My new Scout will arrive soon so I will transfer my car insurance to the new car. I will be selling my old car privately, it will be sitting on the drive. So legally doesn't need insurance. Should I insure my old car with temporary insurance for a few weeks for test drives with prospective buyers until its sold, or will my insurance company insure both cars on the same policy for a bit?

Edited 31 March, 201313 yr by paddypaws

Speak to your insurance Co. As long as it's not on the road it doesn't need insurance, but if it gets stolen or damaged you will be out of pocket. Also when prospective buyers want to test drive it you will need insurance and tax.

My understanding is that current law requires the vehicle to be insured even if it only sits on the drive or within a garage. This doesn't however apply if the vehicle is declared SORN, so some care needs to be exercised.

Hmm, thanks I need to look at that then!

I've found some insurance companies quiet good when it comes to this sort of thing, adrian flux can do upto 3 months insurance on another car within insurance year, think it cost me about 60 quid a month so not the cheapest but damn cheaper than temp cover,

I was with direct line a few years back and they also covered another car for a month on my existing policy so effectivly insured 2 cars with one policy,

Best thing you can do is give yours a ring and see if they will do it

Thanks guys!

It needs to be insured unless you SORN it. As others have said, see what your current insurer can do. I was in a similar situation last year and paid £49 for a month's overlap of insurance. I did look into temporary stand alone insurance but it was really expensive!

Whether it legal needs insured or not, would you want to risk a total loss if it was stolen from your driveway?

If your car is taxed it has to be insured. Regardless of if it's on the road or sitting on your drive. Ask your current insurer for a "temporary additional vehicle" on your policy and they should quote you. Some companies will cover your old car free of charge for about a week if you're changing it to a new one too. I believe it's Ageas, but you have to already be with them.

Thanks everyone got it. it has to be sorn or insured. I'll try to get a second car added temporarily to my policy whilst I sell the old car privately. Or try to sell it before the new car arrives. What a pain for the private car seller, doesn't make life easy.

You also need to be meticulous in making sure that anyone who test drives the car is covered, it's probably not sufficient to say "he told me he was"

I'd suggest that you ask any prospective buyer to bring their documents with them

You also need to be meticulous in making sure that anyone who test drives the car is covered, it's probably not sufficient to say "he told me he was"

I'd suggest that you ask any prospective buyer to bring their documents with them

Very true Brimma!

You want to be looking on their certificate of motor insurance, under where it says who is named to drive on that particular policy, something along the lines of "The insured may also drive another vehicle, with the owner's consent, third party cover, as long as it is not hired to them etc. etc."

This must be a very common scenario. I would be very surprised if most people bother with expensive temporary car insurance for a private sale overlap situation. As said previously, I will call my insurers and get the details.

I won't be putting my self in any vulnerable position so I might just stick it though the car auctions the day before the new car arrives then there's no problem with insurance.

Edited 1 April, 201313 yr by paddypaws

Given the PITA rules -- must be SORN'd if not insured, if SORN'd road tax doesn't seem to be valid and tax disc should be returned, needs valid insurance and new tax disc if taking off SORN -- I wonder if it makes more sense to SORN the new car until the old car is sold.

The system seems to be designed to stop private sale of cars -- pretty much forcing people to buy and sell via dealers.

FWIW when I go to see a car I think I might be buying, I buy a single-day insurance policy from DayInsure, eCar or similar to cover my wife and I for a test drive.

Edited 17 April, 201313 yr by AnotherGareth

The new tax laws are a pain in the backside when trying to buy / sell cars!

Does my head in

You also need to be meticulous in making sure that anyone who test drives the car is covered, it's probably not sufficient to sauy "he told me he was"

I'd suggest that you ask any prospective buyer to bring their documents with them

+1 on this, though don't forget that even when insured they will most likely only have 3rd party insurance so if they prang your car on the test drive you could end up out of pocket. Make sure they have a current licence too.

Luckily my old car sold just before the new one arrives but what a crappy situation you can't have it sitting on your own property taxed but uninsured.

I have been trying to help out my brother in law by selling his Citroen c2 for him- he had sorned the car after someone had mucked him about with a sale on eBay and he could no longer afford to insure 2 cars and then the mot and tax ran out and he could not afford to get it sorted to sell it ( it's a good car but who's going to buy a car without an mot and tax). So I insured the car in my name as a second car with my insurance stating the reasons above and that I am borrowing the car with the owners permission. I then got the car mot done and went to tax the car yesterday- so that it can legally go on the road for test drives and to make it more saleable. All went well untill I got to the post office and was told that only the legal owner of the car is entitled to tax a vehicle and that to tax it I would have to take ownership. I explained the situation and was told to go to the local (30 miles away) dvla office). On the off chance I tried another post office enroute and they did it without question. I am only trying to remain legal and help out my brother-in-law. I also don't understand why I was prevented from buying tax- I had all the relevant docs and was attempting to buy tax not sell ( what are they trying to protect?)