Some friends of ours have had their car removed (don’t know tje full story, something along the lines of it being registered SORN, parked off road but on a pavement/verge, it being clamped and them getting a grand fine they can’t afford). Now, as of Tuesday we will have a spare car, my old Corsa, 56 plate with 170k miles, and next to worthless. It’s taxed and MOT’d until the middle of November, so we were going to offer it to them as a loan until then – the question is, are there any pitfalls? On the assumption that the insurance on their current car covers them 3rd party on Corsa, is there anything else that could trip both parties up? If they transfer their insurance from the SORN car to Corsa, would we have to transfer ownership too, or can they insure a car they don’t own? Anything else we need to think of? Trust isn’t an issue, partly because they’re lovely people we’re glad to help, but also because Corsa has little intrinsic value. Cheers in advance. 🙂

I’d get them to ring their insurers just to check they would be covered 3rd party given the circumstances. As wondering if their insured vehicle has had it’s status changed after being ‘removed’. Which in turn effects their policy.

Apart from that, can’t see any other pitfalls.

Edit: What Nick says re: having to keep insurance on it yourself as well. That’s quite a biggie, and the fact I forgot means it’s time for bed methinks.

Speeding tickets?

With a cheap car possession is ownership. Just give it to them, with the understanding that they give it back when they are done with it. Registered keeper docs do not prove ownership anyway. That being said, a lot of insurance companies ask if you are the registered keeper; I assume they load the policy if you’re not. So let them have the thing; sounds like they could do with a little bit of luck.

They won’t be able to drive it under 3rd party cover even if they still had insurance, as you’d need to have it insured in the first place, unless you’re keeping it insured?

Not to mention it’s only supposed to be for emergency use, and it’s an offence to knowingly allow it to be driven uninsured. That’s technical and unlikely to matter but if they had a big prang the insurance might come knocking?

If it’s nigh on worthless, might be easier just to give it to them. Get some karma points. Even if you kept it and let them use it it could be a right pain for you if it was stolen, something happened, tickets etc.

That’s technical and unlikely to matter

…and not correct. Neither is the point about having to be insured.

Anyway, just give it to them and ask for it back when they’re done.

Add them as named drivers to your policy and lend them the car?

Assuming a short term thing can’t see a problem.

Long term? Friends? Give them the car

They won’t be able to drive it under 3rd party cover even if they still had insurance, as you’d need to have it insured in the first place, unless you’re keeping it insured?

This is correct: the car has to be continuously insured. The 3rd party insurance is valid whilst they’re driving it, but when parked it’s an uninsured vehicle. Which is norty and may result in your car being impounded and, possibly, crushed.

Ask me how I know 😡 😡

Do you want it back at the end of it?
Are you going to MOT it in November?

If not then give the car to them to keep and sort out insurance etc themselves. Leaves nothing to come back to you.

Why do they need a car if the previous was SORN and not being used?

Also, parking on the pavement/verge is a very naive approach to thinking its ‘off the road’…presumably the car has been picked up on an ANPR camera for someone to bother to come looking for it armed with a clamp.

They would have to transfer their insurance (usually a small charge) to the Corsa, as above, 3rd party for other vehicles won’t cover it unless you keep paying your insurance. (which puts you at risk if you can’t find out who was driving it) If you want to help them out, just give them the car, transfer ownership, and wait for your road tax refund.

As above ^^
Private parking charge companies, alleged collisions (a particular problem if it’s your insurance), fixed penalties, etc, etc
Give it away, V5 in their name

(don’t know tje full story

that bit suggests that the may be a part of the story that is a bit hidden. Give the old car away if you don’t care about it too much is the safe approach

Sign it over to them.

Much less risk to you.

Nice thing to do OP.

I’d give it to them for the foreseeable and get it back when they’ve sorted themselves out.

Nice one OP.

I personally would give it to them – avoids your insurance/V5 liabilities, and means they need to look after it more /fix it if it goes wrong.

That being said, a lot of insurance companies ask if you are the registered keeper; I assume they load the policy if you’re not.

They don’t.
I insure two vehicles that I’m not the registered keepers of. I’ve tested the prices both ways and it makes no difference.

That said, if it’s not worth anything to you, just transfer ownership to them for simplicity.
They can always transfer it back later if they need to.

You could sell it to them for a small sum. You say it’s next to worthless anyway. You can suggest buying it back in Nov but if you sell it then it’s clearly no longer your problem at all as regards insurance etc.

This is correct: the car has to be continuously insured. The 3rd party insurance is valid whilst they’re driving it, but when parked it’s an uninsured vehicle. Which is norty and may result in your car being impounded and, possibly, crushed.

If the OP has to have the car insured when being driven by a third party on their “allowed to drive other cars” bit of their insurance why wouldn’t the OP insurance cover it when it was parked?

Just asking, not picking a fight 🙂

…and not correct. Neither is the point about having to be insured.

Go on, I’ll bite. Care to back that up?

We’ve “lent” a car but long term with them as registered keeper, responsible for insurance, servicing etc.

Maybe Hemlock riders are just nice like that

Give them the car and don’t expect it back. If they’ve struggled to keep the car they had on the road and legal they’re not going to magically find the resources to care for your car for you – the car will get used up, and thats fine if thats the understanding from the outset. Loaning them the car gives them the liability of caring for it and that liability will weigh on them more heavily than the kindness of the gesture – and it will have an effect on your relationship making you a creditor rather than a friend. They’ve let themselves down getting themselves into the predicament their in, they’ll not enjoy the worry that they’ll let you down as well. Giving them the car doesn’t do that.

Maybe Hemlock riders are just nice like that

Banshee riders just give them away and don’t ask about them again 🙂

Because the main policyholders insurance would kick back in when it wasn’t being driven.

Further because it’s pure 3rd party cover there’s very very few incidents where a parked vehicle could cause a third party loss.

To the op – I’m very much of the mind of noting your friends as the registered keeper (you can remain the owner if you wish) and let them take car of the insurance etc. Keeps it all nice and simple.

I wouldn’t go for the suggested option of naming them on your policy as any claim would be against you.

Keeping the car insured and then having them use their insurance on the third party extension is not a great solution. Further as they no longer have a car strictly their policy is now void (no insurable interest) so there is possibly no cover in any event. Not a risk I’d take.

(Note I am an insurance underwriter for once 🙂 ).

why wouldn’t the OP insurance cover it when it was parked?

It would, i thought the point being made was to make the op aware that what he is considering will mean that he has to continue to keep his insurance going as well (when he might have otherwise cancelled it or not renewed) with the cost and risk associated.

We’ve “lent” a car but long term with them as registered keeper, responsible for insurance, servicing etc.

Maybe Hemlock riders are just nice like that.

Regd keeper is not necessarily owner but with an old car the other costs dwarf value so there wasn’t much difference between lending and giving as I saw it. It’s not like I expect it back.

You should probably discuss in advance what happens when it suddenly needs £300 spending on it.

Thanks all, really useful – sounds like making them registered keeper is the way forward. For the age and mileage she’s pretty solid, but I’m expecting there to be a few bits and bobs to do for the MOT (sailed through last time, can’t be that lucky again!), I was just gonna ebay it with no reserve and hope it might pay for a PS4. 🙂 They’re good people, they don’t have a lot of money, they’d be in a fix out of naivety rather than malice – if Corsa helps them out of a spot for a month or two, I’m more than happy for them to have it and we’ll see what happens comd MOT time. Thanks all as always for your wisdom. 😀

I lent a mate a car before, after he put his car on it’s roof in a field. He put my car on his insurance. He reversed it into a gate post, and was very sheepish when he told me about it but had it all fixed up at his expense (the cheapest option as agreed with me as it was a low value car). I now have the eternal pleasure of not letting him forget it 😀

We’ve “lent” a car but long term with them as registered keeper, responsible for insurance, servicing etc.

Maybe Hemlock riders are just nice like that

was it the cashkai camcash kanye nissan?
with friends like you….