Insurance for Test Drives
Discussion
Has anyone ever test driven a private-sale car whilst they were not the current owner of another car. Yes? How'd you get insurance cover?
I sold my old car a couple of weeks ago, days before the insurance was due to lapse. I'm currently driving the wife's car - I'm a named driver on her insurance. In a couple of weeks I'll want to start test-driving a replacement car. But I can't work out how to ensure I'm insured. (Sorry - bad pun.
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The normal '3rd-party any-car' cover that many (all?) policies have only applies to the policy holder. So my wife can test drive any car (with 3rd-party cover) but I, as a named driver, cannot. (I've checked.)
I called my normal broker to see if they can arrange some form of temporary 'any car test drive'-type cover. But they can't. They claim no such cover exists, because (a) I could test drive a Mini one day and a Rolls the next (unlikely!) and (b) the existing owner would be insured for the car and two people can't be insured for the same loss. (That second argument sounds like complete rubbish to me).
So - how do I get insurance to test drive a private-sale car?
(Motor traders will all have 'any driver' insurance, apparently.)
Ian.
I sold my old car a couple of weeks ago, days before the insurance was due to lapse. I'm currently driving the wife's car - I'm a named driver on her insurance. In a couple of weeks I'll want to start test-driving a replacement car. But I can't work out how to ensure I'm insured. (Sorry - bad pun.
) The normal '3rd-party any-car' cover that many (all?) policies have only applies to the policy holder. So my wife can test drive any car (with 3rd-party cover) but I, as a named driver, cannot. (I've checked.)
I called my normal broker to see if they can arrange some form of temporary 'any car test drive'-type cover. But they can't. They claim no such cover exists, because (a) I could test drive a Mini one day and a Rolls the next (unlikely!) and (b) the existing owner would be insured for the car and two people can't be insured for the same loss. (That second argument sounds like complete rubbish to me).
So - how do I get insurance to test drive a private-sale car?
(Motor traders will all have 'any driver' insurance, apparently.) Ian.
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(b) the existing owner would be insured for the car and two people can't be insured for the same loss. (That second argument sounds like complete rubbish to me).
He's probably trying to fob you off cos he can't be arsed. Lots of people have full cover on a cars belonging to other people. Mechanics etc.
The insurance Co are right. You cannot have two policies covering the same vehicle.
The reason you can drive any vehicle on your own policy at third party risk is that it means just that. It does not cover the car being driven as a policy is already in force on it.
It merely covers everybody elses risk should you get it wrong.
As far as I can see it, if you have no policy of your own that will cover you third party minimum risk, the only way that you could get around it is to get the seller to put you on his Insurance as a named driver for that day.
The reason you can drive any vehicle on your own policy at third party risk is that it means just that. It does not cover the car being driven as a policy is already in force on it.
It merely covers everybody elses risk should you get it wrong.
As far as I can see it, if you have no policy of your own that will cover you third party minimum risk, the only way that you could get around it is to get the seller to put you on his Insurance as a named driver for that day.
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The reason you can drive any vehicle on your own policy at third party risk is that it means just that. It does not cover the car being driven as a policy is already in force on it.
Does that mean that I could should be able to buy third-party only cover for any car?
I'll have a hunt around. quote:
the only way that you could get around it is to get the seller to put you on his Insurance as a named driver for that day.
Hmmm - can't see that happening somehow!
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Or buy a piece of crap from an auction and insure that for yourself.
Bizzare. There's gotta be another way! I have to buy heap of cr*p, transfer it into my name, insure it (for a few weeks) and then flog it again. Just so I can test drive another car?
Maybe I'll just get the wife to do the test drive and tell me what the car's like. (And no, I'm not joking!)
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Does that mean that I could should be able to buy third-party only cover for any car?
I dont think you can do this because in effect you would be asking for cover on nothing until it appears.
Therefore the underwriters cannot establish what sort of risk it would be (not to the car itself but to others on the road)
You cannot have a risk against nothing so therefore you can't have third party cover without a specific vehicle to cover.
This probably contradicts itself as the insurers would cover you on third party for your own heap type car and still cover you to drive a Maclaren F1 at the same risk
but they need a specific risk to establish the initial premium. quote:
Maybe I'll just get the wife to do the test drive and tell me what the car's like. (And no, I'm not joking!)
Oh dear! Would she get you to test drive a new washing machine if she were unable to do it?
(She may be a very good driver.)
(Are you a good house husband?)
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If you insured a ficticious (sp?) wreck, I suppose that would count as fraud?
It would be fraudulent but you would have to furnish details of a registration number and I believe that insurers have the ability to check the existence of these things.
Anyone can check a vehicle index plate by paying a small fee to DVLA and you get the registered keeper details.
I think insurers do this via computer links
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Seriously? I thought you had to have some good reason, eg be a car dealer or an insurance company. What about the data protection act?
As far as I am aware:-
All you have to do is phone them and ask for the relevant form. Once you have payed your money, anyone can have the result of the check.
Its no different from access on the net to voters registers to find out where someone lives.
none of this contravenes data protection if it is done legally and this is legal.
>> Edited by madcop on Wednesday 12th June 11:57
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Official line is that the seller should arrange any driver cover for the period he's selling the vehicle
Aha! So all this nonsense is the seller's problem! Great!
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but most cant be arsed and even if they say they have probably havnt
Not so great.
I just spoke to the Mrs (who was amused by the washing machine comparison, Madcop) and she came up with a decent idea. We could change the insurance for her car such that I am the policy holder and she's the named driver. But (there's always a 'but') I'm pretty sure insurance companies need the policy holder to be the registered keeper. So she'd have to 'sell' her car to me and send off the V5 to get my name on it. Grrrr.
I think I've decided that all this is too much hassle anyway. I'm gonna be getting the new car professionally inspected (where it'll get a test drive) so I guess I'll have to rely upon that, the wife's test drive, and me just being a passenger listening (not feeling) for problems. Or I could just buy from a dealer.
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I'm pretty sure insurance companies need the policy holder to be the registered keeper.
Not necessarily true. My girlfriend is the registered keeper of her Z3, and I am the policy holder for that car with her as a named driver. (Reason for this is that I have a lease car, and if you do not hold an insurance policy (on a certain car, excluding lease/hire cars) for 2 years, then your NCB is lost.)
FYI: I am insured with Admiral, but a lot of insurance companies won't insure you if you are not the registered owner of the vehicle - maybe they just can't be arsed with it all...?
Hope this all makes sense.
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...and she came up with a decent idea. We could change the insurance for her car such that I am the policy holder and she's the named driver. But (there's always a 'but') I'm pretty sure insurance companies need the policy holder to be the registered keeper. So she'd have to 'sell' her car to me and send off the V5 to get my name on it. Grrrr.
Two years ago I had a problem with insurance where I could get it much cheaper than my wife could for her car. Her car is registered to her but the insurance company allowed me to be the policy holder providing that she transferred her no claims bonus in writing to me. She is now a named driver although technically she owns it. also she is the main user of the car which the insurers were happy with. No other restrictions apply
I now have two differnt policies on two diferent cars but she is the registered keeper of hers.
The registered keeper is not necessarily the owner.
It is users responsibility to have the vehicle covered and the owner may be liable under certain circumstances if something goes wrong. i.e they have allowed the use with or without knowledge of the facts
No insurance is an absolute offence. You either have it or you dont!!
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Anyone can check a vehicle index plate by paying a small fee to DVLA and you get the registered keeper details.
Seriously? I thought you had to have some good reason, eg be a car dealer or an insurance company. What about the data protection act?
When DVLC became DVLA they wanted to boost income so altered their data protection registration to allow disclosure. They will provide current details or history for a fee. It was their way providing a service to wheel clampers and cowboy parking outfits which impose civil penalties.
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