My car is out of action - can I borrow yours?
Most drivers will assume their insurance allows them to drive another car, yet the truth is they actually don’t know. I myself still have to ask when I renew mine if I am allowed to get behind the wheel of a car that isn't mine. You see, it used to be that years ago, as long as you had fully comprehensive cover on your vehicle you could drive another with third party, fire and theft cover.
Well this most certainly is not the case anymore. So what has changed?
Some insurers will now allow you to pay extra to have cover to drive another car in an emergency, but it is done on a case by case basis. This means you might not be entitled to extra cover.
Several other insurers however are just getting rid of it completely and if you think you may have to drive another car such as your spouses, no matter how brief, you need to have separate insurance on that vehicle instead.
For those young drivers out there, it is almost a guaranteed no that you will not even have the option to pay extra to drive someone else's vehicle. You will have to wait until after you turn 25 and even then, it’s not guaranteed.
You may think there is no harm in using mum, dads or spouses car to quickly nip to the shop when you have fully comp on your car anyway, but the risk is actually higher than you realise. A smile and “I thought I was covered, Officer” won’t do the job.
You’ll actually be vulnerable to getting points on your license. Find yourself caught in the wrong car with no insurance in your name for that vehicle and you will be looking at some pretty hefty points on your license which can stay there for four years.
The person who owns the car will also be at risk for points, as it is their responsibility to know who is getting behind the wheel of their car.
It will mean increased premiums in some cases, but insurers do have the right to refuse you insurance if they see the mark on your record.
The only way to stop this from happening to you is to always check with your insurers if you are covered. If you are not sure- do not take someone else’s word for it.
Well this most certainly is not the case anymore. So what has changed?
Some insurers will now allow you to pay extra to have cover to drive another car in an emergency, but it is done on a case by case basis. This means you might not be entitled to extra cover.
Several other insurers however are just getting rid of it completely and if you think you may have to drive another car such as your spouses, no matter how brief, you need to have separate insurance on that vehicle instead.
For those young drivers out there, it is almost a guaranteed no that you will not even have the option to pay extra to drive someone else's vehicle. You will have to wait until after you turn 25 and even then, it’s not guaranteed.
You may think there is no harm in using mum, dads or spouses car to quickly nip to the shop when you have fully comp on your car anyway, but the risk is actually higher than you realise. A smile and “I thought I was covered, Officer” won’t do the job.
You’ll actually be vulnerable to getting points on your license. Find yourself caught in the wrong car with no insurance in your name for that vehicle and you will be looking at some pretty hefty points on your license which can stay there for four years.
The person who owns the car will also be at risk for points, as it is their responsibility to know who is getting behind the wheel of their car.
It will mean increased premiums in some cases, but insurers do have the right to refuse you insurance if they see the mark on your record.
The only way to stop this from happening to you is to always check with your insurers if you are covered. If you are not sure- do not take someone else’s word for it.
Comments
Post a Comment