Insurance for Learner Drivers

annemarieR

Are unaccompanied Learner drivers covered if they have their own insurance policy?

coylemj

For third party, yes. The insurance would probably be able to deny a claim for damage to the learner's car under fully comp. cover if there was no qualified driver on board. But they'd have to pay a third party claim meaning that the driver would have the legal minimum insurance cover when driving unaccompanied.

Insurance companies have a habit of including all sorts of conditions into policies that are unenforceable, like that your car has to be taxed and have a valid NCT or they won'y pay out. Almost none of them have any legal effect.

annemarieR

Thanks for taking the time to explain that to me. Very much appreciated

Cows Go µ

Aviva have it stated specifically in their policy booklet that the learner must be accompanied:

"Any learner permit holder whose driving is covered by the terms of the certificate must specifically comply with the requirement to be accompanied at all times by a full driving licence holder while the learner permit holder is driving. The learner permit holder must comply with all restrictions, conditions and limits of their learner permit as prescribed by the Road Traffic Acts and any other regulations, which apply to such learner permit holders while driving"

http://www.aviva.ie/media-library/MotorCare%20Policy%20Booklet.pdf

They will pay out any third party claims (because they don't have a choice in that) however can seek to recover the costs from the policy holder.

coylemj

Cows Go µ wrote: »

They will pay out any third party claims (because they don't have a choice in that) however can seek to recover the costs from the policy holder.

That's the theory. In practice they know that a learner driver is going to own sod all assets so they will pay the TP claim and lump it. If they 'seek to recover the costs' (of a TP claim) from a learner driver it would be a classic case of throwing good money after bad.

Like I said, most of the conditions that insurers put into their policies are unenforceable when it comes to honouring TP cover.

Cows Go µ

coylemj wrote: »

That's the theory. In practice they know that a learner driver is going to own sod all assets so they will pay the TP claim and lump it. If they 'seek to recover the costs' (of a TP claim) from a learner driver it would be a classic case of throwing good money after bad.

Like I said, most of the conditions that insurers put into their policies are unenforceable when it comes to honouring TP cover.

I have seen cases where they have chased it though I wasn't involved myself. I think they may have been chasing the policy holder so the parent who actually has money but I could be wrong

coylemj

Cows Go µ wrote: »

I have seen cases where they have chased it though I wasn't involved myself. I think they may have been chasing the policy holder so the parent who actually has money but I could be wrong

+1 that makes sense. In law the vehicle owner is ultimately liable plus the learner driver was probably a named driver on the owner's policy so the owner of the car would be a valid target for the insurance co. to chase.

biko

Don't drive and do bad things