Car Insurance amendment re parking.

lindos90

My son currently lives at home, has a car and when he got his car insurance he stated that it is parked on the drive when not in use/overnight. He's in the process of buying his own place. When he moves, his car will be parked in a specified parking space near to his apartment in a parking area reserved for residents only. As it's not a private drive like it is now, I'm not sure if this will need to be amended too, or would it be classed as the same because in both situations it's parked 'off the road'? My other half says it's another one of those things I'm complicating unnecessarily and that my son would be better off just updating his address only, but I wouldn't want it to be used as a reason to decline a claim if there was need to claim in the future. Anyone park their car in a communal parking area, did you put it down as 'parked on the drive overnight'? 

Car_54

Ask the insurer.

HampshireH

Usually they have a residential parking option 

We have a private carpark for 3 of us with allocated areas in our property deeds and use the residential parking option .

I would not class it as a driveway even though it's adjoined to my house because it isn't a driveway

I'd perhaps use communal if it was a free for all car park on a first come first served basis. But feel residential still applies.

user1977

It isn't a "driveway" by any normal definition. These are the options on one of the comparison sites:

Driveway - This should be the policyholder’s driveway.

Road - Any road parking where a permit isn’t required.

Residential parking - Parking that’s been designated for residents to use by the local council. Usually involves holding a parking permit.

Secure car park - Usually fenced all the way around and accessed by a gate using a key or code.

Car park - An open or covered car park that doesn’t have security, whether you paid for parking or not. NCPs or council car parks would normally fall into this category.

so I think "car park", assuming it isn't secure.

lindos90

user1977 said:

It isn't a "driveway" by any normal definition. These are the options on one of the comparison sites:

Driveway - This should be the policyholder’s driveway.

Road - Any road parking where a permit isn’t required.

Residential parking - Parking that’s been designated for residents to use by the local council. Usually involves holding a parking permit.

Secure car park - Usually fenced all the way around and accessed by a gate using a key or code.

Car park - An open or covered car park that doesn’t have security, whether you paid for parking or not. NCPs or council car parks would normally fall into this category.

so I think "car park", assuming it isn't secure.

Thanks user1977, it looks like it falls somewhere between residential parking (he will get a residents permit but it's not provided by the council) and a car park (but it's only for residents, not a public car park) 
It's definitely where the property is allocated a specific numbered car park slot, it's not a 'first to park gets the best choice where they park' your help is much appreciated x

diystarter7

Hi OP
It's defo not 'a driveway.' To be 100% safe ask the insurance

Whenever I take out isnrance with a new comapny for the cars, home, btl etc, often I have to
give them a call to ensure the info i give is accurate and i record the person details that I spoke to and time and date them

The last thing anyone wants is a problem if things go wrong with the car when parked at nighttime

Thnaks

35har1old

lindos90 said:

My son currently lives at home, has a car and when he got his car insurance he stated that it is parked on the drive when not in use/overnight. He's in the process of buying his own place. When he moves, his car will be parked in a specified parking space near to his apartment in a parking area reserved for residents only. As it's not a private drive like it is now, I'm not sure if this will need to be amended too, or would it be classed as the same because in both situations it's parked 'off the road'? My other half says it's another one of those things I'm complicating unnecessarily and that my son would be better off just updating his address only, but I wouldn't want it to be used as a reason to decline a claim if there was need to claim in the future. Anyone park their car in a communal parking area, did you put it down as 'parked on the drive overnight'? 

Best to do both. 
Both could alter the cost + -

Longwalker

35har1old said:

lindos90 said:

My son currently lives at home, has a car and when he got his car insurance he stated that it is parked on the drive when not in use/overnight. He's in the process of buying his own place. When he moves, his car will be parked in a specified parking space near to his apartment in a parking area reserved for residents only. As it's not a private drive like it is now, I'm not sure if this will need to be amended too, or would it be classed as the same because in both situations it's parked 'off the road'? My other half says it's another one of those things I'm complicating unnecessarily and that my son would be better off just updating his address only, but I wouldn't want it to be used as a reason to decline a claim if there was need to claim in the future. Anyone park their car in a communal parking area, did you put it down as 'parked on the drive overnight'? 

Best to do both. 
Both could alter the cost + -

The address might alter the cost but it doesn't make a hoot of difference to my insurer wether I say off road parking, the drive or garage 

GrumpyDil

@lindos90

Not wishing to worry you but who is the permit issued by? If it is a private parking company you might want to read some of the threads on the parking forums. That is one thing that would put me off a property unless it was clear I was not accepting the private parking firms intervention.

DullGreyGuy

lindos90 said:

user1977 said:

It isn't a "driveway" by any normal definition. These are the options on one of the comparison sites:

Driveway - This should be the policyholder’s driveway.

Road - Any road parking where a permit isn’t required.

Residential parking - Parking that’s been designated for residents to use by the local council. Usually involves holding a parking permit.

Secure car park - Usually fenced all the way around and accessed by a gate using a key or code.

Car park - An open or covered car park that doesn’t have security, whether you paid for parking or not. NCPs or council car parks would normally fall into this category.

so I think "car park", assuming it isn't secure.

Thanks user1977, it looks like it falls somewhere between residential parking (he will get a residents permit but it's not provided by the council) and a car park (but it's only for residents, not a public car park) 
It's definitely where the property is allocated a specific numbered car park slot, it's not a 'first to park gets the best choice where they park' your help is much appreciated x

Residential parking is intended to be a private car park for residents only.... on street parking requiring a parking permit is still on street parking. The chances of a muppet misjudging the gap and hitting a car on the road doesnt change just because the car has a permit in the window. 

Ditzy_Mitzy

It'll be worth updating.  I did similar when I moved from a house with a drive to a maisonette with allocated spaces within a residents only car park.  Made no difference to the premium from memory.

In the world of claims I imagine it's very much a case of swings and roundabouts.  Cars parked on drives are more likely to be scraped on walls, whereas cars in car parks are more likely to be bumped by other residents.  The postcode will no doubt have a more profound effect than the type of parking.