why doesn't the UK change to the system used in all European countries where it's the vehicle that is insured not the driver?

The system here worked well when fully comp insurance included driving other cars third party - but it's been abused so much insurers now won't add the driving other cars except to the very best risks.

Do you actually realise how much the third party element would cost if we changed to insuring all cars for ANY driver ?

Could you tell me which European country insures cars and not drivers I would be pleased to know.It certainly is not Germany(I live there)not France,Holland,Italy or Switzerland.

The insurance in Europe works more or less the same as the UK ,the OP failed the basic checks thats all.

You got that wrong about the insurance in the EU - I live in France and I can tell you that it IS the vehicle that is insured, I've got four vehicles so I should know. A valid insurance vignette(a green ticket) has to be displayed in the windscreen showing that the vehicle is insured at least to the minimum third-party level .Even if it gets nicked it's still insured. All vehicles have to be insured 24/7/365. Get caught without insurance over here and you will be looking at the world through a small window with iron bars over it.

All driving documents have to carried with you all the time, licence, registration, french mot cert and insurance cert.

Could you tell me which European country insures cars and not drivers I would be pleased to know.It certainly is not Germany(I live there)not France,Holland,Italy or Switzerland.

Austria. Insurance is in my name, but anyone can drive the insured vehicle. In addition, I can own a second vehicle, insure that, only pay road tax once (on the vehicle that has the highest rate of tax) and use the same registration plates on either vehicle. Because I would only have one set of plates, only one could legally be on the road at any one time.

She should be insured third party - indeed technically she is - insurance companies try to illegally remove your right to drive other vehicles and then sell it to you as an extra. Third party insurance covers the driver NOT the car – I don't care what insurance brokers or companies say – this is the way the law in the UK works. The fully comp part of the insurance is obviously an add-on which is fully at the whim of the insurance company and their small-print – third party cover isn't.

That's complete baloney - the cover is whatever's documented - specifically the car(s) covered and the use(s) to which the vehicle is being put.

Sounds like your typical woman stops at an empty roundabout and then looks to see if some thing’s coming then gets collected by man who glanced over whilst approaching the roundabout and spotted it's safe to proceed without stopping – one of the most common accidents on the road – 90% of roundabout accidents are men hitting women up the rear because she stopped unnecessarily.

I would very much like to see some statistics covering this phenomenon.

Sounds like your typical woman stops at an empty roundabout and then looks to see if some thing’s coming then gets collected by man who glanced over whilst approaching the roundabout and spotted it's safe to proceed without stopping – one of the most common accidents on the road – 90% of roundabout accidents are men hitting women up the rear because she stopped unnecessarily.

So, let me get this clear.

Stopping to make sure that the way ahead is clear is a "bad" thing.

Glancing to see that your anticipated route is clear whilst not looking to see if your current route is clear is a "good" thing.

Any idea how the 90% of accidents you refer to involve transgenders?

Rear ending women always ends in tears....

"Yet another quality and totally relevant comment from Brum."

Sarcasm, I assume. For goodness' sake lighten up. It was an amusing comment which lightened the tone in an otherwise po-faced debate.

In dubious taste, certainly, but I liked it.

Edited by FP on 24/08/2013 at 14:52

Your partner should report the incident to her insurer, but state that no action is required from them.

So your partner rings her insurance company and tell them she has had an accident in a car she was not insurred to drive but then she tells them she don't actually want them to do anything.

How will that work or am missing something. If she is not insurred what would they possibly propose doing.