Timing of change of registered keeper and insurance renewal

Trifolium

Unfortunately my father's health issues mean he won't be driving again, and in reality hasn't done for some time. He is the owner and registered keeper of my parents car, although my Mum is down as the main driver etc for insurance purposes. 

I can help them change the car into my Mum's name ( for ownership / registered keeper) but not sure if it's best to do this before / same date / after helping them renew the car insurance ( which won't included my Dad). Has anyone got any experience once that would help us work out the 'right' order?

born_again

Do it before renewal. 

Not that it will make any difference to cost.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

mebu60

We've had a couple of instances in the past where it has been cheaper having a named driver at the same address as well as the main driver than just the sole main driver on the car insurance. Could be worth getting quotes for both scenarios and leaving your dad on if it proves cheaper (assuming he still has a valid licence).  

Kim_13

born_again said:

Do it before renewal. 

Not that it will make any difference to cost.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

Presumably they are concerned as to what happens with the remainder of the current policy, given the policyholder would cease to be the registered keeper of the car. There is a risk that the current insurance would cease to be valid as soon as the transfer is made.

Informing the current insurers that you wish to cancel upon expiry and changing the keeper and taking out new insurance insurance on that day would be safest (bar several hours of the car being uninsured on the driveway between midnight and the changes being completed) but that will cost more as you need the insurance to start immediately.

You could try setting up a policy in advance on the basis that mum will be made the keeper on the commencement date and hope that the insurer doesn't get funny about it between purchase date and commencement. If that happened she would of course explain the situation, but given the ramifications of a cancelled policy if they get too trigger happy, it's not a situation I would want to be in.

XRS200

Trifolium said:

Unfortunately my father's health issues mean he won't be driving again, and in reality hasn't done for some time. He is the owner and registered keeper of my parents car, although my Mum is down as the main driver etc for insurance purposes. 

I can help them change the car into my Mum's name ( for ownership / registered keeper) but not sure if it's best to do this before / same date / after helping them renew the car insurance ( which won't included my Dad). Has anyone got any experience once that would help us work out the 'right' order?

Any real reason you need to change anything?  If he still has a licence he can be named to drive whether or not he does.

Remember she won't have any NCD, but the current insurers may transfer it.

Trifolium

XRS200 said:

Trifolium said:

Unfortunately my father's health issues mean he won't be driving again, and in reality hasn't done for some time. He is the owner and registered keeper of my parents car, although my Mum is down as the main driver etc for insurance purposes. 

I can help them change the car into my Mum's name ( for ownership / registered keeper) but not sure if it's best to do this before / same date / after helping them renew the car insurance ( which won't included my Dad). Has anyone got any experience once that would help us work out the 'right' order?

Any real reason you need to change anything?  If he still has a licence he can be named to drive whether or not he does.

Remember she won't have any NCD, but the current insurers may transfer it.

True, it is an option . More to ponder :-) 

paul_c123

There is a good reason to not change it at all. Insurers really aren't bothered if the registered keeper isn't the same as the owner or main driver, if its a spouse living at the same address. And adding a registered keeper will probably devalue the car. 

born_again

Kim_13 said:

born_again said:

Do it before renewal. 

Not that it will make any difference to cost.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

Presumably they are concerned as to what happens with the remainder of the current policy, given the policyholder would cease to be the registered keeper of the car. There is a risk that the current insurance would cease to be valid as soon as the transfer is made.

Informing the current insurers that you wish to cancel upon expiry and changing the keeper and taking out new insurance insurance on that day would be safest (bar several hours of the car being uninsured on the driveway between midnight and the changes being completed) but that will cost more as you need the insurance to start immediately.

You could try setting up a policy in advance on the basis that mum will be made the keeper on the commencement date and hope that the insurer doesn't get funny about it between purchase date and commencement. If that happened she would of course explain the situation, but given the ramifications of a cancelled policy if they get too trigger happy, it's not a situation I would want to be in.

They should be informing ins co of the fact that Father will not be driving & they should have surrendered licence in that situation on health grounds. 
If Father is on the policy. It is a material fact & change to the policy.

Arunmor

Age of your mother and father might make it prudent to drop your father (assuming he is older).

Bigphil1474

My OH has been on my car policy for 30 years but hasn't driven for about 20 years and hasn't renewed their photo licence either. Not an issue.
OP - the V5C just records the registered keeper, there is no official form that shows ownership so that's pretty much irrelevant for this issue. You can change registered keeper online but as above, it doesn't really matter for the purposes of a married couple at the same address. Personally, I'd just keep things as they are. Even if your dad is too ill to drive, he doesn't have to surrender his licence or be removed from the insurance, he just needs not to drive if he's too ill to do so. Plenty of people are too ill to drive temporarily but don't surrender their licence or cancel their insurance.
If you do want to change RK, I'd just do it online a couple of days before insurance renewal. If the insurers ask if the insured is the RK, you can tick Yes at that point.