ins/tax question

I think you'll find the insurance has to be car specific. Mike.

Neil - Usenet ( snipped-for-privacy@SPAMblueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Don't forget that your cover definitely *won't* cover the car unless you're actively driving it - so please don't park anywhere...

No. There, that was easy.

John

A popular opinion, but I've yet to see any real evidence to support that view. Mike.

incorrect, cover starts as soon as you take possession of the keys.

Neil - blueyonder Internet ( snipped-for-privacy@SPAMblueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Good luck with any claim...

Eh? Do you know what 3rd part insurance is? He is covered for damage he causes to anyone else. If he parks it up and someone nicks it, he is not covered.

Bob

In message , Neil - Usenet writes

No. From the DVLA site :

The certificate or cover note must be valid on the date that the new licence comes into force, and indicate that it covers the use of the vehicle by the licence applicant. If the cover is unclear you may be asked to provide written confirmation. When you use a motor vehicle on the road you must be insured against third party claims for death or injury and damage to property caused by using the vehicle. Note: The third party cover included on a motor insurance policy that allows you to drive a vehicle not belonging to you cannot be used as evidence of valid insurance at vehicle licensing.

Th PO will want to see a certificate with that car's reg on it - it is to stop people driving without insurance (a missing tax disk is more visible than no insurance).

The cheapest option would be for you to get 3rd party insurance (maybe with fire & theft if it is left unnatended most of the time - prolly about an extra £10-20), and put 1000 miles per year to cut down on the premiums (have a play with an online insurance quote web page - some bottom out at 2-3000).

It should be even cheaper to get your mum to insure it and yo pay it. She can use her no claims, but I am not sure your insurers will split your no claims (you might have to start again at 0 years!). I think I read somewhere that the registered keeper should be the one to insure it anyway (Check your current T&Cs to confirm this).

Bob

AFAIA no one is suggesting the car is insured for theft. Just that it is insured, probably 3rd party only, or the minimum required under the road traffic act, as long as it is legally in his possession. Not just when he is driving it. If that were actually the case, there would be little point in borrowing a car. Who could be sure that on a given trip they would only leave the car when it was on private property, and therefore didn't need to be insured? Mike.

I have just found out today that swiftcover certificate of insurance are not usable for taxing a car as they're have to the original document from the insurers & not printed out by a home user

How can they tell>

FWIW I have several times printed a cover note sent to me by email and used it to get a car taxed successfully.

If they send it to you as a pdf and you print it on a laser printer there's absolutely no way of telling it from one printed on a laser printer at the insurance office.

Don't know why more insurers don't do it this way.

I used a modern inkjet on decent quality paper - just as good.

If you glance at it or even read it through you probably won't notice the difference but you will if you look closely. In my experience you always get a tiny amount of spatter or ink run around the letters with an ink jet that's completely absent with a laser.

Inkjets vary - and lasers vary hugely too. However for the purposes of the Post Office as long as it looks 'business quality' it will do the job. The feel of the paper has more influence, I suspect. Pound-shop "1,000 sheets for a pound" paper won't cut it.

The Swiftcover.com certificate is in a .pdf format but as they can be modified the DVLA will no longer accept them

I had to post a memo from the DVLA to Swiftcover before they would issue the paperwork

No.

--=20 Conor

I'm really a nice guy. If I had friends, they would tell you.

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Nope, that'd be obvious :)

I don't know why everything can't be computerised so we can ditch all kinds of paper certificates but that seems to be in progress. Hopefully soon all you'll have to due is walk into a PO (if you're an Internet-phobe), give them the reg of the car you want to tax and pay as they'll already know whether that reg has insurance and MOT.

Peter.