Open Driver Policy - Driver with Pending Claim

SachaJ

Just wanted to ask a question to the board in relation to a relative of mine (he rang me asking but I didn't have the answers).

He has an pending claim against him for a recent accident. He's looked for insurance but the prices are completely prohibitive.

Can his wife insure the car and get an open driving policy so he'll be allowed to drive? He will only be driving it occasionally (dropping kids to school etc).

I guess the question is. Does a open driving policy prohibit drivers with pending claims from driving the car that is insured?

djimi

Open driving often has restrictions regarding who can drive the car; the only way to know the answer for sure is to ask the insurer as each policy will be different.

tin79

SachaJ wrote: »

Just wanted to ask a question to the board in relation to a relative of mine (he rang me asking but I didn't have the answers).

He has an pending claim against him for a recent accident. He's looked for insurance but the prices are completely prohibitive.

Can his wife insure the car and get an open driving policy so he'll be allowed to drive? He will only be driving it occasionally (dropping kids to school etc).

I guess the question is. Does a open driving policy prohibit drivers with pending claims from driving the car that is insured?

My father had open driving on a jeep we had a while back. Several of us were likely to use it for boat towing and it was working out more expensive to name everyone that wanted to use it so we got an open policy on it.

It was with Quinn, they said claims were ok but convictions/endorsements weren't. They were also very clear that the named driver should still be the main driver.

Presumably he has a policy against which the claim is pending. can he not just keep that one?

SachaJ

tin79 wrote: »

My father had open driving on a jeep we had a while back. Several of us were likely to use it for boat towing and it was working out more expensive to name everyone that wanted to use it so we got an open policy on it.

It was with Quinn, they said claims were ok but convictions/endorsements weren't. They were also very clear that the named driver should still be the main driver.

Presumably he has a policy against which the claim is pending. can he not just keep that one?

Great thanks..... Not sure of the finer details about his other policy. I'm thinking it might have been a commercial policy (he crashed his van) and now looking for private insurance.

Caliden

Not sure of the stipulation for open driver users but on my policy the only conditions are that they are over 25 and have a full driver licence.
Would be best to ask what conditions apply to the driver using open drive as it may be a condition that they have their own policy. (not sure of this though as it defects the purpose of open drive)

No Pants

Could he not just be a named driver?

corktina

No Pants wrote: »

Could he not just be a named driver?

Not without declaring the open claim.

No Pants

corktina wrote: »

Not without declaring the open claim.

Of course.

Would that not also apply to any open drive arrangements?

Cleveland Hot Pocket

No Pants wrote: »

Of course.

Would that not also apply to any open drive arrangements?

Not usually no.

SachaJ

I think that's the issue. He mentioned to his insurance company about being a named driver on his wife's policy but they said it would be the same price (circa €1500 for a 2006 Seat Leon 1.6).

I'm passing all the info on so very much appreciated.

djimi

By adding him as a named driver they will price the policy based on the highest risk driver on the policy, so in this case it wouldnt make any difference whether he had his own policy or was a named driver as they would both work out the same.

Open driving would make the most sense, however you would need to confirm the restrictions on who can drive. Ordinarily speaking it would only be restricted by things like age, license type and maybe experience, but given that each policy is different the only way to know for sure is to ask the insurer.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

I have open drive on all my classic policies, and the only restrictions are
Age 25-70
Must have full license

And that's it.
@OP check with your insurer if there's any doubt