Not that easy to do!

[Sapper520]

This hasn’t been an easy task, I thought it would be easy.

It’s our first Motorhome so wanted to get things right. I’ve had Insurance companies/ Brokers looking at my house on Google Earth to decide if I’m parking it on the road or my drive.

To access the drive on my property, there is a council owned piece of grass with a tarmac drive through it to my house. There is a footpath between this piece of tarmac and my gates. I’ve measured the 6 metres where the van will be parked and there’s no obstruction of the footpath and no overhang onto the road.

However, I can only get it insured as parked on the road as I don’t own that piece of driveway. Fine, but one of the big companies only insures up to £35k when ‘parked on a road’.

Anyway, AiB gave me a ring and we’re very helpful.......quoted as if it was parked on the road, policy with everything I wanted, came in the cheapest ( by far) of 6 I spoke too. Job done for 12 months.

Be aware, all the companies I spoke too looked at my house on Google Earth.

 

[Minxy]

This hasn’t been an easy task, I thought it would be easy.

It’s our first Motorhome so wanted to get things right. I’ve had Insurance companies/ Brokers looking at my house on Google Earth to decide if I’m parking it on the road or my drive.

To access the drive on my property, there is a council owned piece of grass with a tarmac drive through it to my house. There is a footpath between this piece of tarmac and my gates. I’ve measured the 6 metres where the van will be parked and there’s no obstruction of the footpath and no overhang onto the road.

However, I can only get it insured as parked on the road as I don’t own that piece of driveway. Fine, but one of the big companies only insures up to £35k when ‘parked on a road’.

Anyway, AiB gave me a ring and we’re very helpful.......quoted as if it was parked on the road, policy with everything I wanted, came in the cheapest ( by far) of 6 I spoke too. Job done for 12 months.

Be aware, all the companies I spoke too looked at my house on Google Earth.

When you say there's no obstruction to the footpath, does the MH actually overlaps it? If so then that's probably why it's not classed as being on your own drive, ie totally on private property. Regardless of your belief that it's not causing an obstruction if it does overlap the footpath at all and you upset any neighbours you can expect a letter from the council unfortunately.

 

[Sapper520]

It won’t cause an obstruction or overlap the footpath. Where it will be parked is off the road but not part of my property. Therefore.....on the road, but off the road.

 

[GSD]

Insurance Language can be surprisingly loose. If you say that you park your van "at your house", say Larchville, 999 Acacia Avenue, Bognorville" by implication that address implies what you own and excludes what you do not own. So Larchville may have a driveway, acres of landscaped grounds, a garage, or it may just have a small piece of ground adjacent to the pavement/verge/public road. The point seems to be that you must be parking on what you own, that is entirely on what you own or in English lawyerspeak, within your demise. "Demise" in this context has nothing to do with end of life and just means "the land (and buildings) comprised in your title". So its actually quite simple really.

 

[Sapper520]

Unfortunately, when it comes to insurance (motor insurance of any sort) they have no leeway when it comes to where your vehicle is parked. They have a list of excepted places, and that’s it.

I’m covered as if I’m parking it on the road, parallel to the kerb. Don’t fall out with their definition of ‘on the road’, but it won’t be parked on the road. All I wanted to ensure was that I was covered.

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[Minxy]

It won’t cause an obstruction or overlap the footpath. Where it will be parked is off the road but not part of my property. Therefore.....on the road, but off the road.

Ah, I get it now, its as follows:

Road | grass with tarmac drive | footpath | your home

So in effect your MH is on the 'tarmac island', ie in a public place, hence why it can't be covered as on your own private drive as you don't own the 'island', you just have a right to park on it and use it to get to your drive.

 

[Minxy]

Unfortunately, when it comes to insurance (motor insurance of any sort) they have no leeway when it comes to where your vehicle is parked. They have a list of excepted places, and that’s it.

I’m covered as if I’m parking it on the road, parallel to the kerb. Don’t fall out with their definition of ‘on the road’, but it won’t be parked on the road. All I wanted to ensure was that I was covered.

Whilst we take literally the term 'being parked on the road' what in reality it seems to mean is on a publicly accessible area rather than a private area within the curtilage of your home.