Question on Insurance Buying a Used Car

mimimcmc

I'm going to look at a used car on Saturday evening. I have phoned my insurance broker to see what the increase is on my insurance. They have said if I want to go ahead with it I will have to call on Friday to set it up on that car for Saturday. But I'm not sure if I'm going to be going ahead with the purchase on Saturday as it will be my first time seeing the car.

Question is: if I do purchase the car on Saturday, can I drive it away? I won't be insured. Under my current insurance I'm covered to drive any car up to 2L provided the owners consent, but technically I will be the owner so insurance company said that I won't be able to drive it. So if I go ahead with the purchase how can I take it away?

(also I'll be trading in my car so I need some car to drive away in ha:o)

bazz26

Once money changes hands then you are the owner which means you cannot drive it under the third party extension on your policy.

The way I see it you have two options:

1. Put a deposit on the car on Saturday to hold it for you and return on Monday to pay and collect it when you can ring the insurance company to transfer over your policy to the new car.

2. Ask someone else (non spouse) who has third party extension on their own insurance, to drive the car home for you. As they don't own the car then should be able to drive your new car, however if they have an accident they will only be covered third party.

By the way when ever I have traded a car for a newer one, I have never done the deal and collected the car on the same day. Usually you would find small things on the day of viewing that you would need the garage to sort out. This is why I would go view it, decide if you want to deal, get them to tidy up whatever needs tidying up and then return another day to pay and collect.

FishOnABike

Does your insurance company have an online web portal. If they have you could transfer the insurance from your current car to the new one on the spot if you decide to buy the car Saturday.

I did this last time I changed cars. Once I had signed all the paperwork I logged in to the insurance companies web portal using my phone, changed vehicle details there and then and had it all sorted to drive out of the garage within a minute or two.

hargo

Be careful with driving other cars with owners consent as that other car must have insurance in its own right.

Special Circumstances

hargo wrote: »

Be careful with driving other cars with owners consent as that other car must have insurance in its own right.

Great! I've been asking this in another thread -maybe you can help - where does it say this in the terms and conditions of your policy (what insurer?), I really need to find a policy that says your third party extension is only valid if the car is covered for irrelevant circumstances.


Bazz's option 2 is the handiest I think. In the real world.

grogi

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Great! I've been asking this in another thread -maybe you can help - where does it say this in the terms and conditions of your policy (what insurer?), I really need to find a policy that says your third party extension is only valid if the car is covered for irrelevant circumstances.


Bazz's option 2 is the handiest I think. In the real world.

I have never seen that condition as well.

mimimcmc

Thanks for your replies! I think i'll do the deposit as i'll probably need to check it over with a mechanic before purchase. Roughly, how much of a deposit is needed? Car is priced in garage at €6950 and it should drop to 6 even when I trade in my own car

bazz26

Well if your only going to initially view the car first without a mechanic then I'd tend to not put any deposit on it at all. Otherwise it could work out quite expensive putting deposits on cars that you may have trouble getting returned. I'd only put a deposit on it after a mechanic gives it the thumbs up and you are good to buy it. I'd just call ahead before bringing the mechanic to make sure the car is still available. If it is sold then you move onto the next one, plenty of fish in the sea.

dingbat

I've a similar question - adding this here so as not to clog the forum!

• Have made downpayment on our new car and we are picking it up in two weeks.
  
• I have full insurance on our present car, which we are not selling. My partner is named driver on the policy.
  
• It is likely that the new car will be put in my partner's name.
  
• How does one of us arrive at the garage and drive our new car home? Is it as simple as my partner taking out an insurance policy in their name on the new car from the date of pickup, thus permitting them to drive it (or me under Third Party via my policy on present car)?

Yours head-scratchingly,
dingbat

bazz26

dingbat wrote: »

I've a similar question - adding this here so as not to clog the forum!

• Have made downpayment on our new car and we are picking it up in two weeks.
  
• I have full insurance on our present car, which we are not selling. My partner is named driver on the policy.
  
• It is likely that the new car will be put in my partner's name.
  
• How does one of us arrive at the garage and drive our new car home? Is it as simple as my partner taking out an insurance policy in their name on the new car from the date of pickup, thus permitting them to drive it (or me under Third Party via my policy on present car)?

Yours head-scratchingly,
dingbat

If the new car is being put in your partner's name and your partner is only a named driver on your policy on a car you are keeping then he/she will need a policy of his/her own on the new car. You can always be added as a named driver on his/her policy then.