Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly!

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Sun 29 Nov 2015 10:24
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - oldroverboy.

A friend of swmbo who is very comfortably off leased a Mercedes C class for £400 ish a month and insured it and then let her 18 year old son take it to school one day.

He was involved in a collision and deemed to be at fault, but the insurance company are declining to pay for the damage to the mercedes as she had not taken out the appropriate cover.

Apparently she was silly (or stupid) enough not to correctly insure him to drive, and has a very expensive repair to take care of and the lease to continue paying.

I went through things doing an "honest" quote using alternative names and she saved a fairbit doing what she did.

Just to save a few bob...

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 11:08
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - Falkirk Bairn

20+ years ago a school pal of my son wrote-off a CL - the car was nigh on new and the father ran a small chain of Insurance Broker offices - the can was uninsured for the boy driving!!! Clipped the side of the road on the left and ran down a small embankment on the right - nobody hurt apart from pride (& dad's wallet)

Company car, any employee, any driver etc etc.........restriction was drivers had to be over 21! He was 20.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 15:42
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - Engineer Andy

I'm surprised that the authorities haven't got involved - an ex-colleague of mine suffered from a similar incident about 15 years ago when he lent his car (only insured for him) to his son, who then had a small, but at-fault accident - as a result, the father got 6 points for letting his son drive the car without insurance (I can't remember what penalty the son got - probably than and a fine) - he was lucky to still have his licence as he had already accumulated 5 points previously.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 16:43
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - oldroverboy.

I am actually surprised (not really) that in the UK it is only the driver insured,

If i visit friends in europe canada or the USA i can legally drive any vehicle as long as i have my driving licence with me.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 17:01
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - jc2

In the EU both "Owner only driving" and "Named drivers" are availablr tho' not common.I presume brokers discourage this form as it reduces their earnings.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 17:02
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - Engineer Andy

I remember reading that in Oz they have a system whereby everyone is (through a government scheme) at least third party insured for any car. Problem is that surely doesn't encourage people to drive responsibly in our people's/company's vehicles, so careful people pay (through their taxes) for idiots.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 17:07
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - jc2

I am actually surprised (not really) that in the UK it is only the driver insured,

If i visit friends in europe canada or the USA i can legally drive any vehicle as long as i have my driving licence with me.

Still wouldn't cover underage drivers.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 17:42
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - jc2

I am actually surprised (not really) that in the UK it is only the driver insured,

If i visit friends in europe canada or the USA i can legally drive any vehicle as long as i have my driving licence with me.

Still wouldn't cover underage drivers.

Can you?There are normally restrictions on age(both minimum & maximum) and on driving history(clean license).Have you read the small print(T & C)?And it is likely your cover would be third party only.

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Sun 29 Nov 2015 18:03
Idiot? - Not insuring the car properly! - oldroverboy.

Can you?

There are normally restrictions on age(both minimum & maximum) and on driving history(clean license).Have you read the small print(T & C)?And it is likely your cover would be third party only.

As we say, Yes I can! In the uk my insurance specifically states that I may drive any other vehicle with the owners consent TP.

I still drive cars from my former Employer in switzerland on trade plates too, when doing something for him, and if I ask for a loan vehicle on regular (swiss) licence plates I am covered, as well as using my ex's car (occasionally) and friends cars. Same applies with friends in France.

Last time I was in Toronto a garage offered to let me have a car for a test drive for 24 hours just on the basis that I had a valid licence and yes they checked! (i add there that I an known to them)

BUT...... ALWAYS check.

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