Lend family member a car...
Discussion
Pondering letting a family member borrow one of my cars.
It is currently insured for myself and my OH, but how would I get on adding this person for about 4 months or should I ask them to insure it themselves? I don't want to end up "fronting" for this person or loosing my own NCD. So I guess he would need his own insurance?
It is only while he gets back on his feet and sorts himself out so will still be in my ownership and coming back to me after these 4 months.
So is it just insurance I need him to check or is there anything else I am forgetting about?
It is currently insured for myself and my OH, but how would I get on adding this person for about 4 months or should I ask them to insure it themselves? I don't want to end up "fronting" for this person or loosing my own NCD. So I guess he would need his own insurance?
It is only while he gets back on his feet and sorts himself out so will still be in my ownership and coming back to me after these 4 months.
So is it just insurance I need him to check or is there anything else I am forgetting about?
If you explain the situation to your insurer, they may be able to provide cover under the circumstances you describe, all above board and correct.
On the other hand, they may not, in which case he's going to have to sort his own insurance out, which is going to be a pain in the arse.
On the other hand, they may not, in which case he's going to have to sort his own insurance out, which is going to be a pain in the arse.
Hi guys will contact insurance in the morning.
Jas I would hope he knows the limits of his use of the car but I appreciate what you are saying. Will just sketch down some guidelines for him. Who after all hopefully won't pull a fast one as he is my dad, but money does funny stuff to people.
I will have access to use it the car as and when I need to as it was bought for weekend things so they come first and his need of it is second. He won't be paying for it just a gratis gesture to help him out.
Hope that clarifies?
Jas I would hope he knows the limits of his use of the car but I appreciate what you are saying. Will just sketch down some guidelines for him. Who after all hopefully won't pull a fast one as he is my dad, but money does funny stuff to people.
I will have access to use it the car as and when I need to as it was bought for weekend things so they come first and his need of it is second. He won't be paying for it just a gratis gesture to help him out.
Hope that clarifies?
A few weeks ago my sister's car was off the road for 10 days, so I offered her the use of one of mine. The best way of keeping everything legal was to add her as a named driver to my policy. The car is worth about £3k, so not an enormous amount as cars go, but it cost me about £50 to put her on the insurance (fully comp) for 11 days. This was with Admiral, the car was a Mercedes C180. I rang Adrian Flux to see if they'd add her to my £350 MX-5, they said the only option was to insure her on her own policy for a year and pay £1100 
another reason not to bother with Flux.
I've heard of insurance companies offering a "break" in insurance so that someone can borrow the car for longer than a few weeks - alternatively, since in a 12 month policy period you'd still be the main driver, they may well add your father as a named driver and charge you the going rate for adding him. I'm happy to be corrected by any of our resident insurance experts.
Alternatively, does your old man have a policy on another car? May be worth checking if he has the "drive other cars" extension (which, if he's old enough to be a father to a child of driving age, he most probably does), as in that case he'd be fine to drive your car with third-party cover.
HTH
another reason not to bother with Flux. I've heard of insurance companies offering a "break" in insurance so that someone can borrow the car for longer than a few weeks - alternatively, since in a 12 month policy period you'd still be the main driver, they may well add your father as a named driver and charge you the going rate for adding him. I'm happy to be corrected by any of our resident insurance experts.
Alternatively, does your old man have a policy on another car? May be worth checking if he has the "drive other cars" extension (which, if he's old enough to be a father to a child of driving age, he most probably does), as in that case he'd be fine to drive your car with third-party cover.
HTH
sebhaque said:
The car is worth about £3k, so not an enormous amount as cars go, but it cost me about £50 to put her on the insurance (fully comp) for 11 days. This was with Admiral, the car was a Mercedes C180. I rang Adrian Flux to see if they'd add her to my £350 MX-5, they said the only option was to insure her on her own policy for a year and pay £1100 another reason not to bother with Flux.
When will people understand that the value of the car means so very little to insurance. It's about risk and damage to others. another reason not to bother with Flux. Vaud said:
When will people understand that the value of the car means so very little to insurance. It's about risk and damage to others.
Ive recently found this out 
minor collision in 2012 (i was stationary) yet found at fault and my insurance was hit with a £15,000 claim for 'whiplash'sebhaque said:
Alternatively, does your old man have a policy on another car? May be worth checking if he has the "drive other cars" extension (which, if he's old enough to be a father to a child of driving age, he most probably does), as in that case he'd be fine to drive your car with third-party cover.
HTH
This would be a major problem if he manage to crash it as there would be no payout. HTH
I would suggest he gets his own short term cover as then if he is in an accident then your own policy will not suffer.
The only option is for him to insure it properly.
Then you must print out some sort of disclaimer saying he is responsible for insuring it,minor damage,parking tickets,etc etc,then get him to sign it and give him a copy.
I`ve done this and it came in very handy when I,being the registered keeper,got parking tickets,speed camera photo,even plod knocking on the door.
Just a small favour to a friend can lead to a massive problem.
Then you must print out some sort of disclaimer saying he is responsible for insuring it,minor damage,parking tickets,etc etc,then get him to sign it and give him a copy.
I`ve done this and it came in very handy when I,being the registered keeper,got parking tickets,speed camera photo,even plod knocking on the door.
Just a small favour to a friend can lead to a massive problem.
REALIST123 said:
VFK44 said:
My current policy specifically says that the "drive other cars" extension does not cover cars owned by "certain family members", so it would be worth checking the wording.
Who is that woth, I've not seen that before? How is 'certain family members' defined?
Flux seem to be particularly inflexible in this circumstance, My BMW was off the road and I bought a Saxo to keep me motoring, would flux add it as a second car? Would they f
k. Options were to change the policyholder vehicle at £25 a shot both ways or another policy for a few hundred quid. Jasandjules said:
I regret to advise that I would suggest you put something in writing about the use of the vehicle and when it ceases etc and what he is responsible for. I assume during these four months you won't have access or use of it?
OP, I saw your response to Jas but I agree, do be careful with this aspect. Many years ago, in a former life, I lent a car to a sister in law. The car was basically ready for sale, not very old and in VGC. She'd pranged hers and the request to lend came from her father, my then FiL. She basically kept it for months rather than go and find a new car herself, and when it came back it was in sh¦t order, filthy, things broken, just a complete mess. Took her to task over it at which point the FiL waded in and, long story short, it caused a family rift, not least between the FiL and my wife/his daughter, which was never really healed right up until when he died.I also lent a car to my brother, who used it for far more than he had asked to do and comprehensively fked that one as well. Again I complained, but whilst he apologised, he never offered a bean towards it. I had to sell it as-was in the end, lost a packet and received zip in compo.
The internet warriors on here will tell you that you can beat and/or sue the crap out of anyone who doesn't return your goods in proper order, and that I should have, but real life's not always like that.
TL:DR? Lent cars for a while twice, got shafted both times, won't do it again.
Vaud said:
CAPP0 said:
TL:DR? Lent cars for a while twice, got shafted both times, won't do it again.
Don't do business with family or friends.Want to help... gift money, rather than loan. Buy a snotter and help with the insurance...
Kaelic said:
Hi guys will contact insurance in the morning.
Jas I would hope he knows the limits of his use of the car but I appreciate what you are saying. Will just sketch down some guidelines for him. Who after all hopefully won't pull a fast one as he is my dad, but money does funny stuff to people.
Hope has never been a successful risk mitigation technique.Jas I would hope he knows the limits of his use of the car but I appreciate what you are saying. Will just sketch down some guidelines for him. Who after all hopefully won't pull a fast one as he is my dad, but money does funny stuff to people.
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