Car insurance. Main driver.

Walkinthewoods

My husband is the registered keeper of our car. The insurance is in his name with me as the named driver. Due to illness my husband has surrendered his driving licence. My question is do I by law have to change the registration and insurance documents into my name?

user1977

You don't by law have to do anything, but your husband probably does - the insurance is unlikely to be valid if the main driver isn't even legally allowed to drive. He can remain as the registered keeper, but I doubt there is any point in that.

Mark_d

You are currently uninsured!  The insurance policy is invalid as it cannot be claimed your husband is the main driver.

Insurance companies often want the insured person to be the owner and registered keeper of the vehicle, so I would advise you to change the registration to be in your name.  Your husband should cancel his existing insurance policy and you should take out insurance in your name.

Car_54

Registration - no.

insurance - you must tell them you are now thee main driver. Or rather, your husband must, as they shouldn’t discuss with you.

Walkinthewoods

I have rung my insurance company three times and all they have offered me is to do a quote in my name which turns out it be £666.  I have already paid £350 in February. I don't see why they can't delete his name?

victor2

Walkinthewoods said:

I have rung my insurance company three times and all they have offered me is to do a quote in my name which turns out it be £666.  I have already paid £350 in February. I don't see why they can't delete his name?

The policy is your husband's, not yours. If he has accrued no claims discount, then that probably won't apply to you, so it will cost more. The best he can do is cancel the policy and see how much of a refund he can get, then put that towards a policy in your name.

Do shop around though.

400ixl

You should ask your current insurer for an introductory no claims based on your history on your husbands policy and get it all moved to your own policy.

DullGreyGuy

Walkinthewoods said:

I have rung my insurance company three times and all they have offered me is to do a quote in my name which turns out it be £666.  I have already paid £350 in February. I don't see why they can't delete his name?

What are they proposing to do? Cancel the existing policy and give you a new policy in your name with 0 NCD? Transfer the rest of the year into your name - with or without the NCD?

What did you explicitly tell them? Ideally you'd explain the circumstances and ask them for what options you have. Unfortunately some people lead the call centre agents down the wrong path and the agent blindly follows the instructions (in part as almost all consumer insurance is sold on a non-advisory basis and they can get into big trouble if they give you advice). 

Some insurer will allow the policyholder to be a non-driver as long as there is at least one named driver who can drive. 

Walkinthewoods

It's all sorted now. Thanks for everyone's comments.

victor2

Walkinthewoods said:

It's all sorted now. Thanks for everyone's comments.

Can you give us some idea how it was sorted - could be useful for future reference?

Walkinthewoods

The insurance company spoke to the underwriter's who agreed to keep the current policy in place with no amendments until the renewal date which is next year.