Insurance issue - PLEASE HELP!
Discussion
Hi, this topic *may* belong in the law forum but I have only just signed up and really need an answer to my quandry today if possible....
Basically I recently switched my insurer for my own car after putting my girlfriend onto my policy (and then found a cheaper insurer). The cover is fully comprehensive and on my OLD policy it covered me to drive any vehicle. As such when I switched to another fully comprehensive policy with a major insurer I assumed the cover would be the same.
I had to drive my bosses car last night home from a party last night as he had been drinking and I was sober. I was under the assumption that my insurance covered me for this and it would not be a problem. However I got pulled by the police (quite randomly, it was late at night and its a prestige car so I guess they thought it just looked suspicious). Upon checking my details through the radio and checking my insurance on my own vehicle, the police informed me that my policy does not allow me to drive any vehicle. At this stage I thought it could just be an oversight of some kind so the police officer gave me a producer & we had to leave the car and get a taxi.
Upon returning home I have thoroughly checked my insurance schedule to find that my policy doesnt include 'driving other vehicles' as I had previously assumed. I feel stupid as I never fully checked the documentation (its not blatantly obvious that it doesnt cover driving other vehicles unless you read the small print). However this now leaves me in a situation whereby I have been driving this vehicle seemingly without cover.
My main question is this: I am going to phone my insurer today to upgrade the cover to include 'driving other vehicles' as it is something which I will need. Would my insurer be able / be willing to give me a 'post-dated' cover note for last night which will enable me to produce??
Other than this, what options do I have? I need my driving licence for my job (area sales manager - mobile) and am worried that if I cannot produce any cover for last night that I will end up getting banned (I already have 6 points, 3 of which come off my licence at the end of May)
PLEASE HELP!
Basically I recently switched my insurer for my own car after putting my girlfriend onto my policy (and then found a cheaper insurer). The cover is fully comprehensive and on my OLD policy it covered me to drive any vehicle. As such when I switched to another fully comprehensive policy with a major insurer I assumed the cover would be the same.
I had to drive my bosses car last night home from a party last night as he had been drinking and I was sober. I was under the assumption that my insurance covered me for this and it would not be a problem. However I got pulled by the police (quite randomly, it was late at night and its a prestige car so I guess they thought it just looked suspicious). Upon checking my details through the radio and checking my insurance on my own vehicle, the police informed me that my policy does not allow me to drive any vehicle. At this stage I thought it could just be an oversight of some kind so the police officer gave me a producer & we had to leave the car and get a taxi.
Upon returning home I have thoroughly checked my insurance schedule to find that my policy doesnt include 'driving other vehicles' as I had previously assumed. I feel stupid as I never fully checked the documentation (its not blatantly obvious that it doesnt cover driving other vehicles unless you read the small print). However this now leaves me in a situation whereby I have been driving this vehicle seemingly without cover.
My main question is this: I am going to phone my insurer today to upgrade the cover to include 'driving other vehicles' as it is something which I will need. Would my insurer be able / be willing to give me a 'post-dated' cover note for last night which will enable me to produce??
Other than this, what options do I have? I need my driving licence for my job (area sales manager - mobile) and am worried that if I cannot produce any cover for last night that I will end up getting banned (I already have 6 points, 3 of which come off my licence at the end of May)
PLEASE HELP!
I know this is my own **stupid** fault for not checking the policy documents thoroughly enough in the first place.
I am aware that the cover is only 3rd party, the reason I drove the car was it was either a £30+ taxi ride or I took his car (mine was at home, not with us otherwise I would have simply driven that)
Guess its going to cost MUCH MUCH more than the bloody taxi fare now....
It should be more obvious, I think someone misread my original post, the fact that I am not covered is only in tiny writing with all the T&Cs basically.....
I am aware that the cover is only 3rd party, the reason I drove the car was it was either a £30+ taxi ride or I took his car (mine was at home, not with us otherwise I would have simply driven that)
Guess its going to cost MUCH MUCH more than the bloody taxi fare now....
It should be more obvious, I think someone misread my original post, the fact that I am not covered is only in tiny writing with all the T&Cs basically.....
My only hope on the points front is that 3 more of my current points come off on the 18th May, which *hopefully* will be before any court hearing...
To clarify the situation with my insurance, I have just added driving other car cover to my policy for £23... Seems like a stupid situation, I hope my experiences serve as a warning to others to double & triple check exactly what their policy does and does not cover.
I just hope that if all else fails and it does go to court they look at the exact situation as what it is, a complete and genuine misunderstanding on my part....
To clarify the situation with my insurance, I have just added driving other car cover to my policy for £23... Seems like a stupid situation, I hope my experiences serve as a warning to others to double & triple check exactly what their policy does and does not cover.
I just hope that if all else fails and it does go to court they look at the exact situation as what it is, a complete and genuine misunderstanding on my part....
I dont blame this on my boss whatsoever and I certainly dont expect him to have to 'put his hand in his pocket'...
As far as he was aware, I was insured. Regardless of my stupidity/ignorance whatever that fact still remains
The blame for this rests squarely with me. I am not of the thinking that I am 'above the law' or expect to be able to get away with this one. I only hope I can perform some 'damage limitation' and retain my licence
As far as he was aware, I was insured. Regardless of my stupidity/ignorance whatever that fact still remains
The blame for this rests squarely with me. I am not of the thinking that I am 'above the law' or expect to be able to get away with this one. I only hope I can perform some 'damage limitation' and retain my licence
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