becoming the registered owner

kiddums

I'm just off the phone with my insurance and they're telling me that I won't be insured on the car till I'm the registered owner.
I did explain that I've just bought the car and the details are going in to be processed, but they say I have to wait for those back.

I'm curious, when exactly do you become the registered owner? Is it effective from then you present the log book to the tax office or do you have to wait for the new book back?

bazz26

That is very bizzare from the insurance company. Anytime I've changed cars I've had no problem just transfering the insurance over to the new car at an pre agreed time and date. There should be common sense on their part to understand that the transfer of ownership documentation can take time which is outside of your control.

It usually takes upto 2 weeks for the new cert to be posted out to you from Shannon, once your name and address are on the new cert you are then the registered owner of the car.

MrDerp

bazz26 wrote: »

That is very bizzare from the insurance company. Anytime I've changed cars I've had no problem just transfering the insurance over to the new car at an pre agreed time and date. There should be common sense on their part to understand that the transfer of ownership documentation can take time which is outside of your control.

It usually takes upto 2 weeks for the new cert to be posted out to you from Shannon, once your name and address are on the new cert you are then the registered owner of the car.

+1. Mine just changed it right away, without question. They just ask "on what date did you buy the car?" and this should be accepted by your insurance. You are legally the registered owner of this car from the date of transfer.

Put it another way, could you contest a speeding ticket because you don't have the log book yet?

Ring up again I'd say, you just got a numpty on the phone.

kiddums

bazz26 wrote: »

That is very bizzare from the insurance company. Anytime I've changed cars I've had no problem just transfering the insurance over to the new car at an pre agreed time and date. There should be common sense on their part to understand that the transfer of ownership documentation can take time which is outside of your control.

It usually takes upto 2 weeks for the new cert to be posted out to you from Shannon, once your name and address are on the new cert you are then the registered owner of the car.

So I have to wait for the cert back then?

MrDerp wrote: »

+1. Mine just changed it right away, without question. They just ask "on what date did you buy the car?" and this should be accepted by your insurance. You are legally the registered owner of this car from the date of transfer.

Put it another way, could you contest a speeding ticket because you don't have the log book yet?

Ring up again I'd say, you just got a numpty on the phone.

If I read that correctly your saying that I'm the owner from whatever date is put on the logbook? I.e. the date I bought it?
So if I transfer the insurance I should be covered to drive it?

MrDerp

kiddums wrote: »

So I have to wait for the cert back then?


If I read that correctly your saying that I'm the owner from whatever date is put on the logbook? I.e. the date I bought it?
So if I transfer the insurance I should be covered to drive it?

I would have thought so. You bought the car. You own it. The log book will be backdated to the date of purchase when you get it.

When I changed my car last I just rang my insurer and said, 'I'm picking up my new car on Thursday at 6pm'. They set the insurance to move over at that date and away it went. No log book shenanigans, and I'm with Quinn!

I'd say the person on the phone has misunderstood you, or their job. I've never heard of anyone having this problem. Otherwise everyone would be in limbo for 2 weeks every time they changed their car.

The big SIMI sales sheet (if you have one) substitutes as proof of ownership until the log book arrives. You can prove you own the car to a Garda with this. Ought to be enough for insurance

kiddums

MrDerp wrote: »

I would have thought so. You bought the car. You own it. The log book will be backdated to the date of purchase when you get it.

When I changed my car last I just rang my insurer and said, 'I'm picking up my new car on Thursday at 6pm'. They set the insurance to move over at that date and away it went. No log book shenanigans, and I'm with Quinn!

I'd say the person on the phone has misunderstood you, or their job. I've never heard of anyone having this problem. Otherwise everyone would be in limbo for 2 weeks every time they changed their car.

The big SIMI sales sheet (if you have one) substitutes as proof of ownership until the log book arrives. You can prove you own the car to a Garda with this. Ought to be enough for insurance

I'll give them a call again later and see if I get someone else on the phone so.

Thats why I was asking, other people seem to do it all in a few minutes.

Its a private sale, and cash so there's nothing like that. Will I be able to get something to use as proof when I leave the logbook in the tax office?

aido76

You don't need to be the registered owner of a car to be insured to drive it. The insurance company should change your insurance to what ever car you give details of once it is road worthy. I have often changed my insurance from one car to another and back again with out owning the car I changed to. If you don't have insurance to drive other cars and you car is in for service and you borrow a car off a friend you can change your insurance to that car once your own car is off the road, which it should be if it's being serviced. The garage where you are servicing it will have it's own insurance to cover any mishap that happens while they have the car. Ring your insurance company again and you will get a different person and see how you get on.

bazz26

aido76 wrote: »

You don't need to be the registered owner of a car to be insured to drive it. The insurance company should change your insurance to what ever car you give details of once it is road worthy. I have often changed my insurance from one car to another and back again with out owning the car I changed to. If you don't have insurance to drive other cars and you car is in for service and you borrow a car off a friend you can change your insurance to that car once your own car is off the road, which it should be if it's being serviced. The garage where you are servicing it will have it's own insurance to cover any mishap that happens while they have the car. Ring your insurance company again and you will get a different person and see how you get on.

For permanent transfers some insurance companies do insist on you being the registered owner of the car. It doesn't apply to temporary transfers however.

bazz26

kiddums wrote: »

I'll give them a call again later and see if I get someone else on the phone so.

Thats why I was asking, other people seem to do it all in a few minutes.

Its a private sale, and cash so there's nothing like that. Will I be able to get something to use as proof when I leave the logbook in the tax office?

The seller should be posting the old log book off to the DOE in Shannon with the change of ownership section filled in and signed by both of you. You as the buyer should not have the old log book in your possession. Maybe this is where the confusion is around?

kiddums

bazz26 wrote: »

The seller should be posting the old log book off to the DOE in Shannon with the change of ownership section filled in and signed by both of you. You as the buyer should not have the old log book in your possession. Maybe this is where the confusion is around?

I know the seller so if its quicker to bring it to the motor tax office I'm sure he won't mind. Would it be quicker?

So basically you guys think either its a really weird policy or I got some numpty on the phone?

dr.fuzzenstein

bazz26 wrote: »

For permanent transfers some insurance companies do insist on you being the registered owner of the car. It doesn't apply to temporary transfers however.

Never seen that.
Every time I bought a car, rang the insurance company with some details on the side of the road, deal done, insurance transferred, drive off.
Once you get your paperwork back, hand it in, job done.
Otherwise it would be next to impossible to buy a car

bazz26

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Never seen that.
Every time I bought a car, rang the insurance company with some details on the side of the road, deal done, insurance transferred, drive off.
Once you get your paperwork back, hand it in, job done.
Otherwise it would be next to impossible to buy a car

I meant when initially taking out the policy they tend to ask are you the registered owner.

bazz26

kiddums wrote: »

I know the seller so if its quicker to bring it to the motor tax office I'm sure he won't mind. Would it be quicker?

So basically you guys think either its a really weird policy or I got some numpty on the phone?

The motor tax office do not deal with change of ownership. That task is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment in Shannon, Co Clare. The seller is supposed to get the buyer to fill in the change of ownership section on the back of the existing registration cert. Both seller and buyer sign and date it. The seller then posts it off to the DOE in Shannon, about 2 weeks later the buyer receives a new registration cert with his/her down as the new registered owner.

Did you fill in the change of ownership details on the back of the existing registration cert? Maybe this is the message the insurance company were trying to get across?

dr.fuzzenstein

bazz26 wrote: »

I meant when initially taking out the policy they tend to ask are you the registered owner.

OK, was thinking of transferring insurance. Taking out policy initially could very well be different.

kiddums

bazz26 wrote: »

The motor tax office do not deal with change of ownership. That task is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment in Shannon, Co Clare. The seller is supposed to get the buyer to fill in the change of ownership section on the back of the existing registration cert. Both seller and buyer sign and date it. The seller then posts it off to the DOE in Shannon, about 2 weeks later the buyer receives a new registration cert with his/her down as the new registered owner.

Did you fill in the change of ownership details on the back of the existing registration cert? Maybe this is the message the insurance company were trying to get across?

Ah rite so.

Nothing filled in yet. I still need to give over the money and pick up the car. Its getting some minor work done to it first. Should be ready by midweek.
I'm using a borrowed car till its ready as my own was written off.
It could be. I'll see if I get someone on the phone to explain what they ment.

marshmallowx

Hi Kiddums

The insurers just wanted to confirm the sale of the car was finalised...as you wont actually own the vehicle until money has changed hands and the log book has been signed they cant cover the car in your name (although they could cover it temporarily for ya).

But once you've paid for the car and signed the log book you automatically take ownership. You must be the registed owner of the car for it to be covered permanently on your policy, all insurers insist on this.

So if you tried to cover it today this is why you would have had problems as the guy your buying it still owns it and you cant insure something you dont own. Hope this makes sense!!

aido76

kiddums wrote: »

Ah rite so.

Nothing filled in yet. I still need to give over the money and pick up the car. Its getting some minor work done to it first. Should be ready by midweek.
I'm using a borrowed car till its ready as my own was written off.
It could be. I'll see if I get someone on the phone to explain what they ment.

All you are doing is tranferring your insurance so there should not be a need to be the registered owner. You might have to shown them within a certain time frame that you are the registered owner (post a photocopy of reg cert in your name) to have the transfer made perminant. Some companies can charge a nominal (admin) fee for the inconvence:rolleyes:.

Maybe the fact that your old car was written off has something to do with it?

marshmallowx

HI Aido

Your right if its just a temporary change he doesnt need to be the registered owner but if this is a car he is buying/ has bought (which I think it is) he does need to be the registered owner. If he didnt bother registering it in his own name and was involved in an accident he wouldnt get a penny from his insurers....

aido76

If your insured by your insurance company to drive a car and you have an accident then you are covered regardless of being the registered owner or not. If you had to be the registered owner of a car before you can be insured in it then nobody that buys a new(er) car can drive it (legally) until the registration cert comes through for it which can take a couple of weeks.
Insurance companies might look for a copy of the registration cert to show that you are the REGISTERED owner of the car if it is a perminent transfer but they would give you a few weeks to get this documentation sorted.

I have transfered insurance perminently on a few cars in my time and don't ever remember being asked to prove I was the registered owner before I could take out insurance. I'm not saying I'm right on this but it just sounds a bit silly to prove you are the registered owner when you are only after buying a car.

-Chris-

Legal owner and registered owner aren't always the same person/entity. I wish I knew why insurance companies made stupid regulations like this.

aido76

-Chris- wrote: »

Legal owner and registered owner aren't always the same person/entity. I wish I knew why insurance companies made stupid regulations like this.

I have edited the post to reflect this.