Give a ride to someone for charity?

[alexoctagon]

Hi everyone

A friend of mine who organises charity events asked me if I'd give a quick ride to someone as a prize for winning a raffle in her cancer charity. Just in the moment I said yes that would be fine, but now I'm wondering if that was such a good idea. What do you all think?!

Cheers,
Alex

[W111AAM]

You need to check with your insurance. I seem to think that some insurance companies can be a bit funny about this sort of thing.

[Beni997]

Don’t see what the issue could possibly be if they are just a passenger.

[Cockernee]

You are giving someone a passenger ride, what is the issue? I give more passenger rides for charity than my own family get

[dang2407]

Beni997 said:

Don’t see what the issue could possibly be if they are just a passenger.

In this kind of society where litigation is encouraged, you may be sued for anything from disappointment in your driving to a severe physiological condition resulting from the experience.

Not likely, but possible...

[AinsleyB]

It all sounds fine, until you have an accident then the passenger tries to sue you or claim from your insurance company.

Check with them first.

Also find out what they are expecting. A 5 min drive, or a day out touring Wales.

[HIS LM]

May's Britain - not sure what is sadder asking the question in the first place or the suggestion of inviting the insurance company to turn you over

[baypond]

HIS LM said:

May's Britain - not sure what is sadder asking the question in the first place or the suggestion of inviting the insurance company to turn you over

and the connection to May is?

[andrew]

talk to insurance companies

please do us all favor, and let us know if you find one who'll cover it

[overunder12g]

HIS LM
I think you will find that this goes back much further than May.

[Kyodo]

HIS LM said:

May's Britain

? What a daft thing to say.

[HIS LM]

overunder12g said:

HIS LM
I think you will find that this goes back much further than May.

Err I wasn't suggesting she was to blame merely the present toothless incumbent

[jimmyslr]

This thread comes up about once per year. I can't really see that the doomsday scenarios will happen. Has it ever happened before where someone has done a charitable favour, one off, no money, no business arrangement and they've been sued or insurance pulled out after a prang? I just can't see it happening in a reasonable world/court.

[MDL111]

By that reasoning you should never take a passenger - or is giving a friend a lift in any way different (and just because he is a friend, I assume for the sake of the question, does not mean he won’t sue you in today’s society ...)

[Superleg48]

I do this quite a bit. Prom season is particularly busy. I always insist on a donation to charity, preferably made directly so that I am not handling any monies even if only to pass on to charity.

Cannot see why this would invalidate Insurance. The car has two seats, thereby transporting a passenger seems perfectly reasonable and I am deriving no benefit from so doing.

What is the legal definition of “for hire or reward”?

Best
Paul

[Superleg48]

Actually, I have just done a quick bit of research and according to DVLA the definition of Hire or Reward is this:

3.1 Payment for providing transport
The legal term for this is ‘hire or reward’. It’s any payment, in cash or kind, which gives a person the right to be carried on the vehicle, regardless of whether or not that right is exercised. Hire or reward takes place if the journey is organised in a way that goes beyond the bounds of mere social kindness.

The payment may be made by the passenger or on the passenger’s behalf. It may be a direct payment, eg a fare or an indirect payment such as a membership subscription. Where indirect payments are made in respect of other services (rather than specifically for the transport) they’re still likely to be viewed by the courts as hire or reward because anyone who hadn’t made the payment would have no right to be carried.

Therefore, from this it could be argued that even asking for Charitable donations constitutes Hire or Reward as it is not necessarily reward for your benefit in the eyes of the law.

Time to stop offering rides for charity, I think.

[Yipper]

Yes, strictly speaking, to the letter of the law, you need charity insurance.

Best bet is to ring your existing car-insurance company and get a written-down quote for it, even if the extra cost is zero. Keep a paper trail.

[davek_964]

If you join Sporting Bears - which do exactly this kind of thing for charity - they advise you to tell your insurance company.

I told mine at the time and they had no problem with it - they simply asked me to advise them when I would be attending such events.

[monthefish]

Superleg48 said:

Therefore, from this it could be argued that even asking for Charitable donations constitutes Hire or Reward as it is not necessarily reward for your benefit in the eyes of the law.

Time to stop offering rides for charity, I think.

But the owner of the car isn't asking for nor receiving Charitable donations, so I disagree your post is justification to stop offering rides for charity.

[sone]

I get agreement written into my policies, if its for a recognised charity then most that I've deal with have no issue.

Steve