Car Tax question

[DragsterRR]

Going to bullit point this for brevity.

I've just bought a car for the Mrs.
I work away from home in Northern Ireland.
I need to take the car home for her in a few days.
I don't want to insure it in my name as I'm only going to drive it the once (to get it home)
I'm happy to take out temporary daily cover.
Can I tax the car with temporary insurance in place? (It has a current MOT)
Is there a minimum term you need left on the insurance to tax it?

(NI is a pain in the arse as the DVLA website nor phone number can be used to tax it as the number is a 12 digit one not 11)

[bomma220]

When I recently bought a Corsa for my daughter I taxed that ok on a temporary (5 day IIRC) insurance from Aviva.

It would seem as long as there is cover on the car at the time you tax it there's no problem.

Hope this helps.

[Spangles]

Insurance isn't checked when taxing a car, only MOT.

[DragsterRR]

Spangles said:

Insurance isn't checked when taxing a car, only MOT.

It is in Northern Ireland.

[douglasb]

How do they check the insurance when taxing the car in NI?

I needed to move a car a few hundred miles a couple of years ago and used a day insurance policy. The certificate mentioned an exclusion that it could't be used for recovering an impounded vehicle, however when I took the policy out I received an email saying that the insurance policy would be put on the Motor Insurance Database so I would show as being insured on the car.

[herewego]

Can you get your wife to insure it with you as named driver. It may be no extra cost.

[DragsterRR]

douglasb said:

How do they check the insurance when taxing the car in NI?

I needed to move a car a few hundred miles a couple of years ago and used a day insurance policy. The certificate mentioned an exclusion that it could't be used for recovering an impounded vehicle, however when I took the policy out I received an email saying that the insurance policy would be put on the Motor Insurance Database so I would show as being insured on the car.

Have to take the certificate to the post office when you go get it.

[DragsterRR]

herewego said:

Can you get your wife to insure it with you as named driver. It may be no extra cost.

No cos she needs to stay insured on her car till I go home and I have to get this taxed as it has to live on the street til then

[randlemarcus]

DragsterRR said:

herewego said:

Can you get your wife to insure it with you as named driver. It may be no extra cost.

No cos she needs to stay insured on her car till I go home and I have to get this taxed as it has to live on the street til then

Are you not going to fall foul of the Continuous Insurance trap then? Or is this a really really short term problem, and she'll be insured when your day cover runs out?

[DragsterRR]

I'm taking it home in 10 days and thats when the mrs is going to change over her insurance.

[marshalla]

DragsterRR said:

I'm taking it home in 10 days and thats when the mrs is going to change over her insurance.

So, you're going to get 10 days' worth of insurance on it ?

Edited by marshalla on Friday 11th March 22:34

[TooMany2cvs]

Take out a normal policy, cancel in the 14 day period, and pay pro-rata...

[Roo]

Tempcover do upto 28 days but I don't know if they cover NI. Might be worth a try.

[bomma220]

TooMany2cvs said:

Take out a normal policy, cancel in the 14 day period, and pay pro-rata...

Wouldn't be able to take out a 'normal' policy, OP's already stated it's his wife's car & he doesn't want to become the registered owner. What 14 day period? Why would they make a pro-rata charge for the benefit of somebody who's clearly trying to pull a fast one? They don't.
Even when you take out a normal policy, the insurers will request payment of the annual premium in full or a deposit of around two months worth of the premium if you choose to pay by instalments.
An insurance policy is not something you can send back after a couple of weeks because you've changed your mind!

[bladebloke]

bomma220 said:

An insurance policy is not something you can send back after a couple of weeks because you've changed your mind!

Err, it is actually. A 14 day cooling off period is required by law. Not that I condone the suggestion that's being made!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Just do a substitution of vehicle on wife's policy to the new car, asking them to hold the old one on cover for 2 weeks pending sale. What's the issue here?

[bomma220]

bladebloke said:

bomma220 said:

An insurance policy is not something you can send back after a couple of weeks because you've changed your mind!

Err, it is actually. A 14 day cooling off period is required by law. Not that I condone the suggestion that's being made!

Yes you're quite right. I was trying to make the point that it's not a cost effective way of doing it as the insurers can still make heavy cancellation / admin charges. My apologies for not making my point clearer

[TooMany2cvs]

bomma220 said:

bladebloke said:

bomma220 said:

An insurance policy is not something you can send back after a couple of weeks because you've changed your mind!

Err, it is actually. A 14 day cooling off period is required by law. Not that I condone the suggestion that's being made!

Yes you're quite right. I was trying to make the point that it's not a cost effective way of doing it as the insurers can still make heavy cancellation / admin charges. My apologies for not making my point clearer

No, they can't. Not if you cancel in the 14-day period.

I recently cancelled one in that time - the only charge they made was for their time on-risk. A nearly £300 premium cost me about £7 for a week. Only once that 14-day period is over do contractual cancellation charges come into play, and they can be steep - but you know what they are before taking the policy out, of course.

[DragsterRR]

I got temporary insurance.
Managed to tax it at the post office.
All sorted.