Driving other cars (policy holder)

RoastBeefDinner

I am a policy holder with permission to drive other cars (third party cover only).
My question is, does the "other car" have to have it's own insurance?

Alanstrainor

RoastBeefDinner wrote: »

I am a policy holder with permission to drive other cars (third party cover only).
My question is, does the "other car" have to have it's own insurance?

Read your policy docs. Or if you're still unclear ring the insurance company and ask.

Crasp

The "other car" will almost certainly require insurance, as that is how your policy can offer you such an extension I imagine.


As Al said, it's best to read your policy document or ask your insurance co directly.

RoastBeefDinner

This area has always been a bit grey for me.
The policy documents do not specify if the "other vehicle" should have it's own insurance policy.
There are other conditions which can be found here for various companies;
http://www.easyquote.ie/blog/index.php/car-insurance-ireland-what-is-driving-other-cars-extension/

If you call the insurance company/broker you know what their gonna say?;)

As far as I'm concerned if a policy allows me to drive other cars (under the condition's outlined in the policy document) then so be it.
:cool:

RoastBeefDinner

RoastBeefDinner wrote: »

If you call the insurance company/broker you know what their gonna say?;)

As far as I'm concerned if a policy allows me to drive other cars (under the condition's outlined in the policy document) then so be it.
:cool:

I'd imagine they'd either say yes or no

RoastBeefDinner

^ True but I just had a thought.
The law requires that a vehicle must display a valid insurance disk so it might get tricky with the old bill:(
That is probably why the insurance companies "assume" the vehicle would have it's own policy.

Tefral

My insurance with AVIVA and TRAVELLERS insurance did NOT require the other vehicle to be insured.
My Brothers insurance with QUINN DIRECT did NOT require the other car to be insured.

From my experience researching this question for a Forum of 10,000 members, it actually varies with policys. More often than not, if it does say the other car has to be insured i have found that the policy holder has been under the age of 25 for some reason or another.

Theres no substitue for ringing and asking your insurer, it takes 5mins and at lease you'll know rather than finding out if you crashed when its too late and your paying out and also in court for no insurance.

Also remember your only insured to drive the other car 3rd party, so if its stolen or whatever your not gonna have any comeback. To get around the displa of the insurance disk, ive always put my policy in the holder. A senior Garda gave me this advice and I have successfully gone through checkpoints with this, after they check it.

Random

just to re-iterate --> check with your own insurance company. you'll get so many mixed answers, some wrong, some right, some irrelevent here.

-Corkie-

Someone else here posted here before that Quinn do a 3rd party extension as standard which means you are covered to drive another car 3rd party as long as it has TAX and NCT.

I actually argued with the OP that he was wrong but I since spoke to Quinn and they confirmed it. I could not find the thread after to apologise to the OP.

CiniO

So many of youse advising to ring your insurance comany....
What's the point?
Most insurance company phone advisors are incredebly incompetent.
They don't really take any responsibility for what they are saying.
If they tell you that it's OK to drive even if car was uninsured by owner, and then after you crash they will tell you that it wasn't OK, so what will you do.
The only way is to read the policy and all terms and conditions.

If it doesn't say it has to be insured, then it means that it doesn't.

PS. It happened to me good few times, that while ringing insurance company I asked a question, and got the answer.
Then I rang 5 minutes later again, was talking to different consultant and got completely different answer which was contradicting the first one.
And it wasn't just one case. It happened many times, with different insurance companies.
I can't really see any reason for ringing them.
Even more - I once wrote an email with question, and got answer. All expalined. But unfortunately it was different to what was stated in the policy.
So in case something happens, and case goes to court what will be correct version? The one answered in an email, or the one stated in the policy?

PS2. OP. Even if your policy doesn't forbid you to drive other cars which is not insured by owner, then remember that driving without valid insurance disc is an offence. And you can get fixed penalty of €60. So it's just your own risk.

Alanstrainor

CiniO wrote: »

So many of youse advising to ring your insurance comany....
What's the point?
Most insurance company phone advisors are incredebly incompetent.
They don't really take any responsibility for what they are saying.

"Can i have that in writing please?". That solves that problem.

Policy docs can be a pain to read through. You'd be better off clarifying with your insurance company if you're unsure. That's all i'm saying.

challengemaster

cronin_j wrote: »

My insurance with AVIVA and TRAVELLERS insurance did NOT require the other vehicle to be insured.
My Brothers insurance with QUINN DIRECT did NOT require the other car to be insured.

From my experience researching this question for a Forum of 10,000 members, it actually varies with policys. More often than not, if it does say the other car has to be insured i have found that the policy holder has been under the age of 25 for some reason or another.

Theres no substitue for ringing and asking your insurer, it takes 5mins and at lease you'll know rather than finding out if you crashed when its too late and your paying out and also in court for no insurance.

Also remember your only insured to drive the other car 3rd party, so if its stolen or whatever your not gonna have any comeback. To get around the displa of the insurance disk, ive always put my policy in the holder. A senior Garda gave me this advice and I have successfully gone through checkpoints with this, after they check it.

Spot on as usual Cronin, no idea how you know the road traffic laws better than most gardaí, but you do!

Just another thing to note though, your own car cannot be used at the same time - ie. you and a mate can't swap cars for a while

RoastBeefDinner

It remains a very grey area.
I've gone through 2 insurance company proposals and neither "expand" on the driving of other cars.
From my own experience what happens is this; You purchase your insurance and the insurance company issues your certificate with a "clause" about driving of other cars, none of which specifically mention that the other vehicle should have insurance cover on it.
I would agree the best thing to do is get clarification in writing before proceeding.
Motor insurance companies make a lot of "assumptions" and in my book assumptions are the mother of all ****ups!;)

stevenmu

Isn't it a bit of a moot point anyway? It's legally required to have insurance displayed anyway, so the car must be insured by someone to have the disc to display.

Though I suppose risking being done for not displaying insurance is a bit different to driving without insurance cover at all.

RoastBeefDinner

Not sure which point you refer to as moot?

Insurance companies sell policies and "add-ons", one of which is driving of other cars is permitted. One of the possible reason's for this is that not all cars have "open drive" policies so therefore it may be necessary for some people to have the option to drive other cars. Fair enough.

But it still remains unclear as to whether the third party vehicle needs to have it's own cover.

Here's an example.
Your getting a lift with your mate. You go to the pub. He has one too many. You decide to drive back home as you have your own insurance which covers you to drive the car.
You crash the car. Your mate tells you there is no insurance on his vehicle or it has expired.
Who takes the blame?

RoastBeefDinner

Right then.
Just spoken with the insurance company and besides the usual endorsements regarding the driving of other vehicles the final word is that the company policy insures the "driver" or "policy holder" and therefore I would be insured (third party) to drive other cars whether that car had insurance or not.
This kinda makes sense as I have seen in other European countries the CAR itself is insured and not the DRIVER as such.

Fey!

RoastBeefDinner; Which company?

db

Not sure if it's been pointed out yet but the other car must not be registered in your name. I almost got caught out with this once. I was driving the car my wife normally drives and I had to produce my insurance cert. I called in to the station with my own cert under which I am insured to drive other cars third party to be told that it covered me for any other car on the road apart from the one I was driving which was registered to me. Luckily I am also named on my wife's insurance so I just brought that one in instead.