What to do wrt car/insurance? Moving away for a year

Lethal` · 21 Apr 2012 at 23:48

So I'm moving to California for a year and I currently have a car that will be about 6 months through the insurance policy when I leave (Policy started in December).

I don't really want to keep the car (Rover 25 1.6 IL; first car) but I want to try maximise my no claims for when I return. Currently I have 2 years NCD and I plan to sell the car around July time.

Will this mean the 2 years no claims now expires in December 2013 or will I be issued another proof when cancelling insurance?

How much of my £520 premium am I likely to receive back (roughly)?

Any opinions/suggestions as to the best way to maximise my no claims here? I don't really see any viable way to get 3 years out of this

Maybe have it run until December and someone sell the car for me... but this seems awkward and I would have to pay for more tax.

Iamzod · 22 Apr 2012 at 08:56

In order to get 3 years out of this you need to leave the policy running for it's 3rd complete year however if you cancel mid term you should still be able to get an upto date proof of 2 years. As for how much you will get back you'd need to check with your insurer as there may be a cancellation fee but there also may be some sort of pro rata refund.

As for wether it's worth keeping the policy running for that 3rd year, you'd need to do some sums, as for me going from 3-4 years made about £30 difference so it would nowhere near have been worth it in this situation.

BAcon · 22 Apr 2012 at 09:03

Im guessing that if its your first car you are quite young? If so just let it run its course and get 3yrs ncb, flog the car

Lethal` · 22 Apr 2012 at 11:15

BAcon said:
Im guessing that if its your first car you are quite young? If so just let it run its course and get 3yrs ncb, flog the car

20. But this means the car can't be sold until December, and I won't be here.

Fuzz · 22 Apr 2012 at 11:36

Sell the car now and just keep the insurance running??

andrewdodd13 · 22 Apr 2012 at 11:39

Fuzz said:
Sell the car now and just keep the insurance running??

Interesting point as because he'd not be notifying his insurance of the change of circumstances it'll be null and void, but since he's not actually driving the car...

Yep. I'd check that it's not illegal or something and go with this.

[TW]Fox · 22 Apr 2012 at 11:40

Fuzz said:
Sell the car now and just keep the insurance running??

You cannot insure something you have no insurable interest in.

Suspend the policy, if they don't allow this then there isn't really much you can do beyond keeping the car and insurance as now, which is a waste of money.

Disco Boy · 22 Apr 2012 at 11:41

Sell the car, then cancel the insurance. Get a new certificate of no claims that should be dated when you cancel. And show two years. Job jobbed.

Lethal` · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:27

[TW]Fox;21738939 said:
Suspend the policy, if they don't allow this then there isn't really much you can do beyond keeping the car and insurance as now, which is a waste of money.

Suspend it until when? The car will be sold before I return to the UK.

[TW]Fox · 22 Apr 2012 at 13:27

Lethal` said:
Suspend it until when? The car will be sold before I return to the UK.

You remove the car from the policy when its suspended.

Fuzz · 22 Apr 2012 at 14:44

Ok then, transfer the policy to one of your parents vehicles. Sell yours

Lethal` · 22 Apr 2012 at 16:51

[TW]Fox;21739707 said:
You remove the car from the policy when its suspended.

Hmm wonder if this is possible with Aviva. There is the concern that I will be locked to their pricing when I get back. I would like to get something a bit more interesting in 2013 as well.

Fuzz said:
Ok then, transfer the policy to one of your parents vehicles. Sell yours

I don't think this is possible, one of the assumptions is that I (the policy holder) am the main driver of the car insured.

[TW]Fox · 22 Apr 2012 at 16:54

To be honest I'd just sell it and cancel the insurance. We are hardly talking big money savings doing it any other way. You are going to California for a year, you've got better things to care about than saving a few hundred quid on insurance for a Rover 25.

Get rid and have a fantastic time. Not that I am jealous.

Lethal` · 22 Apr 2012 at 17:04

[TW]Fox;21741352 said:
To be honest I'd just sell it and cancel the insurance. We are hardly talking big money savings doing it any other way. You are going to California for a year, you've got better things to care about than saving a few hundred quid on insurance for a Rover 25.

Get rid and have a fantastic time. Not that I am jealous.

Yeah I expect it will come down to this. I was just wondering if there were any options I hadn't considered.

I'll need to work out what I buy out there sometime... the used car market looks to be a bit more expensive but insurance much cheaper.