Can someone else drive my uninsured car on their policy?

marieky21

I have not renewed my car insurance as I am not driving the car but my question is if someone’s want to drive my car can they through the third party driving of other cars on their own policy.

Cows Go µ

marieky21 wrote: »

I have not renewed my car insurance as I am not driving the car but my question is if someone’s want to drive my car can they through the third party driving of other cars on their own policy.

That depends on the other person's policy. Most don't stipulate that the other car must be insured but some do - such as Aviva. If in any doubt the person should check with their own insurer

coylemj

Cows Go µ wrote: »

That depends on the other person's policy. Most don't stipulate that the other car must be insured but some do - such as Aviva.

+1 and Liberty

Cows Go µ wrote: »

If in any doubt the person should check with their own insurer

+1 if they have driving other cars cover (will say so on their cert.), they still need to read the section which is typically headed 'Driving other cars' in their policy document. And see if there are any other limitations. Like that their policy will not cover them driving a car which is owned by a person in the same household.

And how often they 'borrow' the car could become an issue if there is a claim.

muloc

Are there any implications to letting car insurance lapse for a few months?
We have 2 cars but only need one for the next while. Both are named drivers on the others car.
Would the break in cover in any way result in a higher premium whe trying to reinsure?
Thanks

Henry Ford III

muloc wrote: »

Are there any implications to letting car insurance lapse for a few months?
We have 2 cars but only need one for the next while. Both are named drivers on the others car.
Would the break in cover in any way result in a higher premium whe trying to reinsure?
Thanks

How would you do that exactly? Suspend cover and return the cert and disc?

p.s. This would be better in the dedicated insurance thread. Oooh I seem to have moved it!

muloc

Henry Ford III wrote: »

How would you do that exactly? Suspend cover and return the cert and disc?

No it's due to expire in a few weeks. Just not renew

Henry Ford III

muloc wrote: »

No it's due to expire in a few weeks. Just not renew

Your NCB will stay live for 2 years. You won't be covered for fire and theft however.

emeldc

muloc wrote: »

No it's due to expire in a few weeks. Just not renew

When you go to reinsure it will be a new policy and not a renewal of the old one. Your NCB still counts but be careful you don’t get caught out if the car is now of a certain age that the insurance company won’t insure because they say it’s too old. I got caught like that once even though I had 5 years continuous insurance with them.

zg3409

Cows Go µ wrote: »

That depends on the other person's policy. Most don't stipulate that the other car must be insured but some do - such as Aviva. If in any doubt the person should check with their own insurer

Also beware many companies don't issue a policy booklet and they can have different variations on different policy booklets adding or removing catches such as Zurich which has a couple of different ones on the go at the same time and when I rang them the person who was on the phone didn't seem to know there was a difference so beware when ringing them

https://www.zurich.ie/car-insurance/car-insurance-policy/

See the 2 different policy documents here.

E.g.

does not belong to you or your spouse/partner
(b) is not hired or leased to you or your spouse/partner under a Hire Purchase or
Leasing Agreement
(c) is not the property of or in the custody of any Company or Firm of which you are a
Member, Director or Employee
(d) is not the property of or in the custody or control of a Motor Trade business of which
you are a Member, Director or Employee
(e) has an engine capacity of less than 2500 cubic centimetres
(f) is not modified beyond the manufacturer’s standard specification
(g) is aged less than 15 years as measured from the date of its manufacture
(h) is registered, taxed and normally situated in the Republic of Ireland and is compliant
with Road Traffic legislation and is the subject of a valid NCT certificate where so
required by law
(i) is not a van, car-van with only two or less seats, crew-cab or pickup truck, motorcycle
or a commercial vehicle of any kind
(j) is insured under a current policy of insurance in the name of another person who is not
your spouse/partner

Vs other policy from same company

Driving of other cars included
No. 1 “Indemnity to the Insured” of Section 1: “Liability to Third Parties” is extended to include
indemnity to the Insured while personally driving any private motor car provided such vehicle:
(i) Does not belong to the Insured.
(ii) Is not hired or leased to the Insured under a Hire Purchase or Leasing Agreement.
(iii) Is not the property of or in the custody of any Company or Firm of which the Insured
is a Member, Director or Employee.
(iv) Is not the property of or in the custody or control of a Motor Trade Business of which the
Insured is a Member, Director or Employee.

You can see they added 15 years age rule, partner owning car, engine size limit, any modifications (e.g. non factory wheels, exhaust, stereo, different air filter)

I would have thought driving partners car would be main use of this facility, but they have so many catches its unlikely to cover typical use.

They change it so what might have been OK one year, suddenly has more catches added the next renewal. Some say car being driven needed to have insurance within the last month. Driving of other vehicles is an extra cost on many policies.

Its also a separate offence to drive a car without displaying a valid insurance disc, but I think its just a 60 euro Garda penalty notice and that's it. When I was stopped I had the policy document from the other vehicle and he left me go with a verbal warning.

coylemj

zg3409 wrote: »

Also beware many companies don't issue a policy booklet and they can have different variations on different policy booklets adding or removing catches such as Zurich which has a couple of different ones on the go at the same time .....

Can you name one of the 'many companies' which doesn't issue a policy document/booklet?

All insurance companies change their policy terms and conditions from time to time so the policy booklet gets an update. Axa currently have 13 online versions of their car policy document. Changes only apply to new policies.

It's not technically true (in respect of any individual customer) to say that Zurich have 'a couple of different ones on the go at the same time' because only one policy document applies in the case of each policy, there is no overlap or duplication. Zurich have a website where you can find the policy booklet applicable to your policy. Which one applies to you depends on the first few characters in your policy number.

zg3409 wrote: »

.... and when I rang them the person who was on the phone didn't seem to know there was a difference so beware when ringing them

I would not rely on what a call agent tells me on the phone. You quoted two policy booklets above, only one of them can apply to your policy.

zg3409

I was pointing out to the original poster that lots of different terms and conditions can apply to driving other vehicles and even with same company on renewal the rules can change, meaning something that was OK the day before renewal is not OK the next day. They don't post you the policy document and multiple versions are on their website. Its not straight forward to check. My above examples are dated April 2019 and July 2019 and are very different. Asking if policy covers you to drive other vehicles (which it says on single page posted out) is not at all straight forward. A lot of people never read the small print, particularly on renewal, and insurance companies take advantage of that.

coylemj

zg3409 wrote: »

They don't post you the policy document and multiple versions are on their website. Its not straight forward to check.

I’ve already explained why there are multiple versions on their website. And it is straightforward to check, it couldn’t be easier......

Get your policy number, go to the Zurich website (you’ve been there already) and download the policy document which matches the first few characters of your policy number. Ignore the other documents, they do not apply to you.

marieky21

Thanks for all the replies and by reading the policy booklets it looks good that other family members can drive my car without having it insured. Thank you all

Eggs For Dinner

marieky21 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies and by reading the policy booklets it looks good that other family members can drive my car without having it insured. Thank you all

Make sure you are certain. Allowing an uninsured person drive your vehicle can have serious consequences for you

marieky21

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

Make sure you are certain. Allowing an uninsured person drive your vehicle can have serious consequences for you

Its the car that not insured, the person / family member is they have their own policy. They be using the driving of others cars section of the policy. It just to keep the car moving and prevent battery going flat

coylemj

marieky21 wrote: »

Its the car that not insured, the person / family member is they have their own policy. They be using the driving of others cars section of the policy. It just to keep the car moving and prevent battery going flat

Excluding various categories of people from cover under 'driving other cars' is something that the insurance companies tend to do from time to time. They do this to block sham situations where someone 'lends' their car on a long-term basis to someone who is closely related or who lives in the same household.

Daddy has a company car, he buys a high-performance BMW but doesn't bother insuring it. Son buys a Micra and insures it in his own name with 'driving other cars' cover. Daddy 'lends' the BMW to the son who drives it seven days a week, for a fraction of the cost of insuring that car in his own name. You can see why the insurance business would tighten up the rules about cover.

Every time one of the people who 'borrows' you car renews their insurance, tell them to check their policy to ensure they're still covered.

Green Peter

marieky21 wrote: »

I have not renewed my car insurance as I am not driving the car but my question is if someone’s want to drive my car can they through the third party driving of other cars on their own policy.

No, there must be an existing live policy on your car. You cannot use one policy to insure two cars. Driving others cars on a policy means only cars that are insured by someone else already.

coylemj

Green Peter wrote: »

No, there must be an existing live policy on your car. You cannot use one policy to insure two cars. Driving others cars on a policy means only cars that are insured by someone else already.

Not true in every case. See posts 2 and 3.

Green Peter

coylemj wrote: »

Not true in every case. See posts 2 and 3.

Someone should inform the courts.

Del2005

Green Peter wrote: »

No, there must be an existing live policy on your car. You cannot use one policy to insure two cars. Driving others cars on a policy means only cars that are insured by someone else already.

You aren't insuring 2 cars. You have an extension on your policy which allows you to drive a car you don't own, some policies require the car to insured others don't. The only issue for the courts would be if you parked in a public place then the car isn't insured as it's only when you are driving that's you are insured.

maestroamado

coylemj wrote: »

+1 and Liberty



+1 if they have driving other cars cover (will say so on their cert.), they still need to read the section which is typically headed 'Driving other cars' in their policy document. And see if there are any other limitations. Like that their policy will not cover them driving a car which is owned by a person in the same household.

And how often they 'borrow' the car could become an issue if there is a claim.

I asked Liberty this in recent days, the agent said that the other car need have insurance...

Eggs For Dinner

marieky21 wrote: »

Its the car that not insured, the person / family member is they have their own policy. They be using the driving of others cars section of the policy. It just to keep the car moving and prevent battery going flat

I stated that there is an onus on you to make certain that the person you lend your car to, has the appropriate cover on their policy.

coylemj

maestroamado wrote: »

I asked Liberty this in recent days, the agent said that the other car need have insurance...

You misread my post. You need to read it in conjunction with post #2 where it was pointed out that Aviva have the requirement that the car you borrow must have a policy in force. When I said (in post#3) '+1 and Liberty', I was pointing out that they also have the condition.

So we agree with each other.

maestroamado

coylemj wrote: »

You misread my post. You need to read it in conjunction with post #2 where it was pointed out that Aviva have the requirement that the car you borrow must have a policy in force. When I said (in post#3) '+1 and Liberty', I was pointing out that they also have the condition.

So we agree with each other.

All i seen was Liberty+1 so i not read proper, as it happens i renewed my insurance yesterday and this came up as i want to move a car for a person and insurance ends May 31.
I will probably be arrested fro breaking curfew.