Tow car insurance

[jdk62]

Do you have to tell your insurance company if you have a car converted for A frame towing?

If so, has anybody had trouble getting insurance?

Thanks

 

[bigtwin]

Of course you do!

Never had any trouble.

Ian

 

[pandas]

yes you do and ditto no problems but they might ask for more details and need to check with their broker

 

[Cheshirecat57]

I have informed both car and MoHo insurer
Neither have added premium or restricted cover
Car = Aviva MoHo= Comfort (Aviva)

 

[jdk62]

yes you do and ditto no problems but they might ask for more details and need to check with their broker

Thanks

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[jdk62]

I have informed both car and MoHo insurer
Neither have added premium or restricted cover
Car = Aviva MoHo= Comfort (Aviva)

Thanks

 

[Mikey RV]

Bringing this thread to light again as our toad insurance is due. Asked if any modifications. We told them it’s been adapted to take an A frame for towing behind the motorhome. They said car is insured but not while being towed, so looks like we will have to find another insurer for the toad.

They just got back to us and said car is covered third party only when on A frame. Anyone have any views on this or experience with their insurance company’s. I think some peaple may need to look at the small print.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

see my post #4

 

[pappajohn]

3rd party cover while hitched is standard cover but fully comp..... Good luck finding an insurer for that.
My MH and toad (for road use) were with NFU and they covered the toad for own damage to £1000 at no extra cost as standard trailer cover under the MH insurance.
Covered all trailers except caravans and livestock trailers.

£1000 was fine for me....the car wasn't worth that much.

 

[Pausim]

I have my motorhome and toad on a joint policy with NFU but I doubt the car is comprehensively covered whilst being towed. It is a risk I am prepared to live with. Notifying the insurance company that the car is used as a toad does not extend the cover, it is just to get the ok for the modification.

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[pappajohn]

I have my motorhome and toad on a joint policy with NFU but I doubt the car is comprehensively covered whilst being towed. It is a risk I am prepared to live with. Notifying the insurance company that the car is used as a toad does not extend the cover, it is just to get the ok for the modification.

Ask at your local office, unless their policy has changed it will be the same as mine was.
Your car will be covered for £1000 own damage and theft while hitched.

 

[Emmit]

Bringing this thread to light again as our toad insurance is due. Asked if any modifications. We told them it’s been adapted to take an A frame for towing behind the motorhome. They said car is insured but not while being towed, so looks like we will have to find another insurer for the toad.

They just got back to us and said car is covered third party only when on A frame. Anyone have any views on this or experience with their insurance company’s. I think some peaple may need to look at the small print.

I'm not doubting that the Insurance Co. have restricted the cover that your toad is given but, are you sure that they are saying that the car has NO Insurance when it is being towed.
I could envisage that they restrict the toad to third party cover only, but no Insurance whatsoever.
The application of such a restriction would be almost impossible to delineate.

 

[gus-lopez]

I'm not doubting that the Insurance Co. have restricted the cover that your toad is given but, are you sure that they are saying that the car has NO Insurance when it is being towed.
I could envisage that they restrict the toad to third party cover only, but no Insurance whatsoever.
The application of such a restriction would be almost impossible to delineate.

It would be classed the same as a trailer when hooked up. Covered for 3rd parties damage only.

 

[Pausim]

I'm not doubting that the Insurance Co. have restricted the cover that your toad is given but, are you sure that they are saying that the car has NO Insurance when it is being towed.
I could envisage that they restrict the toad to third party cover only, but no Insurance whatsoever.
The application of such a restriction would be almost impossible to delineate.

The third party cover of the toad is provided by the insurance of the towing vehicle. When a toad is attached to a motorhome it ceases to be a car and becomes a trailer.

 

[Emmit]

Whilst I cannot disagree with your thought regarding the Insurance of the Motorhome covering the toad, as far as the law is concerned, that toad is a motor vehicle for Road Traffic Act legislation, ie it is a mechanically propelled vehicle intended for use on a road. The mere fact that the tugger of said lump uses it at the time as a trailer does not diminish the fact that it is a motor vehicle as defined.
Even if the engine was to be taken out of the toad, it would remain a motor vehicle, (Case Law).
I'll go further, said toad has to have an MOT, (if applicable) and all it's equipment needs to work.

The reason that we are allowed to use a motor vehicle as a toad is because, like many things, the Law in the UK is couched in a manner as to cause obfuscation and fudge.

Go onto the Continent and they phrase their Laws differently. They say. You cannot etc. Over here they say, "If you do this this and that, you commit an offence"

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[Doctor Dave]

When I had my motorhome I had the toad insured with the same insurance company as the MH. My broker found a company that would insure the car fully comp whilst being towed on an A-frame.

If anyone is interested I was insured through Advance Insurance of Westbury Wiltshire.

Dave

 

[Mikey RV]

I'm not doubting that the Insurance Co. have restricted the cover that your toad is given but, are you sure that they are saying that the car has NO Insurance when it is being towed.
I could envisage that they restrict the toad to third party cover only, but no Insurance whatsoever.
The application of such a restriction would be almost impossible to delineate.

They got back to us to tell us, yes you are insured but only third party when towing.

 

[Pausim]

Whilst I cannot disagree with your thought regarding the Insurance of the Motorhome covering the toad, as far as the law is concerned, that toad is a motor vehicle for Road Traffic Act legislation, ie it is a mechanically propelled vehicle intended for use on a road. The mere fact that the tugger of said lump uses it at the time as a trailer does not diminish the fact that it is a motor vehicle as defined.
Even if the engine was to be taken out of the toad, it would remain a motor vehicle, (Case Law).
I'll go further, said toad has to have an MOT, (if applicable) and all it's equipment needs to work.

The reason that we are allowed to use a motor vehicle as a toad is because, like many things, the Law in the UK is couched in a manner as to cause obfuscation and fudge.

Go onto the Continent and they phrase their Laws differently. They say. You cannot etc. Over here they say, "If you do this this and that, you commit an offence"

The DfT says:
When an "A" frame is attached to a vehicle (e.g. a motor car) and towed by a motor vehicle (e.g. motorhome) we believe the "A" frame and car become a single unit and as such are classified in legislation as a trailer.

Although their advice includes “we believe” until a Court says they are wrong this is the official UK Government position. When a car is being towed it no longer displays its own registration number but the one of the towing vehicle. Yes it is still a motor vehicle but in the UK it is currently treated as a trailer when towed on an “A” frame.

 

[Emmit]

The DfT says:
When an "A" frame is attached to a vehicle (e.g. a motor car) and towed by a motor vehicle (e.g. motorhome) we believe the "A" frame and car become a single unit and as such are classified in legislation as a trailer.

Although their advice includes “we believe” until a Court says they are wrong this is the official UK Government position. When a car is being towed it no longer displays its own registration number but the one of the towing vehicle. Yes it is still a motor vehicle but in the UK it is currently treated as a trailer when towed on an “A” frame.

Thats what I said.
The Law is fudged, and it is advice only.
There isn't Case Law (Law that has been agreed by the highest Courts and taken as 'Good' Law re what is and isn't a motor vehicle). There Isn't Case Law that says a motor vehicle becomes a trailer with the addition of a draw bar and put on the back of another motor vehicle.

In these cash strapped times no one is going to get to Court on this one.
The only winners would be the Law firms, aka Parliamentarians. Oh! Yes! and the A Frame manufacturers and sellers.

 

[Pausim]

Thats what I said.
The Law is fudged, and it is advice only.
There isn't Case Law (Law that has been agreed by the highest Courts and taken as 'Good' Law re what is and isn't a motor vehicle). There Isn't Case Law that says a motor vehicle becomes a trailer with the addition of a draw bar and put on the back of another motor vehicle.

In these cash strapped times no one is going to get to Court on this one.
The only winners would be the Law firms, aka Parliamentarians. Oh! Yes! and the A Frame manufacturers and sellers.

I don’t think it is particularly fudged. I believe the presumption in English law is that something is legal unless there is law to say otherwise (statute, common law and case law). I guess the DfT have not found anything to say it is not legal and until someone does this is the official Government position.

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[Emmit]

I don’t think it is particularly fudged. I believe the presumption in English law is that something is legal unless there is law to say otherwise (statute, common law and case law). I guess the DfT have not found anything to say it is not legal and until someone does this is the official Government position.

My final say on this
The Government is not the Law (unless the Law has been tested)
The Judiciary are the Law. Advice is just that, Advice.

 

[Pausim]

My final say on this
The Government is not the Law (unless the Law has been tested)
The Judiciary are the Law. Advice is just that, Advice.

The Judiciary interpret laws but they are only one part of the system and not the part that makes them.

 

[Geo]

déjà vu

 

[Bobd]

4 years back Caravan guard refused to insure my m/h because I told them I pulled a car on an a-frame. They said this was a new instruction from their underwriters.
I stayed with my old insurer, but was concerned other insurers would follow suit.
If I had took the attitude of not informing the insurer, no doubt they would have wriggled out of any possible claim

 

[Ivor Lock]

Caravan Club insurance treats the towed vehicle as a trailer, and ,providing there is a sign in the rear window showing two triangles i.e trailer markings ,the police are quite happy. The towed vehicle has to have its own insurance when not being towed.

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