Cars That Form Part Of An Estate.

[bednobs]

when someone dies, i presume their insurance lapses immediately. how does one go about ensuring its covered in the immediate aftermath/

[Zacs-Master]

For whom to drive?

[Hopkirk]

I don't see why the insurance should lapse. It's been paid for.

The car needs fire and theft protection.

[Hopkirk]

Also a named driver such as the spouse may need to drive it.

[Buenchico]

Relevant links:
https://www.gov.uk/tell-dvla-about-bereavement

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/family-and-care/death-and-bereavement/dealing-with-finances-and-insurance-after-your-partner-dies

[barry1010]

You are right, insurance is just a contract and when one party to the contract dies it is automatically void.
Insurance companies are used to dealing with this situation and will hopefully be compassionate and understanding when informed of a death.
They will advise you how to proceed, it is important to get at least fire and theft cover immediately. If it is kept on the public highway it must be insured.
If they don't offer you favourable terms shop and around and cancel within the 14 days cooling off period.

[bednobs]

but if its part of their estate, surely no-one has an insurable interest in it?

[Zacs-Master]

Then why are you asking?

[barry1010]

What do you intend doing with the car?

[bednobs]

errr duh, cause i want to know zacs!
as far as i know, in the scenario i am thinking of, no-one will drive it, it will be sold as part of the estate. But in the meantime, it's on the road (obviously!) and with no-where to off road it.

[barry1010]

The executor needs to inform DVLA and the car insurance company. If the estate is valued at under £10k the car can be sold straight away.

[Zacs-Master]

Surely one family member could get some short term insurance drive it to somewhere off road?

[ubasses]

As I understand it, death cancels the Insurance, some companies will look at insuring someone already on the Policy. Once there is no insurance it will need to be SORN and kept off road

[bednobs]

There are not likely to be any family members to drive it, nor snywhere to store it. Can you even get insurance on s car that's not yours?

[Hopkirk]

I've got insurance on my car but I don't own it, and I'm not the registered keeper.
It's owned by a leasing company.

[THECORBYLOON]

Insurers will be used to this situation so the best advice is to contact them to find out what needs to be done since it appears not all insurers take the same approach.

If nothing else, if the policy is paid in full, a refund will be due to the estate and if a car is not insured, it cannot be on the road.

[Peter Pedant]

Can you even get insurance on s car that's not yours?

come on come on, I have a motility car that is insured in the drivers name and not mine. Easy.

In this case the car is someone's - the executor's. Not his personal property but as trustee under will of the deceased's estate.

[Peter Pedant]

In the good old days,
1975 when ma daydy died
DVLA said clearly by phone, the owner of the car ( dead father I pointed out) MUST sign the transfer.
and I whinged....

someone else said - oh we had that

and we both admitted, my mother and I , and the other and the mother had practised the deceased's signatures.....

I dont think you do that er 45 y later

[Zacs-Master]

‘Can you even get insurance on s car that's not yours?’

Errr, duh! Rightbackatya.

[barry1010]

Yes you can, Zacs

[Zacs-Master]

Yes, Barry, I know that. I was quoting bednobs.