim against them.

That claim should have succeeded even if your wife hadn't been insured at all!

iainscomputer

When we purchased our 2nd car, LV gave my wife 8 years no claims bonus which mirrored my NCD just because she had been a named driver on my policy, she had actually had a claim 2 years previously with LV on the same policy.