Getting a cheap tiny car to give the wife another (last?) chance to get through her test with.
I've got full no claims, and she's been a named driver for 4 years with a provisional licence, on my existing car.
Trying to minimise all costs, I want the tiddler to be insured absolutely as cheap as possible (not bothered about more than 3PO).
Before I speak to some insurers, does anybody have any preliminary advice on the pros/cons of:
1. Register keepership in her name rather than mine (e.g. can I then drive it on my existing insurance with the 'not owned by me' clause, and is my own record better protected if she has a bump?)
2. Me insure it (with zero NCD) with her as a named driver, or she insure it herself?
3. Enquire further about some "mirrored NCD on a 2nd car" I've seen mentioned
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I have no expertise at all - but I do have some limited experience.
When we got a 2nd car, my wife got some insurance quotes with myself as named driver, and then I got some quotes with her as named driver.
Despite her better accident record, the quotes I got were lower than the ones she got.
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I was in a very similar position a couple of years ago with my wife. Can't recall all the detail but we got a number of quotes (most of 'em horrid) to insure the car in her name with me as named driver and vice versa. In the end it worked out cheaper to insure the car in her name and of course she then gets the benefit of an individual NCD. We live in outer London and went for fully comp. with a restricted mileage of less than 5k. Tesco were best by a mile (although I've heard Lverpool Victoria are also v. good) and gave her a discretionary discount equivalent to my full NCD. You haven't said how old your wife is and this could make all the difference. Mrs V was either 26 or 27 at the time and being over 25 helps a lot.
Wouldn't bother with 3rd party only cover - didn't make all that much difference to the premiums in our case.
HTH.
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We had exactly the same problem several years ago. SWMBO was a named driver on my insurnace so when we insured HER car in HER name, we asked my existing insurers if they would do a deal. I don't recall the details now but eventually one company offered her 1 year's NCD. We took that and went on from there...
We always buy fully comp with a £150 excess and me as a named driver.. seems to be reasonably cheap..
I will not tell her age.. death by 1,000 cuts would be preferable to my fate if I do:-)
madf
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I would insure it in your name, preferably with the same insurer as your existing car, state that she is a driver, state that she will be the main driver when she passes her test. Ideally the car should be registered in your name, but it usually doesn't matter much between husband and wife. [Do be slightly aware that if you're not married you should make it very clear that you are partners rather than friends]
I would expect you to get a policy in your name, rated on her but with a discount reflective of your claims experience.
If your insurer don't co-operate, then try other insurers. Typically the mainstream ones are good at this sort of stuff - Norwich Union, Direct Line, etc. etc.
Don't mess around with the DOC extension on your insurance, excluding you from the policy would make it more expensive, not less.
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Who's the main driver of this car ?
I sometimes have trouble with this question - if it's in miles, then the answer is easy - it's me. If it's done on number of trips, then it's difficult to judge - and subject to change !
Personally, I'd put the car in her name, with insurance in her name and her as the main driver - isn't that why you bought the car ?
Insurance premiums do not follow any logic; but you do sign a legal contract, so I would recommend keeping it strictly honest and straight forward.
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There is nothing wrong with registering it in your name. This would be true even if you were nto married, but since you are it is zero issue.
But you must be honest about who is the main user, and if in doubt say that and give details of both.
Always in writing if there is anything, anything at all, non-standard.
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Yes, iffy about who the main driver really is: I might use it to commute; she would only use it while I'm teaching her, unless she possibly got someone else to accompany her while I was at work... That's not likely though.
Does she count as the main driver if she only ever drove it while having a lesson, but racked up more miles than I did commuting in it sometimes? I suppose she could - people could operate like that for years - being a perfectly good driver but only ever having a provisional licence. Not really thought about that before...
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Insurances companies are not that bothered about the infinite detail of which spouse is the main user. They will almost certainly rate it on the worse risk, whover you nominate as the main user.
Also, if you state that the main driver is someone with no full licence and only 4 years learner experience, and then the main driver turns out to be someone with a full licence and 10 years experience, then the insurers have no room to manouver. Failing to disclose an improvement in a risk profile might be dumb, but its not against the rules.
To get blinking minded or difficult about a non-disclosure an insurer has to show that had they known that fact then it woudl have changed how they dealt with the risk in terms of premium, excess, Ts&Cs including restrictions or even in acceptance of the risk. An improvement in the risk (licenced and experienced versus not) would never fulfil those criteria.
The commuting does throw a slightly different spin into it. Again rarely a coverage issue since most insurers will allow to and from for either spouse. However, it does cast a sufficient shadow on how the vehicle will be used that I would be very sure to disclose it.
And as I always say, if its non-standard, do it in writing.
Again, doing the insurance in your name will give you the best chance of the best introductory discount, naming your wife as the main user will, with many insurers, not harm your intro discount and although it will be rated on her, it probably isn't that much more than rating it on you - something like 10% for the lack of UK Full licence.
These days its very relaxed (comapratively) when talking of spouses. It is quite different for friends, parents & children and other relatives.
THe intention of "main driver" is to identify who is usually driving the vehicle. Now, whether that should be judged by miles or hours is a difficult point. Its usually clear, but if in doubt always tell the whole situation.
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