Thinking of removing named driver from MH insurance - will premium increase?

[Themselves]

We took Herself of the scooter insurance as she only ever did a basic course and because she has little legs couldn’t reach the ground. I had over 50 years biking experience. The insurance premium went up by £10.

 

[pj650]

comfort didnt increase premium when I removed my wife from policy

The same for us when we took Anne off the Comfort policy.

 

[Lazyboy]

Mrs Lazyboy was taken off the policy when we both reached 70. She had been on the policy for 20 years and ,fortunately, she had never needed to drive the van. On reflection it was not an ideal situation given that she had never driven the van or indeed would have driven it but we had a reduction in premium. Rates increased over the last few years and LV did not alter the premium either way. I would remove your husband from the policy (try LV for a quote) that way he will never be in a position where he could be "forced " to drive it. If a situation arrives in the future where it needs someone else to drive the van let your insurance company deal with it. Is that not part of what they are paid for?

 

[lorger]

I enquired about this at our renewal in June this year as Lorr never drives the mh, although she’d had a go just incase of emergency. NFU wanted £70 more so just left her on, if anything happens to me that causes me not to be able to drive I’ll either not say Lorraine is with me or she’s to stressed to drive, I’d love to see the outcry if an insurance company told someone they must drive when they don’t think they’re medically for due to stress

 

[busbuddy]

I took my wife off the motorhome insurance and the price went down.

The opposite happened on the car insurance. She's on it because it saved quite a bit of money... But that's possibly because I've not had a car for several years (only the motorhome), so I had to start from zero no-claims...

Did you not accumulate/keep your no claims with your motorhome not heard of that before

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[hja]

I am sure i have seen discussions about this before. If a named driver is present with the van they can be expected to drive, as far as the insurance company is concerned. If the breakdown and health insurance is with a different company then they will have their own rules. When we had a caravan and were in europe we had breakdown/health cover with Red Pennant. Other half had an issue with his back, RP got him an appointment with an english speaking doctor, but they also wanted to know if we wanted to continue with the holiday. If we hadnt they would have helped get the van home. We did wish to continue, and in case we both towed the van.
There is also an issue with who is driver one (main driver) and driver 2. This has also been discussed before because someone came across an issue. I dont remember the details. At the last insurance renewal (Comfort) we changed so I am not main driver and OH is second driver. Comfort agreed that is was the correct thing to do, to make it accurate. He is still the registered keeper and the insurance is therfore in his name, but just changed main driver. He dislikes driving the van, so I do virtually all the driving. I do most of the car driving if we are both in the car, he only drives when he has to. He used to enjoy driving, but not any more.
personally, given that insurers will try to find ways of not paying out then I just feel it is better to be straight with them.

 

[VXman]

Couldn't agree more, But!

Look at it from the robbing bas***** ( Insurance Co's) points of view.

They don't have to pay out if the policyholder is incapacitated and there is
an alternative driver in the van.

Therefore, they don't charge as much.

This would only be the case if it was an accident situation. If it was a breakdown the recovery would be down to the breakdown cover company not the insurance company.

However, there is an argument that having 2 drivers on the insurance policy is safer as driving could be shared. Less chance of a crash due to tiredness.

But, they could decide a woman driver is safer???

Who knows???

 

[pandas]

This would only be the case if it was an accident situation. If it was a breakdown the recovery would be down to the breakdown cover company not the insurance company.

However, there is an argument that having 2 drivers on the insurance policy is safer as driving could be shared. Less chance of a crash due to tiredness.

But, they could decide a woman driver is safer???

Who knows???

2 drivers; not sure I agree, we individually have a responsibly not to drive if too tired. I suspect it would also be the insurance company that decides to pay out or not for the recovery. But a good debate.

 

[gus-lopez]

It would be interesting to hear of real life experiences from other members who have been in this situation.

there have a been a few in the past posting that the spoyuse ,being on the policy,was required to drive the vehicle.

I’d love to see the outcry if an insurance company told someone they must drive when they don’t think they’re medically for due to stress

They don't 'tell ' you that they have to drive, just point out that the other driver is there & then wash their hands of it leave it up to you.

 

[lorger]

there have a been a few in the past posting that the spoyuse ,being on the policy,was required to drive the vehicle.


They don't 'tell ' you that they have to drive, just point out that the other driver is there & then wash their hands of it leave it up to you.

I wouldn’t tell them then

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[The Wino]

I suppose a lot of the questions raised come down to what insurance covers. If for instance there is one named driver who wtnesses a terrible road accident and feels unable to face driving home would the travel insurance be expected to repatriate the vehicle and driver in the absence of any physical injuries? This to me is a very similar situation to having two insured drivers one incapacitated the other not confident to drive. Cover that provides for these situations would of course be more expensive

 

[Sasbo]

Insured with Comfort and took wife off policy on renewal this year, no change in quoted premium. Reason, wife won't drive motorhome so it's one more worry out of the way should any problems happen when touring Europe.

 

[Geistguy]

If anything it should be cheaper!

That's the sensible and common sense thought but insurance companies work on data and statistics. For some reason having two drivers on the policy, of a similar age, has always been cheaper. In my days as an an insurance broker it was almost always cheaper to have driving as "insured and spouse".

 

[Brains]

I think what I was trying to understand is whether the husband would be obliged to drive the van home if he was a named driver on the insurance. Clearly if he was a named driver and not present in the vehicle then he couldn't drive it but is it a condition of the breakdown insurance that if you a named driver on your insurance they must drive it back whether you want to or not? You might have someone as a named driver for some trivial reason, perhaps allowing them to moved the motorhome off your driveway onto the highway if you want to move some cars around. This doesn't mean, as you say, that they'd be capable of driving it long distances.

If there are two named drivers on the policy,
and If one driver is incapacitated abroad, then it's the responsibility of the other named driver to drive the MoHo home, even if it means that driver has to fly out to pick up the MoHo (At your cost)

If there is only one named driver on the policy,
and the driver is then incapacitated abroad, then it's the responsibility and cost of the insurance company to get the MoHo home. (But check the T&C's)

 

[Steve and Denise]

ours NFU, increased when I removed Denise from the policy

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[cyberyacht]

IIRC mine went up when OH couldn't drive any more.

 

[cb_stalbans]

Thanks everybody - food for thought!

 

[pandas]

Move over I'll join you on your soap box.
I think if you travel together both should be able to drive it. There's a difference between can't and won't.
Father was not a lover of heights mother used to drive the passes when the drops were drivers side .
I used to drive as near the drop as possible when they were on his side.
You have to have some entertainment

In my opinion a very naive comment. Cannot say much more than that

 

[Reallyretired]

I took swmbo off the mh insurance and the premium increased a bit. Comfort stated it was because if the sole driver was incapacitated they would recover it and wouldn't if there was another driver. It might have reduced it if I didn't have full NCD on all our vehicles and swmbo had.

 

[bobnick]

I drive our Motorhome all the time and my husband refuses to drive it. He hardly ever drives and is not confident. I realised recently that if I was incapacitated abroad, he would be expected to drive it home to the UK. The insurance company would not repatriate the van as there is a named driver on my insurance policy. Has anyone removed a named driver and can advise if their premium went up or down? I have breakdown cover through a NW Flexplus account. Current general policy is with Comfort. I am 71 and husband is 75, both of us have never had a claim.

Not going to read beyond post 1.
They could charge you a admin fee.
I've done it loads of time. Some do some don't.
Just added a nephew (brothers son from Aussie) Additional premium £6.61 admin £35.

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[Capri Keith]

Just added a nephew (brothers son from Aussie) Additional premium £6.61 admin £35.

When my son visiting from New Zealand, I tried to add him to my car insurance and they would not do it as he was not a UK resident. Worked out cheaper to get a hire car. This was before you could get insurance online for day or week.

 

[bobnick]

When my son visiting from New Zealand, I tried to add him to my car insurance and they would not do it as he was not a UK resident. Worked out cheaper to get a hire car. This was before you could get insurance online for day or week.

Don't understand that.
I also put my brother on the same policy about 3 months ago. He was from Kiev Ukraine. Can't remember what the additional was for him.
Both non UK residents.

 

[BrochMike]

Current general policy is with Comfort

Why not just ask them?

Edit: deleted my other comment after checking my policy!

 

[Capri Keith]

Don't understand that.
I also put my brother on the same policy about 3 months ago. He was from Kiev Ukraine. Can't remember what the additional was for him.
Both non UK residents.

It might just be the insurance policy I had at the time, but cannot remember who. I do swap each year if I can get a better price.

 

[the1andonly]

Did you not accumulate/keep your no claims with your motorhome not heard of that before

Motorhomes and cars are seen as different groups by insurance companies (not known if all) the revearse happened to me in that i had a Motorcaravan (on V5) Bongo and wanted to insure a Motorcaravan (Rapido C class) no no claims thats a Car this is a motorhome.

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[Lizbiebrowne]

If there are two named drivers on the policy,
and If one driver is incapacitated abroad, then it's the responsibility of the other named driver to drive the MoHo home, even if it means that driver has to fly out to pick up the MoHo (At your cost)

If there is only one named driver on the policy,
and the driver is then incapacitated abroad, then it's the responsibility and cost of the insurance company to get the MoHo home. (But check the T&C's)

Thanks for that clarification.

To throw another hypothetical into the mix. You become incapacitated and there is another driver (could be your partner) with you who isn’t a named driver on the van policy but who is independently insured to drive their own car and that insurance allows them to drive another vehicle not belonging to them - what’s the position then?

 

[Brains]

Thanks for that clarification.

To throw another hypothetical into the mix. You become incapacitated and there is another driver (could be your partner) with you who isn’t a named driver on the van policy but who is independently insured to drive their own car and that insurance allows them to drive another vehicle not belonging to them - what’s the position then?

I'd recommend you read the insurance documents !!!
The days of un-named drivers being able to drive other peoples vehicles has gone!

The fact that a driver has 'fully comp' insurance no longer allows you to drive a friends car, not even "just up the road".

The solution is to keep the single named driver 'as is' on the insurance.
It means if the driver is incapacitated abroad, it's the insurance companies problem to arrange for the MoHo to be delivered back to the UK
(But check the T&C's!)

There is a good chance that your partner will be going back to the UK with you if you are that badly incapacitated.
(Even a broken leg means you would be helpless for several weeks at home, and would need someone around to help)

If you then need a second driver, then a it's a simple phone call to the insurance company to add another named driver, they may not even change you.

You may want to sort out your own 'get me home' driver.

As the insurance company may fly out a contract driver whose sole objective is to get back to the UK as fast as possible.
or
The insurance company may prefer to send your vehicle back on a series of low loaders, which can take a couple of weeks, and involves your van sitting in lorry parks for days at a time, as it gets dumped from the back of one lorry and loaded on the next a few days later.

My sister and I both have motorhomes, we are both the single named driver on each one.
In the event of me being incapacitated I have arranged that I would add my sister to the insurance
and then fly her out there to drive it home.
I will do the same for her.

 

[Lizbiebrowne]

I'd recommend you read the insurance documents !!!
The days of un-named drivers being able to drive other peoples vehicles has gone!

The fact that a driver has 'fully comp' insurance no longer allows you to drive a friends car, not even "just up the road".

The solution is to keep the single named driver 'as is' on the insurance.
It means if the driver is incapacitated abroad, it's the insurance companies problem to arrange for the MoHo to be delivered back to the UK
(But check the T&C's!)

There is a good chance that your partner will be going back to the UK with you if you are that badly incapacitated.
(Even a broken leg means you would be helpless for several weeks at home, and would need someone around to help)

If you then need a second driver, then a it's a simple phone call to the insurance company to add another named driver, they may not even change you.

You may want to sort out your own 'get me home' driver.

As the insurance company may fly out a contract driver whose sole objective is to get back to the UK as fast as possible.
or
The insurance company may prefer to send your vehicle back on a series of low loaders, which can take a couple of weeks, and involves your van sitting in lorry parks for days at a time, as it gets dumped from the back of one lorry and loaded on the next a few days later.

My sister and I both have motorhomes, we are both the single named driver on each one.
In the event of me being incapacitated I have arranged that I would add my sister to the insurance
and then fly her out there to drive it home.
I will do the same for her.

Both my insurance (DirectLine) and my wife’s insurance (John Lewis) apparently allow us to drive others’ vehicles (although only in the UK in the case of John Lewis).

 

[Nanniemate]

Thanks for that clarification.

To throw another hypothetical into the mix. You become incapacitated and there is another driver (could be your partner) with you who isn’t a named driver on the van policy but who is independently insured to drive their own car and that insurance allows them to drive another vehicle not belonging to them - what’s the position then?

Interesting...
Generally they drive on 3rd party , so the if on their own insurance , would this be valid outside the UK Um

 

[stuartholmes]

If anything it should be cheaper!

Not neccessarily. It's odd and counter-intuitive but not necessarily. Don't ask me why, that's just the way it is.

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