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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find this way of doing things unacceptable?

13 replies

PeppaIsBack · 14/02/2012 16:04

Basically, I wanted to buy a new car. Found the car, agreed on the day of the exchange with the car dealer. I contacted my insurrance company to let them know and gave them the details of both cars (old and new). Said the change would happen on X day.
To cut a story short, because the sale didn't go through on that day, I learnt that actually the change over from the insurrance wasn't just on that day but also on a specific time of the day. ie until 10.00am old car is insurred and from 10.00am new car is insurred. No leaway on one hour both sides or anything like this. Insurance told me that, in case of an accident and, for example I was late picking the new car up, they would 'investigate' but were unlikely to reject the claim. Apparently it is also 'common practice' and 'has always been like this'.

Now I was gobsmacked by that. I mean I am paying an insurrance, I want to know 100% that I am insurred, not that the company would probably not make an issue about it. By law, I have to be insurred. In my eyes, with this system I am taking the risk of driving a car that is not insurred. And I actually did because I couldn't get the car.

AIBU to think thsi system is crap and it should be changed?

OP posts:
OldGreyWiffleTest · 14/02/2012 16:08

Of course it's a specific time, otherwise they would be insuring 2 cars!

HarrietSchulenberg · 14/02/2012 16:11

Time is specific for the reason OGWT says. Insurance co.s are very reasonable about dealing with claims that occur around changeover time as it's obviously not possible to pinpoint the exact changeover time.

MyNameIsntFUCKINGWarren · 14/02/2012 16:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
PeppaIsBack · 14/02/2012 16:15

But there is a time where you are not insurred are you?

In this case, I went back home, rung the agency who was closed. Tried to ring the 0800 number who said they could not do anything for me. I had to contact the agency who was closed until Monday.

So I had a car that wasn't insurred for 2 days and one that was insurred but not mine....

After ringing them on the Monday, they did insurred both cars for the new day of the exchange. If it meant paying a few more quids for that I would be happy too.

Personnally, I would want to know about that before finding myself in that situation.
And it doesn't change the fact that you might not be insurred which is illegal.

OP posts:
BoneyBackJefferson · 14/02/2012 16:16

It depends on the Insurance company.

the company that I was with allowed insurance on the old car for up to 14 days but only to the place where it was being exchanged/disposed of.

Original poster
PeppaIsBack · 14/02/2012 16:20

BTW, yes when there is an exchange loike this, I am expecting both cars to be insurred.

Being at the mercy of the insurrance company if there is any problem is an issue for me.

OP posts:
RVF400 · 14/02/2012 16:33

I think if there was a grey area i.e. they officially allowed some overlap, soon enough it would be exploited by dishonest types making fraudulent claims.

Original poster
PeppaIsBack · 14/02/2012 16:39

Maybe but then you are not officially insured which is illegal.

OP posts:
MAYBELATERNOWIMBUSY · 21/02/2012 02:12

if you google "ins. services" and look out for the site where ,on imputing a registration No. you see whether the vehicle is on the main data base , i just did for mine,as sometimes the Ins.Co.forget to press the buttons , you assume as you are entitled to,that vehicle is insured , police stop you and no amount of "discussion" stops car being taken to the pound, you then have to sort the entire mess out ! it does happen , and as you prob. get, it really is one heck of a mess! financial / time /hassle.

asiatic · 21/02/2012 03:31

I had a friend who's tyres were slashed sometime around the "changeover time" , and no, she wasn't insured.

JuluLu · 21/02/2012 04:14

INSURED! It's not an insurrection.

mathanxiety · 21/02/2012 04:20

You can have your exact overpayment on the old car returned, prorated hourly. But this is the way things are done. The times are exact because little details like that are very important. Insurance companies have thought of every single possible little angle, believe me, and they know what they are doing.

The crap part of it was that there was no-one there to take your call when you tried to fix the situation. You should find a company that answers the phone and can respond to your problems 24 hours a day.

FredFredGeorge · 21/02/2012 07:23

Our insurance company just insures both cars - so long as you own them - for the whole day, no need to be exact about when you do it etc. Even then for simplicity I just phoned them to change from the dealer and swapped over there and then.

If you think it's a feature of an insurance company you need, ask them next time.

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