2 Insurance Policies?

[WELSHYORKIE]

A colleague of mine has an issue with her ex-husband regarding the insurance cover for the family car.
His business purchased the car and insures it but he has now told her that he has removed her name from entitled drivers. Can she take out her own policy for this vehicle?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[hc4361]

No, she can't. One vehicle cannot be insured twice.

[EDDIE51]

^ Yes correct, the same car can't be insured twice!
How would she get to drive it anyway if he has had her removed from the named drivers list? She does not own the car , his business does!
Driving it would be 'taking the car without consent' which is an offence!

[Arrods]

Don't we need more information? As it's the 'family car' is the ex husband saying you're off the business insurance but you'll have to sort out your own insurance? Can't see anything wrong in insuring a car twice (claiming twice maybe). I suspect there are many instances of 'dual insurance' - 'driving other cars' being one example. As I say, we need more info.

[Arrods]

PS. If you can't have two policies for one car, why do all motor policies have a clause to the effect that if you have other insurance which covers the same loss, damage
or liability, they will not pay more than their share of the claim?

[hc4361]

Arrods, that is a standard clause in all insurance policies. Let us say your car is insured.
If it is parked in your integral garage and a fire breaks out in the house, totally destroying the house, garage and car the car insurance will not pay out if you have house insurance that covers the garage and contents.

[EDDIE51]

hc4361 is correct you can't have two motor insurance policies on the same car. But a car can also be covered under a household policy when it is in a garage or parked within the property boundary but off the road.
This is far more about a relationship breakdown than car insurance, I assume the husband has put the car in his companys name to avoid it being an 'Asset' in a divorce settlement .

[johnny37]

its not illegal to insure a car twice as long as you are truthful on the proposal, ie( from memory) it will ask who is the legal owner and who is the main driver and is anyone else insured to drive. if he is adamant he does not want you to drive you will incur the taking without consent rule which is a punishable offence and, worse, invalidate the insurance(TWOC). He's probably trying to get your friend to run her own car.

[Buenchico]

I can't see how the woman could take out a comprehensive insurance policy as she has no 'insurable interest' in the vehicle itself. (It would be akin to me seeking to insure someone else's house, with me as the beneficiary of the policy if it was damaged in a storm. I can't do so because I have no 'insurable interest').

However a third-party-only policy isn't actually insuring the vehicle itself. It's the driver who becomes insured against having to pay out for injury or damage if they cause an accident. The woman does have such an insurable interest and so there's nothing barring her (in principle) from taking out a policy.

However:
(a) I doubt that she'd find an insurer willing to provide such cover ; and
(b) the owner of a vehicle (and/or their agent) is entitled to say who can, and who can't, drive it. So, irrespective of any insurance issues, I can't see how she can expect to drive the car.

[Arrods]

Still think we need more info about the circumstances. In answer to some points above, I was under the impression that household policies normally exclude vehicles so it would be down to the motor insurer to pay. If the ex husband is allowing the OH to use the car but excluding her from the business cover, surely she would have an insurable interest? Whether she could find such cover is another matter as Buenchico says. Still think there's nothing in law that prevents someone from taking out separate motor cover.

[Peter Pedant]

well we can all goggle - insuring someone elses car

and you get

"Yes - but you will have to tell the insurer you are not the owner or registered keeper when you apply. Some insurers will only offer you cover as the main driver if you are also the registered keeper of the car. However many will insure you, so shop around and check the policy documents before you apply.25 Nov 2016
How to insure yourself to drive someone else's car | money.co.uk
www.money.co.uk/car-insurance/how-to-insure-yourself-to-drive-someone-elses-car.htm"

[ladybirder]

If he's her EX husband, and she has a Decree Absolute, who was allocated the car in the divorce settlement? If it was him then you have no right to the use of the car without his permission.

[New Judge]

"His business purchased the car and insures it..."

Then it's no longer the "family car" is it.

Before she worries about insurance (and some of the problems she may encounter have been explained above) she should be more concerned about whether she has permission to drive it.

[Arrods]

I've never known such 'reading between the lines'! Come on Welshyorkie, let's have a bit more background!