Motor Insurance

knird evol

You guys might be able to help clear this one up. This
thread on the Motor Forum about Owner insurance. A driver/user with Open Driving cover insurance is driving a car on which the owner has no current insurance policy. Is this all above board? Any offences?

Turner

(1)If your policy states that you can drive any car, in my opinion you are covered to drive any car.

(2)If your policy states "You can drive any car, provided that it too is covered by a policy of insurance"

Then the car you are driving has to have a policy of insurance too.


So its down to what is said on your insurance certificate.

In option 1, if you crash your car and the Gardai are called. You will be asked to provide proof of insurance, ie your certificate of insurance.

This clearly states that you can drive any other car and does not stipulate that the other one has to be insured.

To be prosecuted to for no insurance you have to be driving a mpv in a public place while there is no policy of insurance covering you to drive such vehicle.

In my opinion you are paying for a policy and have one.

Option 2 states the car you are driving has to be insured too.

Eru

Very few private policies will allow you do drive ANY car. Most will allow you to drive using open drive provided that the car has its own policy and that its not a higher engine.

Why? To stop people insuring a 1990 Micra then driving 2011 Celica and Mercs, etc.

guil

Eru wrote: »

Very few private policies will allow you do drive ANY car. Most will allow you to drive using open drive provided that the car has its own policy and that its not a higher engine.

Why? To stop people insuring a 1990 Micra then driving 2011 Celica and Mercs, etc.

afaik you are a member of the gardai, bit of a joke really that you don't seem to know the difference between 3rd party extension and open drive, the first allows you to drive other cars as long as it's not hired/leased to you and not a spouses on your own insurance and usually 3rd party only

the latter allows anyone between the age of 25 and 65 with a full licence to drive your car and be covered by your insurance

Eru

guil wrote: »

afaik you are a member of the gardai, bit of a joke really that you don't seem to know the difference between 3rd party extension and open drive, the first allows you to drive other cars as long as it's not hired/leased to you and not a spouses on your own insurance and usually 3rd party only

the latter allows anyone between the age of 25 and 65 with a full licence to drive your car and be covered by your insurance

Oh dear God in heaven , is this really all you had to say? Did that really help the OP? No, it didnt as you didnt answer the question being asked by the OP.

Both are commonly referred to as 'open drive' which is the term the OP used but I'm sorry, we must from this point on use exact terminology instead of common speech because guil demands it. (its actually called 'driving of other cars extension' not '3rd party extension' if your going to nit pick)

Now, would you care to agree or disagree with what I said about the cover?

Bosh

Check with the company concerned, they are constantly moving the goalposts to suit themselves. :rolleyes:

In general your policy will cover you to drive other vehicles, usually not including motorbikes, commercials etc., and will require a separate policy to be in force on the other car.

This applies to the majority, but not all companies, so it would be wise to check first.

Open driving refers to a policy covering one car that allows any drivers to drive that vehicle on that policy within defined parameters: age, license etc.

To drive more than one car on a single policy would require fleet/trade insurance.

HTH