[Drivingforfun]

My insurance covers me to drive other cars but only my liability to the 3rd party. I sometimes drive other peoples cars but am concerned as obviously would be obliged to pay for any repairs if the worst happened.

I remember reading about some kind of insurance policy that you can take out that covers whatever car you are driving - ie it supplements the 3rd party cover and will pay out (usually to a maximum ie £25,000) for the car I was driving but I can’t seem to find anything related to it

All I can find is a “drive any car” insurance policy that does what it says however this is a fully comprehensive policy with the inevitable cost, is there such a thing as a policy that simply supplements the third party cover you already get?

Thanks if anyone can help!

[Snowball]

It is easy to understand why the insurers only cover third party when you drive someone else car. They don't know its type or its roadworthiness, so it is a concession with strings attached - if the worst happens, third parties are protected and the rest is the driver's and car owner's problem.
Personally, I would only drive someone else's car, or allow them to drive mine, in an emergency and if there was no other alternative. What others do is obviously up to them, but I work on the Sod's Law principle and keep things simple.

[Santa]

Many years ago, I had a policy that allowed anyone over 25 to drive my car, but a policy that allows the holder to drive other cars would be pretty rare. As Snowball says, this would open them up to an unquantifiable risk. It would be open to abuse too as you could take out cover on a Fiesta and then drive around in daddy's Porsche.

[dacouch]

Adrian Flux offer it.

[Drivingforfun]

I’ll check Adrian Flux out thanks

I appreciate there is the extra risk and room for abuse, but I believe that was what the claim limit was for. I don’t think it would be viable for a new driver to abuse it by only covering themselves third party as I discovered it’s often more expensive for a new driver to insure a cheap car as third party than fully comp (they obviously cottoned on to someone with a cheap car insuring for third party only is likely not to drive it carefully)

In a fair and honest world would shoulder the risk myself and if I had an accident I would only have myself to blame. But sadly we all know if someone hits us the other person isn’t always honest and insurance companies don’t always see things the same was as a rational human!

[Snowball]

Originally Posted by dacouch

Adrian Flux offer it.

Hadn't thought of them - I've had my home and contents insurance with them for several years. Went on their website and got a quote - considerably dearer than Admiral or Tesco Bank or LVE.

I have had it suggested that my Caravelle having seven seats is a problem causing cost. Fact is that 90% of the time there will only be two of us in the vehicle, with the two second row seats only being occupied on rare occasions.
I had considered having the rear 3-seater assembly removed, but changed my mind for the following reasons:
(a) this assembly is heavy and, being an expensive part of the vehicle would have to be carefully stored for replacing in the event of the vehicle being sold.
(b) one opinion I received, and which seemed sensible, is that this seat assembly is a valuable second wall in the event of being rammed from the rear.
Someone did suggest that I should have gone for the VW California camper van, which is built on the same base vehicle, but on a like-for-like basis (engine/transmission, year, etc.) I would be looking at around another £10,000. Definitely not an option!

[Santa]

Taking the seats out is not sufficient to change the class of the car. The V5c says it is a seven seater and you would have to prove that the change was permanent to get it changed. My nephew has just done this with a 16-seater minibus; changing it to a seven-seater.

I guess that an insurer has to allow for the possibility of a large claim related to a higher than average number of people in the car.

[Snowball]

I can appreciate your point, Santa, but in their request for info when obtaining a quote, there is always the question if whether a vehicle has been modified from the manufacturer's specification, and is not dependent on the V5 being changed. The sticking point is probably insurers distrusting policyholders to abide by what they have stated, along with their proposal forms fitting a set pattern over one's latest 5 years of driving records. Of course, not bothering with longer good records does give insurers scope to limit the amounts of discount given. In my early years of driving, insurers and their underwriters did have the facility to tailor a policy and premium more in line with the proposer's driving record than happens today.