Insurance, tax and V5 on my mums car who has just died

[Steve vRS]

My mum died recently and had a small car with her name on the V5, taxed in her name and insured in her name with my dad as a named driver.

Can my dad continue to drive it while he sorts out the change of ownership, insurance etc?

[littleredrooster]

Yes - phone the insurance company, they are used to dealing with exactly this.

[Ussrcossack]

Mute point has it an mot

[Pica-Pica]

Ussrcossack said:

Mute point has it an mot

‘Moot’ point.
(a moot is a court or assembly for discussing hypothetical case of law, especially when lawyers are under training)

In answer to the question, yes he can continue to drive the car, while you sort the rest out.

[Steve vRS]

Ussrcossack said:

Mute point has it an mot

Yes.

[d_a_n1979]

Steve vRS said:

My mum died recently and had a small car with her name on the V5, taxed in her name and insured in her name with my dad as a named driver.

Can my dad continue to drive it while he sorts out the change of ownership, insurance etc?

Sorry to hear of your loss...

As others have said, yes he can. Speak to the insurance company and they'll provide guidance

[Ussrcossack]

Pica-Pica said:

‘Moot’ point.
(a moot is a court or assembly for discussing hypothetical case of law, especially when lawyers are under training)

In answer to the question, yes he can continue to drive the car, while you sort the rest out.

Thank you for your Input or is it you're input.

There there their😂

[Aluminati]

Ussrcossack said:

Pica-Pica said:

‘Moot’ point.
(a moot is a court or assembly for discussing hypothetical case of law, especially when lawyers are under training)

In answer to the question, yes he can continue to drive the car, while you sort the rest out.

Thank you for your Input or is it you're input.

There there their??

[Pica-Pica]

Ussrcossack said:

Pica-Pica said:

‘Moot’ point.
(a moot is a court or assembly for discussing hypothetical case of law, especially when lawyers are under training)

In answer to the question, yes he can continue to drive the car, while you sort the rest out.

Thank you for your Input or is it you're input.

There there their??

You are ? and the Mysterians. Only 93 tears to go. Or perhaps tiers.

[Paulsd]

First of all, sorry for your loss.

I sorted this out for my MIL after my FIL passed away.

The insurance was already in her name so didn’t need to do that bit.

You probably already know this but there’s an official process for keeper change…

https://www.gov.uk/tell-dvla-about-bereavement/kee...

it’s important to follow this rather than just do the online change of keeper as they’ll refund unused vehicle tax to the original keeper.

[InitialDave]

Sorry to hear that OP. I've had to do this in the past, and the DVLA were very easy to deal with for it, hopefully that's still the case.

[KAgantua]

ask for the bereavement department.

Usually a dedicated team who are quick and get things done

[Steve vRS]

All sorted now, thanks for everyone’s help and grammar lessons.

The insurance company told my dad he was ok to drive as long as the car was taxed which we did this morning in his name. V5 sent off to the DVLA and awaiting a call back from the insurance bereavement team to make the necessary changes.

This was really bothering my dad. Part of the grieving process. He just wanted things to be right.

[BertBert]

Ussrcossack said:

There they're their??

Now the issues is sorted am I allowed to make the above correction?

[loskie]

When my dad died I called DVLA and spoke to bereavement team for my mother. The keepership of the car was transferred to mum without an additional keeper on the V5 or loss of tax. This was 5 yrs ago pre covid but they were very helpful.

Insurance (co op I think) equally were very helpful.

we didn't bother with the car not having an MOT. That was fine.

[TechBod]

I'm afraid the advice to carry on driving is wrong!

As a recently retired Traffic Cop, I have actually dealt with a few of these in my carreer.

If the policy holder, in this case the wife, has passed away, then the insurance policy becomes invalid. Sadly a fact. Most insurance companies will issue a identical policy for the named driver, usually at no extra cost, on hearing that the policy holder has passed away.

'You cannot be a named driver on an insurance policy for a driver that doesn't exist'. Excuse the harshness of that comment, but that was the words of Aviva when asked this very question.

Get in touch with the insurance company straight away and either make them aware of the situation and have the named driver changed to the policy holder, or insure it for him yourself and add him as a named driver, but only if he only drives the vehicle occasionaly.

The last thing he needs at this sad time is 6 points and a fine for no insurance at this sad time. And he is more likely to be involved in an accident at this time due to the effects grieving has on people; distractions, mind not on the ball etc.


Sorry for your loss, but don't get caught out. The insurance company will wriggle out of any claims made should the policy holder be deceased.

[BertBert]

TechBod said:

I'm afraid the advice to carry on driving is wrong!

As a recently retired Traffic Cop, I have actually dealt with a few of these in my carreer.

If the policy holder, in this case the wife, has passed away, then the insurance policy becomes invalid. Sadly a fact. Most insurance companies will issue a identical policy for the named driver, usually at no extra cost, on hearing that the policy holder has passed away.

'You cannot be a named driver on an insurance policy for a driver that doesn't exist'. Excuse the harshness of that comment, but that was the words of Aviva when asked this very question.

Get in touch with the insurance company straight away and either make them aware of the situation and have the named driver changed to the policy holder, or insure it for him yourself and add him as a named driver, but only if he only drives the vehicle occasionaly.

The last thing he needs at this sad time is 6 points and a fine for no insurance at this sad time. And he is more likely to be involved in an accident at this time due to the effects grieving has on people; distractions, mind not on the ball etc.

Sorry for your loss, but don't get caught out. The insurance company will wriggle out of any claims made should the policy holder be deceased.

If you look up the way in the thread a bit, you'll see that's what has happened.

[Steve vRS]

BertBert said:

If you look up the way in the thread a bit, you'll see that's what has happened.

And what we did.

However the advice above does make sense, as harsh as it may be.

[BertBert]

Steve vRS said:

And what we did.

However the advice above does make sense, as harsh as it may be.

Although in true PH style, I am not convinced it's completely true. If you are out and about as named driver, does the car become instantly uninsured if the policyholder passes away suddenly? I would be quite surprised if that were the case.

[bmwmike]

Sorry for your loss OP. Most companies have a dedicated bereavement line and are usually pretty helpful. Except Disney, who were utter see-you-next-tuesdays.