Unusual Policy Restriction

[pilchard]

I have just been in touch with my motorhome insurer “ Comfort Insurance” who says that my fully comp insurance does not allow me to drive a motorhome not owned by me, but I can if it were a car..
I only asked them about this as we are currently in the process of selling our motorhome and buying another from a private seller.
It just so happens that this private seller has this motorhome off road uninsured and that’s why I contacted my insurer.
I was really surprised that I was told this that I can only test drive a car but not a motorhome because….. that motorhome may exceed my licence if it was more than 3500 kg. The fact is that I have still retained my licence to drive larger vehicles but this made no difference to them.
Does anyone else have this exclusion on their policy?
John

 

[rb62]

As the seller has insurance they should be able to add a person for a day (that's what we did when selling our van) providing the van has MOT & tax. Failing that there's,

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[lorger]

As the seller has insurance they should be able to add a person for a day (that's what we did when selling our van) providing the van has MOT & tax. Failing that there's,

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The op says the seller has it off road and uninsured.

 

[VXman]

The op says the seller has it off road and uninsured.

I hope it is well secured if it is uninsured.

 

[Bill-H]

Even if your insurance allowed you to drive another motorhome, as you say it isn't insured by the owner - you wouldn't be allowed to drive it anyway. Driving vehicles not owned by you, they must already be insured by the owner.

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[Ian_H]

I have just been in touch with my motorhome insurer “ Comfort Insurance” who says that my fully comp insurance does not allow me to drive a motorhome not owned by me, but I can if it were a car..
I only asked them about this as we are currently in the process of selling our motorhome and buying another from a private seller.
It just so happens that this private seller has this motorhome off road uninsured and that’s why I contacted my insurer.
I was really surprised that I was told this that I can only test drive a car but not a motorhome because….. that motorhome may exceed my licence if it was more than 3500 kg. The fact is that I have still retained my licence to drive larger vehicles but this made no difference to them.
Does anyone else have this exclusion on their policy?
John

Yes, cars only with NFU (3rd party only). I think this is relatively good, most policies do not cover you 3rd party even for cars.

 

[pilchard]

Even if your insurance allowed you to drive another motorhome, as you say it isn't insured by the owner - you wouldn't be allowed to drive it anyway. Driving vehicles not owned by you, they must already be insured by the owner.

Yes that’s quite true.

 

[pilchard]

As the seller has insurance they should be able to add a person for a day (that's what we did when selling our van) providing the van has MOT & tax. Failing that there's,

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Thanks for the link to dayinsure. Could be handy.
The other problem we have is the guy has let the road tax lapse too. He’s an old guy that has had to give up motor-homing due to ill-health. I can therefore excuse a little confusion but he obviously isn’t thinking straight. He re-MOTd it in late May this year but either cancelled insurance and tax or more likely let them lapse. But NOW he has decided to sell. He really can’t be thinking straight. But it’s a superb motorhome with all the whistles and bells, good year, good price, well maintained, one previous owner.
Who buys a motorhome without test-driving it? He’s said he’d risk me driving it around his housing estate, but pootling along at 30 mph or less in 2nd and 3rd isn’t going to cut it.
I could pay for a pre-purchase inspection, in which case the inspector would have insurance, but the lack of road tax must also represent a problem for them too.
All a bit of a quandary.
Logically, the best approach is to insist the old guy gets 6 months tax on it and a day’s insurance, but he strikes me as someone with his head in the sand.

 

[Ian_H]

Thanks for the link to dayinsure. Could be handy.
The other problem we have is the guy has let the road tax lapse too. He’s an old guy that has had to give up motor-homing due to ill-health. I can therefore excuse a little confusion but he obviously isn’t thinking straight. He re-MOTd it in late May this year but either cancelled insurance and tax or more likely let them lapse. But NOW he has decided to sell. He really can’t be thinking straight. But it’s a superb motorhome with all the whistles and bells, good year, good price, well maintained, one previous owner.
Who buys a motorhome without test-driving it? He’s said he’d risk me driving it around his housing estate, but pootling along at 30 mph or less in 2nd and 3rd isn’t going to cut it.
I could pay for a pre-purchase inspection, in which case the inspector would have insurance, but the lack of road tax must also represent a problem for them too.
All a bit of a quandary.
Logically, the best approach is to insist the old guy gets 6 months tax on it and a day’s insurance, but he strikes me as someone with his head in the sand.

Maybe point out he will get the unused months of tax back when he sells....

 

[gus-lopez]

Even if your insurance allowed you to drive another motorhome, as you say it isn't insured by the owner - you wouldn't be allowed to drive it anyway. Driving vehicles not owned by you, they must already be insured by the owner.

This^^^^^&

that this private seller has this motorhome off road uninsured

He has to have insurance for you to be able yo use yours,if allowed.

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[rb62]

Thanks for the link to dayinsure. Could be handy.
The other problem we have is the guy has let the road tax lapse too. He’s an old guy that has had to give up motor-homing due to ill-health. I can therefore excuse a little confusion but he obviously isn’t thinking straight. He re-MOTd it in late May this year but either cancelled insurance and tax or more likely let them lapse. But NOW he has decided to sell. He really can’t be thinking straight. But it’s a superb motorhome with all the whistles and bells, good year, good price, well maintained, one previous owner.
Who buys a motorhome without test-driving it? He’s said he’d risk me driving it around his housing estate, but pootling along at 30 mph or less in 2nd and 3rd isn’t going to cut it.
I could pay for a pre-purchase inspection, in which case the inspector would have insurance, but the lack of road tax must also represent a problem for them too.
All a bit of a quandary.
Logically, the best approach is to insist the old guy gets 6 months tax on it and a day’s insurance, but he strikes me as someone with his head in the sand.

A very sad situation if he won't do anything as the more unscrupulous members of society will be along and rob him blind

 

[Lenny HB]

Yes, cars only with NFU (3rd party only). I think this is relatively good, most policies do not cover you 3rd party even for cars.

NFU actualy says any motor car loaded to the policy holder under NFU approved repairer scheme.

 

[Red Sonja]

Thanks for the link to dayinsure. Could be handy.
The other problem we have is the guy has let the road tax lapse too. He’s an old guy that has had to give up motor-homing due to ill-health. I can therefore excuse a little confusion but he obviously isn’t thinking straight. He re-MOTd it in late May this year but either cancelled insurance and tax or more likely let them lapse. But NOW he has decided to sell. He really can’t be thinking straight. But it’s a superb motorhome with all the whistles and bells, good year, good price, well maintained, one previous owner.
Who buys a motorhome without test-driving it? He’s said he’d risk me driving it around his housing estate, but pootling along at 30 mph or less in 2nd and 3rd isn’t going to cut it.
I could pay for a pre-purchase inspection, in which case the inspector would have insurance, but the lack of road tax must also represent a problem for them too.
All a bit of a quandary.
Logically, the best approach is to insist the old guy gets 6 months tax on it and a day’s insurance, but he strikes me as someone with his head in the sand.

This may be strange but we have never text driven any of the 5 motorhomes we have bought.

 

[The Coops]

Insure for the day to test drive it and book it in at a friendly MOT garage for a test, no need to tax as you can legally drive to a pre booked mot without road tax, if it passes and you buy it you can tax it there and then with the DVLA, problem solved!

 

[Bill-H]

Thanks for the link to dayinsure. Could be handy.
The other problem we have is the guy has let the road tax lapse too. He’s an old guy that has had to give up motor-homing due to ill-health. I can therefore excuse a little confusion but he obviously isn’t thinking straight. He re-MOTd it in late May this year but either cancelled insurance and tax or more likely let them lapse. But NOW he has decided to sell. He really can’t be thinking straight. But it’s a superb motorhome with all the whistles and bells, good year, good price, well maintained, one previous owner.
Who buys a motorhome without test-driving it? He’s said he’d risk me driving it around his housing estate, but pootling along at 30 mph or less in 2nd and 3rd isn’t going to cut it.
I could pay for a pre-purchase inspection, in which case the inspector would have insurance, but the lack of road tax must also represent a problem for them too.
All a bit of a quandary.
Logically, the best approach is to insist the old guy gets 6 months tax on it and a day’s insurance, but he strikes me as someone with his head in the sand.

Provided you could get insurance, you could book an MOT at a garage say, 10 miles away, quite legal to drive a vehicle to an mot station withour road tax.
This may have the added benefit of showing up any issues which could have occured while it was laid up, and even give you a chance to see the underside while its on the ramp

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[SteveE]

It’s a standard condition… it’s typically known as ‘DOC’ which stands for driving other cars. As far as I know this is always limited to cars (not vans etc) and is usually always on third party cover, subject to the car already being insured by the owner and the owner not being someone that lives with you. It’s designed as a contingency type cover not something to be routinely relied upon. Some high net worth insurers will provide comprehensive cover which is a lot more generous but comes as a cost.

 

[Ian_H]

NFU actualy says any motor car loaded to the policy holder under NFU approved repairer scheme.

I specifically asked about driving a friends car in an emergency and they said it was covered.

 

[Ian_H]

When I rang round:
CAMC said no 3rd party cover with LV but yes with AXA (£180 more)
Caravanguard said no 3rd party cover
Comfort said no 3rd party cover.
NFU yes to 3rd party cover car not vans.

 

[VXman]

He can tax it and then as soon as it's sold SORN or wait for you to tax it so it should really only cost him 1 months tax.

 

[The Wino]

He can tax it and then as soon as it's sold SORN or wait for you to tax it so it should really only cost him 1 months tax.

Won't he need to get insurance before getting the tax?

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[Lenny HB]

I specifically asked about driving a friends car in an emergency and they said it was covered.
View attachment 1098577

I quoted what is written on my certificate of insurance.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

I could pay for a pre-purchase inspection, in which case the inspector would have insurance, but the lack of road tax must also represent a problem for them too.

The inspector may well have a traders policy, and trade plates that will provide them with insurance cover and allow them to drive an unlicensed vehicle.

 

[Ian_H]

I quoted what is written on my certificate of insurance.

Me too! See pic in post #17

 

[BaileySteve]

As others have stated the vehicle must already be insured if you want to drive third party only on your insurance. With Dayinsure it will be fully insured by their policy so the sellers position is irrelevant.

Tax however is another matter, particularly if it has been on SORN for a few months. Taking for an MOT would exempt from needing to tax, maybe you could agree with the seller to go halves as will be in both your interests even if you do decide not to buy.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Too many red flags in this situation.

I would even have doubts that the "seller" is in fact the true owner.

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[pilchard]

Too many red flags in this situation.

I would even have doubts that the "seller" is in fact the true owner.

We actually visited the van a couple of days after my original post and everything checks out pukka. It's registered to the guy (plus wife) at the house it was parked at. We decided to get a pre-purchase inspection so the professional can check out its road manners and general condition. We spent ages being shown around the van and the couple were as pukka as their van.

 

[Minxy]

Just one question ... if you still have your existing MH and buy this one are you going to take out insurance for the new one as well, ie 2 policies? Okay, second question, how far down the line are you with selling your existing one ... what happens if it doesn't sell?

We had two insurance policies when we ended up with two Globecar PVCs.

 

[PeterCarole29]

The inspector may well have a traders policy, and trade plates that will provide them with insurance cover and allow them to drive an unlicensed vehicle.

Yes they should