We are going with another a friend on a road trip during the Crissy break.
My friend has a car and because of the amount of driving involved, I think would be good to have a second driver and I am happy to drive his car. But just worried about insurance, i don't think his car insurance would cover me.
I was thinking of purchasing a short term insurance for a few days for the trip.
Any idea whether that is a thing that is offered in Australia? If so, any recommendations for one to get?
I want to get comprehensive which almost always only covers listed drivers.
comprehensive which almost always only covers listed drivers.
Says who? Different policies handle unlisted drivers differently. Some will provide cover with an additional "unlisted driver" excess.
Again, READ the policy documents. It's insurance - don't just sit there and make assumptions!
No it doesn't
If comprehensive car insurance covers only one driver, we would call it driver's insurance.
It sounds like you are misunderstanding how insurance works.
First generally speaking you can't just buy insurance for someone else's vehicle if you are not the main driver.
Second, if your friend has comprehensive insurance you would be covered as an unlisted driver with an additional excess. Have your friend check their policy, but in my experience I have not seen a comprehensive insurance exclude coverage for unlisted drivers.
If your friend doesn't have comprehensive coverage or you still have reservations then either leave the driving to them and take more rest stops or hire a car.
First generally speaking you can't just buy insurance for someone else's vehicle if you are not the main driver.
The car my daughter drives is registered in my name at my address. She drives it and lives elsewhere. I rarely drive the car and didn't want to lie and say the car is garaged at my house. The hoops we had to jump through so that it was insured in her name and at her address. At one point I thought I'd have to transfer ownership into her name.
@brad1-8tsi: Was in the same situation but had no problem in having the policy in the regular driver's name and address. I was also named as a driver on the policy just in case (since it doesn't increase the premium at all).
What did the insurance company say when you called?
MS Paint diagram, then post on OzBargain
Yes
This ^^^^
We are going with another a friend
An OzBargain member with friends? Pull the other one.
We have two cars. One insured with nrma for ‘any’ driver, there may be an extra excess if that driver is under 25 or similar or not listed on the policy. The other insured with budget direct who require all drivers to be nominated to be covered. They may require an increase in premium to add additional drivers. The reason for the different providers is one is the family car and want top quality cover, the other car is a cheaper older runabout and want minimum cost.
Check the PDS for the insurance on the vehicle to see what is covered.
If I remember correctly,
NRMA did that whole advertising campaign about anyone can drive your comprehensively covered car, without being listed etc,
they did that road trip thing for the ad.
I would also suggest the same as others, read the PDS, have your friend check their cover and
speak with the insurer or call a few insurers and ask the experts..
Get them to add your name as a driver for the duration of the trip and then change it back, just pay them the cost of it. Would that not solve it and reduce excess from any driver over 25 type thing to named driver? (Or do named drivers have to be in the same household etc.?)
named drivers don't need to live at the same address
I added my GF who lives elsewhere onto my comprehensive policy. They charged me ~$7 extra. She was covered regardless but it brought the excess down from $1500 to $850.
The time on hold took longer than the conversation to add her.
Could be related to her age or how long she's had her license (assuming no adverse driving history).
I was a named driver on a policy of someone at a different address and that doesn't change the premium at all. (I'm older and have had a license for longer than the main driver.)
@Love a bargain: I thought the $7 reasonable on a $820 policy. I was pointing out that adding a driver was an easy process and not expensive.
She has a clean driving record, middle aged, 20+ years licence, lower north shore address, 60% NCB on her own car.
@brad1-8tsi: Totally agreed that it's a super easy process.
The point I was trying to make is that adding a named driver doesn't necessarily means a higher premium.
Speak to your friend as it's there car and most likely insured through them.
Let your friend know that you want to be covered for insurance and make sure they sort it out for you.
Offer to pay additional amount if there is any.
Why don't you get your friend to add yourself as a second driver to the policy and remove you once you are back home? When the in-laws come in for a visit we do this all the time (through the online portal). Again I can't comment on whether your friend's policy allows this and the second drivers we add are all 25+ with interstate DLs.
Alternatively if the policy allows non-nominated drivers but with an additional excess just drive the thing and take a gamble on not crashing and not paying anything or having to talk to the insurance co.
What makes you think you're not covered? Are you under 25 or do you fall under the other general exclusions?
Why don't you actually read the PDS of your friend's policy and find out for sure before you do anything else?