Insurance for Test Drives

kaishang · 01-24-2011, 08:31 AM

What do people in the UK when they test drive a car which is being sold privately.

With the named driver requirement, the car will not be insured.

carl_d · 01-24-2011, 09:56 AM

take out short term insuarnce or temporary insuance for one day. Lots of firms doing this, just search in google for short term insuarnce. Do ot all on line with credit card.

flyfs6 · 01-24-2011, 10:09 AM

My understanding is that the vehicle must be insured, taxed and MOT'd. The driver testing the vehicle needs to have at least third party cover. Assuming they are over 25 years old and have their own insurance policy, their insurer should automatically extend cover to drive other vehicles not owned/hired by the policy holder on third party basis.

However if an accident occurs during the test drive in such circumstances then insurance won't cover any damage to the vehicle being test driven.

There are places where the driver can purchase daily fully comprehensive insurance or the policyholder of the vehicle to be test driven can add the driver to their policy for a day, or the driver can request their insurer to extend fully comprehensive cover (most insurers won't do this).

That was all assuming private sale.

davyk31 · 01-24-2011, 10:17 AM

It is quite a difficult situation for sure especially if you have a few people coming to view the car. In reality I expect a lot of people test drive either without insurance or with third party only. Either option is no good as if a test driver wrecks your car and walks away it could be hard to get money out of them.

dxb335d · 01-24-2011, 10:55 AM

Risky business eh!

kaishang · 01-24-2011, 11:00 AM

I turned up to test drive a bike a while back and the vendor didn't want to let me test ride it.... although once I left him £1000 cash in case I dropped it plus told him no test=no buy, he relented. I thought he was just a plonker at first, but after I'd had the bike a while the penny dropped that he didn't have insurance that covered me and when I was testing it out, I was riding uninsured.

davyk31 · 01-24-2011, 12:55 PM

Have to say the insurance issues have put me off selling cars private. Its all very well saying no one can test drive until they commit to buy but how many of us would commit like that without trying especially if its a model we are not accustomed to. Even if someone turned up seeming like they had insurance I think I would still be suspicious.

wza · 01-24-2011, 02:55 PM

when selling, I always take the buyer for a drive to show them what the car can do so to speak, let them hear the engine, show them no pulling on steering etc etc. I then allow them to have a subdued and short drive themselves on v quiet roads. However, most expensive car I have sold privately was £9k, so risk increases the more the car is worth, so not 100% sure how i'l feel about letting someone drive a £20k car uninsured, but if I was buying, i would want to drive the car no doubt.

doughboy · 01-24-2011, 03:21 PM

If you want to test drive a private sale car then your own insurance on your current car will usually do short cover for free or a small fee, just like when you cover a courtesy car. Just call with details to get acover note.

If you are selling however, then any buyer has to arrange their own cover or else they'll be a passenger only.

But if they moan and say 'no test = no buy', then i'd tell them to fuck off.

rsmallwo · 01-25-2011, 06:36 AM

I just added the "test" driver as a named driver to my policy for the day of testing. True the guy testing did travel on the train....one way to test/buy my car so I kinda knew it was in the bag. It cost me £30 to put him on the policy.

Insurance companies know how to make a quick buck!

davyk31 · 01-25-2011, 09:51 AM

Your own insurance company are very unlikely to let you add another car if you say its for a test drive ...... those are the dreaded words to any insurer.

AlwynMike · 01-25-2011, 01:40 PM

Aviva do a reasonable daily insurance - about £20 IIRC
Some restrictions - over 25, car not over £50k.

Last time I used them, Quidco gave cashback with it too.
Gets relatively cheaper the longer you have it (e.g. if you borrow a friends car for a holiday). Car doesn't have to be insured otherwise. You may or may not be able to tax a car with this - Post Offices will not accept the cover note, but as the insurance is registered on the national database, you may be able to tax on line.
There is a foreign use option too (Taking a people carrier over to France on a booze-cruise)!!

Mike

01-24-2011, 08:31 AM	#1
kaishang Colonel 54 Rep 2,197 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 330d Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London iTrader: (0)	Insurance for Test Drives What do people in the UK when they test drive a car which is being sold privately. With the named driver requirement, the car will not be insured.
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01-24-2011, 09:56 AM	#2
carl_d General 41 Rep 683 Posts Drives: E90 335i M-Sport N55 6SP Nov10 Join Date: May 2005 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	take out short term insuarnce or temporary insuance for one day. Lots of firms doing this, just search in google for short term insuarnce. Do ot all on line with credit card. __________________ 2010 E90 335i M-Sport, 2005 E90 325i M-Sport, 2003 E60 520i, 2002 E46 330i Sport II, 2000 E46 325i Sport I, 1999 E46 318i, 1998 E46 323i SE, 1996 E36 323i SE, 1996 E34 518i, 1995 E36 320iA, 1994 E36 316i
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01-24-2011, 10:09 AM	#3
flyfs6 Captain 49 Rep 691 Posts Drives: BMW i7 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: London iTrader: (0)	My understanding is that the vehicle must be insured, taxed and MOT'd. The driver testing the vehicle needs to have at least third party cover. Assuming they are over 25 years old and have their own insurance policy, their insurer should automatically extend cover to drive other vehicles not owned/hired by the policy holder on third party basis. However if an accident occurs during the test drive in such circumstances then insurance won't cover any damage to the vehicle being test driven. There are places where the driver can purchase daily fully comprehensive insurance or the policyholder of the vehicle to be test driven can add the driver to their policy for a day, or the driver can request their insurer to extend fully comprehensive cover (most insurers won't do this). That was all assuming private sale.
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01-24-2011, 10:17 AM	#4
davyk31 Major General 1042 Rep 6,946 Posts Drives: Macan GTS :-) & F40 M135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ireland iTrader: (0)	It is quite a difficult situation for sure especially if you have a few people coming to view the car. In reality I expect a lot of people test drive either without insurance or with third party only. Either option is no good as if a test driver wrecks your car and walks away it could be hard to get money out of them.
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01-24-2011, 10:55 AM	#5
dxb335d The Tarmac Terrorist 949 Rep 29,345 Posts Drives: 997.2 GT3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: ''Fandango Towers'' iTrader: (3) Garage List 2010 Porsche 997.2 GT3 [9.50] 2003 BMW E46 M3 [6.00] 2007 BMW E92 335D [5.50]	Risky business eh! __________________ 997.2 GT3
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01-24-2011, 11:00 AM	#6
kaishang Colonel 54 Rep 2,197 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 330d Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London iTrader: (0)	I turned up to test drive a bike a while back and the vendor didn't want to let me test ride it.... although once I left him £1000 cash in case I dropped it plus told him no test=no buy, he relented. I thought he was just a plonker at first, but after I'd had the bike a while the penny dropped that he didn't have insurance that covered me and when I was testing it out, I was riding uninsured.
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01-24-2011, 12:55 PM	#7
davyk31 Major General 1042 Rep 6,946 Posts Drives: Macan GTS :-) & F40 M135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ireland iTrader: (0)	Have to say the insurance issues have put me off selling cars private. Its all very well saying no one can test drive until they commit to buy but how many of us would commit like that without trying especially if its a model we are not accustomed to. Even if someone turned up seeming like they had insurance I think I would still be suspicious.
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01-24-2011, 02:55 PM	#8
wza Private First Class 8 Rep 130 Posts Drives: 335i Coupe SE Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: The Only Way Is Essex iTrader: (0)	when selling, I always take the buyer for a drive to show them what the car can do so to speak, let them hear the engine, show them no pulling on steering etc etc. I then allow them to have a subdued and short drive themselves on v quiet roads. However, most expensive car I have sold privately was £9k, so risk increases the more the car is worth, so not 100% sure how i'l feel about letting someone drive a £20k car uninsured, but if I was buying, i would want to drive the car no doubt.
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01-24-2011, 03:21 PM	#9
doughboy Major General 1545 Rep 8,970 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Comp 6MT Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	If you want to test drive a private sale car then your own insurance on your current car will usually do short cover for free or a small fee, just like when you cover a courtesy car. Just call with details to get acover note. If you are selling however, then any buyer has to arrange their own cover or else they'll be a passenger only. But if they moan and say 'no test = no buy', then i'd tell them to fuck off.
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01-25-2011, 06:36 AM	#10
rsmallwo Captain 40 Rep 939 Posts Drives: Z4 35i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hull iTrader: (0)	I just added the "test" driver as a named driver to my policy for the day of testing. True the guy testing did travel on the train....one way to test/buy my car so I kinda knew it was in the bag. It cost me £30 to put him on the policy. Insurance companies know how to make a quick buck!
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01-25-2011, 09:51 AM	#11
davyk31 Major General 1042 Rep 6,946 Posts Drives: Macan GTS :-) & F40 M135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ireland iTrader: (0)	Your own insurance company are very unlikely to let you add another car if you say its for a test drive ...... those are the dreaded words to any insurer.
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01-25-2011, 01:40 PM	#12
AlwynMike Lieutenant Colonel 337 Rep 1,660 Posts Drives: F36 440i GC. Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lincolnshire Flatlands iTrader: (1)	Aviva do a reasonable daily insurance - about £20 IIRC Some restrictions - over 25, car not over £50k. Last time I used them, Quidco gave cashback with it too. Gets relatively cheaper the longer you have it (e.g. if you borrow a friends car for a holiday). Car doesn't have to be insured otherwise. You may or may not be able to tax a car with this - Post Offices will not accept the cover note, but as the insurance is registered on the national database, you may be able to tax on line. There is a foreign use option too (Taking a people carrier over to France on a booze-cruise)!! Mike
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