Insuring a car when not the registered keeper
Discussion
Does anyoneo know if you can insure a car if you are NOT the registered keeper?
I currently share a car with the missus (policy in her name, I am a named driver), and I also have a policy in my name for a rarely used garage queen. If we buy the missus a shopping car, I would need to insure the shared car in my name short term (would transfer the garage queen policy)before I sell it and buy something a bit more "spirited" to drive.
I currently share a car with the missus (policy in her name, I am a named driver), and I also have a policy in my name for a rarely used garage queen. If we buy the missus a shopping car, I would need to insure the shared car in my name short term (would transfer the garage queen policy)before I sell it and buy something a bit more "spirited" to drive.
Generally speaking it's difficult to insure a vehicle you don't own. It comes down to the principle of insurable interest; in order to insure something you need to have so form of link, financial or custodial. In this case if your missus is your wife, there's no issue, ownership is counted the same with most insurers between you and spouse. If your just common law etc, the 'insurable interest' lines become a bit more blurred. You should still be able to insure it but fewer companies will quote (make sure you tell them the ownership issue) and whoever the registered keeper is will need to be named on the policy.
squareflops said:
Generally speaking it's difficult to insure a vehicle you don't own.
I've insured 2 cars with different insurers that were not owned by me with no problems and no questions asked. Why is it difficult?Oh and about your last bit, the registered owner is not listed on my policy...
It isn't THAT hard, as anyone with a lease car will tell you. LV= are good with this.
But many of the bigger direct insurers say that that the car must be owned and registered by your spouse, parter or civil partner. Few if any just say "spouse". That is more to do with risk selection than insurable interest problems.
Insurable interest is a fairly simple test. If the insured suffers a financial or pecuniary loss due to the damage or destruction of the insured object, and where the measure of indemnity provided is the loss suffered.
It is one of the few areas where we have legislation instead of common law. There was a time when you could effectively "bet" on a ship you didn't own, sinking, and then collect money when if it did. Quite legally, and a few hundred years ago. Various bits of gaming legislation put a stop to that.
So, by no means impossible to insure a car you are not the owner or RK of.
But many of the bigger direct insurers say that that the car must be owned and registered by your spouse, parter or civil partner. Few if any just say "spouse". That is more to do with risk selection than insurable interest problems.
Insurable interest is a fairly simple test. If the insured suffers a financial or pecuniary loss due to the damage or destruction of the insured object, and where the measure of indemnity provided is the loss suffered.
It is one of the few areas where we have legislation instead of common law. There was a time when you could effectively "bet" on a ship you didn't own, sinking, and then collect money when if it did. Quite legally, and a few hundred years ago. Various bits of gaming legislation put a stop to that.
So, by no means impossible to insure a car you are not the owner or RK of.
My better half so many problems i.e impossible trying to insure a ford focus that's regsitered in my name (same address - didn't see the point of adding another 'registered keeper' to the list) in the end we sent off the change of owner form to the DVLA and he insured it as normal then.
I'd just add the extra complication of the main driver into the equation.
In my experience whenever the insured person is not the same individual as the owner / registered keeper and / or the main driver, the latter especially, then the number of insurance companies who will provide a quote significantly reduces. Yes it is possible to obtain a quote, but the number of options definitely reduces.
Therefore it seems sense to me, in order to give yourself the best chance of obtaining insurance at a competitive rate without further complications then it's a good idea to arrange things to keep things as simple as possible from the insurance companies' perspective.
Yes I know I know, but most of the people you will deal with are either box tickers or have limited discretion / authority to move outside a fairly closely defined set of rules.
My take on it fwiw.
In my experience whenever the insured person is not the same individual as the owner / registered keeper and / or the main driver, the latter especially, then the number of insurance companies who will provide a quote significantly reduces. Yes it is possible to obtain a quote, but the number of options definitely reduces.
Therefore it seems sense to me, in order to give yourself the best chance of obtaining insurance at a competitive rate without further complications then it's a good idea to arrange things to keep things as simple as possible from the insurance companies' perspective.
Yes I know I know, but most of the people you will deal with are either box tickers or have limited discretion / authority to move outside a fairly closely defined set of rules.
My take on it fwiw.
Incase anyone gets a similar requirement (or finds this via the search facility) my solution was:
I kept my policy running as is, and we got a third policy on the car we want to sell in my girlfriend's name (me as named driver). We got a discount based on her no claims period (which is in use on her other policy) and took it out on a monthly payment plan (worked out equivalent of about £350 per annum).
I can then cancel the above when ready and I have not had to add another owner to the log book.
I kept my policy running as is, and we got a third policy on the car we want to sell in my girlfriend's name (me as named driver). We got a discount based on her no claims period (which is in use on her other policy) and took it out on a monthly payment plan (worked out equivalent of about £350 per annum).
I can then cancel the above when ready and I have not had to add another owner to the log book.
Thread resurection
all you need to do is tell them MOST should be okay with it I do it for my son and daughter who are gifted cars from people but just usually leave them in the previous owners name (family members)
never been any problems for us
daughters using diamond at present and no issues
all you need to do is tell them MOST should be okay with it I do it for my son and daughter who are gifted cars from people but just usually leave them in the previous owners name (family members)
never been any problems for us
daughters using diamond at present and no issues
hatchn said:
... they are not the registered owner ...
That's Registered Keeper - ownership is not registered.As said above, the RK need not be the owner and the owner may not be the RK.
The RK may have an insurable interest in the vehicle in part or in whole, in which instance, there should be no bar to them insuring it for the amount of their potential loss.
It can be a different water-boiler of Pisces if the cover needed is that required under the RTA ... when many 'box-ticking, by rote' insurers have an expectation that the insured will be the RK for the/a vehicle.
Streaky
Insurable interest is probably a dead concept nowadays.
The insured must = Rk and owner restrictions (by no means universal) are more to do with the practical problems of handling claims when they are not. Specific situations such as partner, lease, hire etc are easier to sort whereas "it is my mate's" are less clear.
It is certainly possible.
The gifted car to family member is on of those situations, as there are unlikely to be too many arguments about who gets paid.
Interestingly, initiatives such as "know the customer" make it very difficult to gift a car AND insurance as a surprise present.
The insured must = Rk and owner restrictions (by no means universal) are more to do with the practical problems of handling claims when they are not. Specific situations such as partner, lease, hire etc are easier to sort whereas "it is my mate's" are less clear.
It is certainly possible.
The gifted car to family member is on of those situations, as there are unlikely to be too many arguments about who gets paid.
Interestingly, initiatives such as "know the customer" make it very difficult to gift a car AND insurance as a surprise present.
Edited by Noger on Sunday 20th March 06:37
You get this with bereavements too
the RK dies but the partner still looks afer the car until it's sold so should in theory become the RK meantime but the partner cant drive and doesnt have a licence
Meanwhile one of the sons or daughters takes the partner out to the shops from time to time to keep it going
So the partner takes out named driver insurance on a car for a deceased RK.
Then comes the accusation of fronting.
the RK dies but the partner still looks afer the car until it's sold so should in theory become the RK meantime but the partner cant drive and doesnt have a licence
Meanwhile one of the sons or daughters takes the partner out to the shops from time to time to keep it going
So the partner takes out named driver insurance on a car for a deceased RK.
Then comes the accusation of fronting.
This section from Swiftcovers website confirms that this is ok for spouses, partners only if you insure with them?
What we can't cover
We do not insure certain types of vehicle
By accepting this insurance you confirm that none of the following applies to the vehicle you are insuring:
1. It has been previously written-off or scrapped (including where the vehicle log book identifies that the car has been previously damaged or repaired or an HPI database check identifies the vehicle as Category A, B, C or D write off).
2. The policyholder or their spouse, civil partner, partner, parent or child is not the registered keeper and legal owner.
Flipping double negatives!!
What we can't cover
We do not insure certain types of vehicle
By accepting this insurance you confirm that none of the following applies to the vehicle you are insuring:
1. It has been previously written-off or scrapped (including where the vehicle log book identifies that the car has been previously damaged or repaired or an HPI database check identifies the vehicle as Category A, B, C or D write off).
2. The policyholder or their spouse, civil partner, partner, parent or child is not the registered keeper and legal owner.
Flipping double negatives!!
Edited by Shotgun Rider on Sunday 27th March 12:30
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