Driving uninsured car on own insurance

johnb25

Can you legally drive a car that is not insured if you have extension to drive other cars on your own policy?

Relative no longer drives but still has car. Can the family use it occasionally, using the third party cover from our own policies?

Thanks.

Dial Hard

It depends on the insurer. Some require the other car to be insured in its own right, some don't. Anyone driving it needs to check their own policy.

Ask your insurance company

Effects

Depends on what your policy says. Most will stipulate the other car must be insured by someone else.

People used to have some loophole years ago, where they would buy and insure a slow POS, and then drive a more powerful car using the method you described. But I believe that's closed off these days.

mikeecho

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058242565/driving-uninsured-car-on-own-insurance

You'll have to ask your insurance provider for a definite answer.

And get it in writing.

coylemj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118952262#Comment_118952262

Not 'most', though it's probably headed that way. Last time I checked, Aviva, Liberty and Zurich had that condition so if the OP is insured with one of those, he is definitely not covered under his 'driving other cars' clause if the car has no policy of it's own.

For any other insurer, check the current policy document.

OP said the car is owned by a 'relative'. Even if your insurer doesn't insist that there is a policy in force for the car, a lot of policies have an exclusion on driving a car that is owned by your spouse or child or someone living in your household so that needs to be checked as well.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118952262#Comment_118952262

It hasn't covered cars you beneficially own (e.g. maintain and have sole use of even if its in someone elses name) for decades if ever.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956400#Comment_118956400

But theres nothing to prove that you are the sole user, and its perfectly fine if you get stopped or go through a checkpoint. The car is taxed and registered to someone else and you are borrowing the car. I’m sure questions will be asked if you were to crash but thats the risk people were/are willing to take.

antodeco

Also just double check. Some people confuse "open drive" with "driving other cars"

coylemj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957022#Comment_118957022

Yes, that confusion arises in conversation and sometimes on boards but there's no ambiguity in this thread - the OP specifically referred to an 'extension to drive other cars'.

blackbox

A car is supposed to be insured if it is in a public place.

Assuming you are insured to drive it, it will not be insured if you leave it on the street. Unlikely to be an issue, but you never know.

coylemj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957338#Comment_118957338

It's supposed to display an insurance disc. When you say 'it will not be insured if you leave it on the street', what exactly do you mean? It's not insured against what event?

alias no.9

Talk to your insurer, when a relative passed away, another family member was a named driver on their policy and the insurance company agreed that the policy could stay active until the end date, covering that driver but no changes would be permitted.

I was asked to sell the car but would have needed to bring it to my own house to do so. I queried my insurer if I was ok to drive it on my police given that the registered owner wasn't in a position to give permission. They said no problem as long as I had permission from the executors but that the existing policy would have to be cancelled first. The family obviously wasted to maintain cover for fire and theft, etc... so had to make alternative arrangements.

There is simply no consistency from company to company.

blackbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957907#Comment_118957907

Potentially it could roll down a hill and cause damage or injury - as a hypothetical example.

DaveyDave

I'm assuming this would be in the small print as any insurance I've had said I can drive any car with the owners permission. No asterisk, limited to 2 litre etc.

I know not having an insurance disc is still an issue though.

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958597#Comment_118958597

The person driving would still be insured in that case. The vehicle is in their care

mikeecho

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963865#Comment_118963865

I'm afraid you're wrong.

If the car isn't being driven, other factors take effect.

Example. Car 1 is parked in a public area.

Car 1 catches fire, and damages car 2 and 3, which were parked on either side.

Car 2 had 3rdparty f&t.

Car 3 had 3rd party only

Who's responsible for the damage to car 2 & 3

Answer.

Car 2, will claim off their own insurance

Car 3, will whistle Dixie.

Don't believe me. Ask your insurance company.

I have seen that exact synario play out.

As for the car rolling down the hill, extended driving, usually only covers 3rd party... While being driven.

Once that car is parked up .. it ain't covered

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119007854#Comment_119007854

I have and it was as I described in my experience.

TheW1zard

My insurance policy has 'open drive'. It states i am insured to drive any other car.

I drive a second car which is in my wifes name using this and tax it using my insurance details.

Insurance company have verified I am insured as I rang to check!

vandriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008699#Comment_119008699

Did you tell them who owned the car?

And btw,it not open drive.That's a different thing altogether.

TheW1zard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119009926#Comment_119009926

The stipulations are I cant own it, it needs to be road worthy and taxed and its 3rd party only.

Its all in the wording of your policy.

freddyuk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008699#Comment_119008699

You don't have an insurable interest in your wife's car so your cover is simply liability not any physical loss or damage. If you have an accident you have to pay. I believe that is correct. If you are a named driver on your wife's policy you have full cover. That would not be expensive.

You are taxing your wife's car using your insurance details so are you actually saying your wife's car is not insured by her but you drive it so it has no insurance of it's own? Am I getting that right or am I missing something? Sorry for being thick.

vandriver

'You don't have an insurable interest in your wife's car'

Insurance companies let you insure your spouse's car precisely because you do have an insurable interest.

whomitconcerns

Well that's not what open drive is....

Open drive=your policy covers anyone (within stipulations) to drive your car

3rd party extension=your policy covers you to drive other cars, subject to stipulations.

And Wizard.. It would be a rare policy (if at all) that would allow your 3rd party extension to be used on your wife's car, on which you would definitely have an insurable interest.

TheW1zard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119010944#Comment_119010944

Just to clarify, I'm talking about a 3rd car, my wife has her own car which I also drive. The 3rd car is just used for fun. All verified by insurer. And yes it's not open drive as you say

whomitconcerns

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119017883#Comment_119017883

I would be making sure that's in writing. What your saying is that you are using 3rd party extension to drive a car owned (and presumably insured) by your wife.

This would not normally be allowed as you would have an insurable interest in your wife's car. As you could suffer financial loss should their be an accident.

Would it not be better to get added as a named driver to the policy that exists on the car, if there is one?

mikeecho

My experience (through work) with dealing with insurance companies, is that when they are contacted with a query regarding coverage, their first question is.

Is there a claim/has there been an accident.

If my answer is No. Then they will tell you that you are covered.

If my answer is yes or maybe, then they say that they will have to look into it.

TheW1zard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119019152#Comment_119019152

I drive my own car, She drives hers, were both named drivers on each others cars.

I was talking about a 3rd car, which is a sports car, which I tax and nct. The insurance i use to drive this car is under my own insurance.

My policy states I can drive any car 3rd party as long as its taxed, nctd and not owned by me. (Wifes name on log book)

Rang the insurance company to double check and all ok.

Hope this helps OP!

Red Silurian

Have a look at your policy, unless it specifically states the other car needs to be insured in somebody else's name you're fine... One thing though is the car can't be in your name

Henry Ford III

Motor insurance forum?