Car Insurance - do I need it?

[rfisher]

So, can I own 2 cars.

Have insurance for 1.

Allow someone, who doesn't own either of my cars, to drive the 1 without an insurance policy using their insurance policy for their own car?

Or not.

[minimatt1967]

No.

[Murdoc]

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

[minimatt1967]

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

Unless they happen to be blessed with a Trade policy.

[crofty1984]

Agree with these guys. For your friend to drive another car not owned by him on his policy, that car MUST have it's own policy in place.
If it's only for a day or two it might be worth looking for short-term insurance. Insuredaily is about £18 a day normally.

[rfisher]

OK.

Suppose it makes sense, or there would be a lot fewer insurance policies in operation than cars.

I'll take a look at daily insurance - thanks.

[Bricol]

I thought you were okay until the insured driver got out and walked away from it, having left it on the public highway?

Along those lines, might be worth reading the small print of your policy if you assume that if you have fully comp, you are covered 3rd party on another car - in the small print of all my policies is the fact that I am NOT covered for other people's cars.

Bri

[Noger]

There is no blanket requirement for DoC cover that means the vehicle already needs to be insured. People who think otherwise are wrong.

However, a number of insurers (eSure for sure, and I think Admiral group are going this way) are now putting it in ahead of next year's Continuous Insurance Enforcement.

Check their policies.

[Defcon5]

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

[minimatt1967]

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

[Defcon5]

minimatt1967 said:

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

Nope, normal policy with Bell. I specifically rang them to ask this question, and the other car did not have to have a seperate policy covering it

[16v_paddy]

minimatt1967 said:

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

Not strictly true, in the small print on my policy from last year it clearly stated that I was able to drive any other car with the only criteria being that I had to have the permission of the owner of the car to drive it. Whereas my policy for this year says that I'm allowed to drive any other car provided there is already a valid insurance policy in place for that car.

But as others have said, check the small print on your policy very closely to make sure As I'm typing I'm now starting to think that what applied to my previous policy is a loophole that has now been closed

[Engineer1]

minimatt1967 said:

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

NO
It depends on the wording of your policy, some allow any car irrespective of whether or not it is insured, others require the car to have cover, why they would require cover on the car is interesting as you would be making a claim on your DOC section anyway.

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Engineer1 said:

minimatt1967 said:

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

NO
It depends on the wording of your policy, some allow any car irrespective of whether or not it is insured, others require the car to have cover, why they would require cover on the car is interesting as you would be making a claim on your DOC section anyway.

Minor point that your likely to get pinged by ANPR for no insurance, or get pulled by the fuzz...

I've only ever heard of the other car being insured for the 3rd party on any vehicle to cover it, and I was with Bell too for a while.
(with the exception of a traders policy, who usually add their cars to the M.I.D. using a web portal or by phone, thus stopping the ANPR issue....)

[minimatt1967]

Personally, I would check with your insurance company before driving a car with no insurance (on the basis that your current policy covers it), it's hard to believe when traders I know are paying nearly £2k for trade policy so they can legally pick up vehicles without insurance.

[tog]

minimatt1967 said:

Personally, I would check with your insurance company before driving a car with no insurance (on the basis that your current policy covers it), it's hard to believe when traders I know are paying nearly £2k for trade policy so they can legally pick up vehicles without insurance.

But surely that is so they can drive vehicles they own (even if only to sell on). As others have said, my insurance documents don't specify that other cars I drive (which must be not owned by or hired to me) need any other insurance. But I would take my documents with me in case I get stopped or ANPR checked.

[Deva Link]

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Same with my policy. You are on very iffy ground if you leave the car in a public place though (and that includes car parks etc), but there is a precedent case where you can stop incidental to the journey (to buy fuel or pick up an item for example) and you DOC cover still applies.

[Mr Whippy]

16v_paddy said:

minimatt1967 said:

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

Not strictly true, in the small print on my policy from last year it clearly stated that I was able to drive any other car with the only criteria being that I had to have the permission of the owner of the car to drive it. Whereas my policy for this year says that I'm allowed to drive any other car provided there is already a valid insurance policy in place for that car.

But as others have said, check the small print on your policy very closely to make sure As I'm typing I'm now starting to think that what applied to my previous policy is a loophole that has now been closed

Bloody hell, that is a dodgy one. So it's now up to a trader to 'see' an owners insurance docs and know they are legitimate yadda yadda before risking driving without insurance?

[ZOLLAR]

Defcon5 said:

minimatt1967 said:

Defcon5 said:

Murdoc said:

The car has to have an insurance policy for someone else to drive it 3rd party on their insurance.

No it doesnt - it depends on the wording on the policy document. I could drive any car regardless if it had a valid policy on it or not.

Only if you've got a trade policy.

Nope, normal policy with Bell. I specifically rang them to ask this question, and the other car did not have to have a seperate policy covering it

Bells T+C's changed in april, all policys renewing after april will have the updated condition advising the other cars must be insured before DOC is used.

[irodger]

So if I buy a shed that already has tax etc, and if I have DoC on my main car policy, then I can drive the shed back and forward to work no probs? I very rarely see any police on my commute, and it would be parked on private parking at home and work. I presume the DoC cover would cover any third party damage in event of an accident?

This seems totally dodgy. But with a potential saving of a few hundred quid!