Insured for driving other vehicles, but not 'older' cars?
Discussion
Our insurance allows us to drive other vehicles with the owner's permission, but the car must be less than 13 years old. Any idea why they would have this age limit?
We've asked if we need to pay extra to be able to drive such a car, but can't understand why this restriction would be in place.
We've asked if we need to pay extra to be able to drive such a car, but can't understand why this restriction would be in place.
ScotHill said:
Our insurance allows us to drive other vehicles with the owner's permission, but the car must be less than 13 years old. Any idea why they would have this age limit?
We've asked if we need to pay extra to be able to drive such a car, but can't understand why this restriction would be in place.
perhaps that particular insurer has calculated that cars over 13 years old are 'less safe' and perhaps claims tend to cost more where cars are 13 years or older. Something along those linesWe've asked if we need to pay extra to be able to drive such a car, but can't understand why this restriction would be in place.
they dont like insuring old vehicles (especially worthless ones) full stop. I changed from a Boxster S to a crapy Mondeo fill in car and the insurance went up £180 for the year (mid term change). the next year it dropped down to next to nothing, i suspect its connected to cash for crash somehow, "Opps ive accidently crashed my 2002 Mondeo with all my mates in, into a 1999 Astra also with 5 occupants and now everyones necks hurt a bit !"
ScotHill said:
Our insurance allows us to drive other vehicles with the owner's permission, but the car must be less than 13 years old. Any idea why they would have this age limit?
Can you post up a copy of the certificate with relevant wording, with your name and other key details obscured obviously.Here's the text from their help pages:
https://help.quotemehappy.com/car-insurance/my-cov...
Although interestingly our insurance policy document doesn't contain that age criteria, I thought it did....
Driving other cars
We will insure you whilst you are driving any other car within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man providing:
1. The car does not belong to you or is not hired to you under a hire purchase agreement.
2. You are driving the car with the owner’s express consent.
3. You still have your car and it has not been damaged beyond cost effective repair.
4. You are aged 25 or above, at inception or last renewal of this policy.
5. Your certificate of motor insurance indicates that you can drive such a vehicle.
Important Note: the cover provided whilst you are driving any other car is for Third Party only
edit: and the insurance certificate itself is even more vague:
Under the terms of Section 2 of the policy - Your Liability - you, subject to the owner's express consent, may also drive a motor car which does not belong to you; is not a rental car; is not hired to you under a hire purchase or leasing agreement.
https://help.quotemehappy.com/car-insurance/my-cov...
Although interestingly our insurance policy document doesn't contain that age criteria, I thought it did....
Driving other cars
We will insure you whilst you are driving any other car within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man providing:
1. The car does not belong to you or is not hired to you under a hire purchase agreement.
2. You are driving the car with the owner’s express consent.
3. You still have your car and it has not been damaged beyond cost effective repair.
4. You are aged 25 or above, at inception or last renewal of this policy.
5. Your certificate of motor insurance indicates that you can drive such a vehicle.
Important Note: the cover provided whilst you are driving any other car is for Third Party only
edit: and the insurance certificate itself is even more vague:
Under the terms of Section 2 of the policy - Your Liability - you, subject to the owner's express consent, may also drive a motor car which does not belong to you; is not a rental car; is not hired to you under a hire purchase or leasing agreement.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 14th May 21:17
ScotHill said:
Although interestingly our insurance policy document doesn't contain that age criteria, I thought it did....
Driving other cars
We will insure you whilst you are driving any other car within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man providing:
1. The car does not belong to you or is not hired to you under a hire purchase agreement.
2. You are driving the car with the owner’s express consent.
3. You still have your car and it has not been damaged beyond cost effective repair.
4. You are aged 25 or above, at inception or last renewal of this policy.
5. Your certificate of motor insurance indicates that you can drive such a vehicle.
Important Note: the cover provided whilst you are driving any other car is for Third Party only
edit: and the insurance certificate itself is even more vague:
Under the terms of Section 2 of the policy - Your Liability - you, subject to the owner's express consent, may also drive a motor car which does not belong to you; is not a rental car; is not hired to you under a hire purchase or leasing agreement.
Your policy is the basis of your contract, not their website.Driving other cars
We will insure you whilst you are driving any other car within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man providing:
1. The car does not belong to you or is not hired to you under a hire purchase agreement.
2. You are driving the car with the owner’s express consent.
3. You still have your car and it has not been damaged beyond cost effective repair.
4. You are aged 25 or above, at inception or last renewal of this policy.
5. Your certificate of motor insurance indicates that you can drive such a vehicle.
Important Note: the cover provided whilst you are driving any other car is for Third Party only
edit: and the insurance certificate itself is even more vague:
Under the terms of Section 2 of the policy - Your Liability - you, subject to the owner's express consent, may also drive a motor car which does not belong to you; is not a rental car; is not hired to you under a hire purchase or leasing agreement.
Edited by ScotHill on Monday 14th May 21:17
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Your policy is the basis of your contract, not their website.
Assuming that the contract is sufficiently clear and flags important information properly, not burying important terms in small print. Statements made on the website a contract is bought from on a consumer sale could well be considered binding.Where I live insurance is tabular, i.e it dependent on only two things, Cc and value, no account of driver age or turbos etc and premiums are set by law. The local market will only insure cars over 10 years old, third party, (no fire no theft, essentially what was known in the UK as Act Only), this is definitely to avoid claims from people who can't sell their old rust bucket.
Sounds great, unless you have something special. I have a mate who runs a classic car business, he has set up a policy through a Japanese company that does the 'Act only' portion locally, to comply with law, but then does agreed fully comprehensive on the international market. Not stupid prices my Lots Carlton agreed value 40K is around 300 pounds a year with no claims discount.
What I find interesting is that they have over 500 cars on the policy, and have only ever had two claims in 6 year (both from my wife in here Porsche, but that another very long story).
In terms of profit to turnover it is the most profitable business segment that the insure has world wide, and from have trouble getting the company to take the cover, he now gets lunch invites from the Japanese CEO when he is in town.
Accepting that this is a highly selective market, i.e if my mate doesn't like you or your car you don't get a quote, so no 20 year old rust buckets, it would suggest that a general bar on insuring older cars is not a wise business decision.
Sounds great, unless you have something special. I have a mate who runs a classic car business, he has set up a policy through a Japanese company that does the 'Act only' portion locally, to comply with law, but then does agreed fully comprehensive on the international market. Not stupid prices my Lots Carlton agreed value 40K is around 300 pounds a year with no claims discount.
What I find interesting is that they have over 500 cars on the policy, and have only ever had two claims in 6 year (both from my wife in here Porsche, but that another very long story).
In terms of profit to turnover it is the most profitable business segment that the insure has world wide, and from have trouble getting the company to take the cover, he now gets lunch invites from the Japanese CEO when he is in town.
Accepting that this is a highly selective market, i.e if my mate doesn't like you or your car you don't get a quote, so no 20 year old rust buckets, it would suggest that a general bar on insuring older cars is not a wise business decision.
Coincidentally, I'm getting car insurance renewal quotes today and I'm leaving QuoteMeHappy for exactly this reason.
My brother-in-law has an old MX5 and there have been a couple of instances over the last year when it would have been convenient to have been insured to drive it. Luckily, I checked the fine details of the policy as the headline "you are insured to drive other cars" wasn't the full story.
LV= has no such restrictions. I'm still checking other insurers.
My brother-in-law has an old MX5 and there have been a couple of instances over the last year when it would have been convenient to have been insured to drive it. Luckily, I checked the fine details of the policy as the headline "you are insured to drive other cars" wasn't the full story.
LV= has no such restrictions. I'm still checking other insurers.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Your policy is the basis of your contract, not their website.
What the OP needs to be really careful of, if this is a real issue for him, is that Aviva doesn't quietly change the policy wording one year.This happened when the Government pressed insurers to take DOC off policies some years ago. People who hadn't realised it was gone were getting caught out and most insurers put it back again, although generally limited to over-25's.
Sheepshanks said:
What the OP needs to be really careful of, if this is a real issue for him, is that Aviva doesn't quietly change the policy wording one year.
This happened when the Government pressed insurers to take DOC off policies some years ago. People who hadn't realised it was gone were getting caught out and most insurers put it back again, although generally limited to over-25's.
Doc cover is expressed on the certificate.This happened when the Government pressed insurers to take DOC off policies some years ago. People who hadn't realised it was gone were getting caught out and most insurers put it back again, although generally limited to over-25's.
It's difficult to miss.
desolate said:
Sheepshanks said:
What proportion of policy holders do you reckon would even look at Certificate on a renewal? I reckon it'd be pretty low.
MaybeThe point is DOC is not small print and it's not hidden.
It's easy for someone with the slightest interest to find out what the cover is.
I always check mine and I ensure I have DOC, (not because I use it regularly but "just in case") but I bet lots of people don't check.
Just to be clear, with QuoteMeHappy:
the insurance certificate doesn't mention driving other cars
the policy summary doesn't mention driving other cars
the 32 page insurance policy document does mention driving other cars, and page 12 of that document details the restrictions (but doesn't mention vehicle age or value)
go to QuoteMeHappy's FAQs and type in "Can I drive other cars?" and it then introduces the following restrictions: "The vehicle is under 13 years old, worth £70,000 or less and doesn't have significant modifications unless they were fitted from new and declared in the car's value, or were not made because of a disability."
I'd have sympathy with someone who read the insurance policy document to check they were covered, but hadn't also looked at the FAQs.
the insurance certificate doesn't mention driving other cars
the policy summary doesn't mention driving other cars
the 32 page insurance policy document does mention driving other cars, and page 12 of that document details the restrictions (but doesn't mention vehicle age or value)
go to QuoteMeHappy's FAQs and type in "Can I drive other cars?" and it then introduces the following restrictions: "The vehicle is under 13 years old, worth £70,000 or less and doesn't have significant modifications unless they were fitted from new and declared in the car's value, or were not made because of a disability."
I'd have sympathy with someone who read the insurance policy document to check they were covered, but hadn't also looked at the FAQs.
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