DOC on insurance

Luke · 23 Mar 2011 at 22:51

My policy states I can drive a vehicle belonging to another person with their permission on my insurance.
It states nothing about the other vehicle needing to be insured by the owner, just that I can't own it and I need the owners permission.

If the other vehicle was owned by my wife (who is partially sighted and doesn't drive), does this mean I can drive it?

Logic says no, but I can't reason why given the wording in the policy.

Any thoughts?

PMKeates · 23 Mar 2011 at 22:53

I agree with your logic but it's best to check with the insurance company in these instances to avoid any difficult situations in the future.

Hxc · 23 Mar 2011 at 22:56

In case of an accident you might be on dodgy grounds as to why a non driver owns a car that is only driven under DOC.

Bennie-Mac · 23 Mar 2011 at 22:57

The way you have described it was always my impression, but check just incase

Disco Boy · 23 Mar 2011 at 23:17

If you're thinking of buying a car and putting it in your wife's name then driving it on DOC cover then that's a very bad idea. It's also fraud.

Also, the DVLA are sending/ are going to be sending fines to the registered owner of a vehicle without insurance that isn't SORNed as part of a new policy coming in this year.

PhillyDee · 23 Mar 2011 at 23:19

If you also get out of the car whilst on the road, it is then not insured . . . . Since it will only be to "drive other cars".

No?

Luke · 23 Mar 2011 at 23:25

Ok, the full situation is that I have a 2nd bike which is still taxed and MOT'd but I've transferred the insurance to my new bike.
I'm doing the old bike up and as part of that will want to ride it to test out the repairs. Dayinsure doesn't operate at the moment on bikes, they are summer only.

I was just pondering whether or not it was illegal to do what I suggested. As I said above, my gut feeling was that it wasn't kosher, but I wondered exactly why as the wording doesn't seem to exclude that option.

Bat · 24 Mar 2011 at 07:37

+1 ask the insurer.

[TW]Fox · 24 Mar 2011 at 08:14

The answer is no - the vehicle doesnt belong to your wife, it would just look that way to be more convenient. The insurer would immediatly be a bit suspect if there was ever a claim. Remember DOC is not valid in vehicles you OWN - this is completely seperate to whose name you register it in.

Muncher · 24 Mar 2011 at 09:14

DOC cover remains in place while parked on the road when you can reasonably be said to still be the driver and in control of the vehicle.

Otherwise you would have the absurd situation where a police officer could ask you to step out of the vehicle and immediately seize it.

yak.h'cir · 24 Mar 2011 at 09:44

I'm insured with Aviva and they state (when asked) that you can drive any car with the owners consent in the UK, so long as it's not registered at your address.

Saytan · 24 Mar 2011 at 10:24

i didnt think DOC applied to vehicles owned by a spouse or partner anyway..

ci_newman · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:23

Saytan said:
i didnt think DOC applied to vehicles owned by a spouse or partner anyway..

Particularly since in the eyes of the law, the vehicle is owned by both husband and wife anyway

Burnsy2023 · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:29

[TW]Fox;18738920 said:
The answer is no - the vehicle doesnt belong to your wife, it would just look that way to be more convenient. The insurer would immediatly be a bit suspect if there was ever a claim. Remember DOC is not valid in vehicles you OWN - this is completely seperate to whose name you register it in.

But ownership is often less clear than registration. I can give something to someone without any paperwork.

PhillyDee said:
If you also get out of the car whilst on the road, it is then not insured . . . . Since it will only be to "drive other cars".

No?

It is insured for the duration of the 'journey'. That means that if you fill up with petrol and go to pay for it, you are still insured despite not physically being in the vehicle.

PhillyDee · 24 Mar 2011 at 19:41

Burnsy2023 said:
But ownership is often less clear than registration. I can give something to someone without any paperwork.

It is insured for the duration of the 'journey'. That means that if you fill up with petrol and go to pay for it, you are still insured despite not physically being in the vehicle.

Fair enough, just trying to poke holes in it!

SithOllie · 24 Mar 2011 at 20:06

Spoke with my insurance company (NFU) about this before. The way they see it DOC is meant for emergencies/single events and not really meant to cover you driving it everyday or even multiple times a week. The chap i chatted with advised me that if I was to be driving the car frequently that I'd need full cover on that vehicle.