DOC Driving Other Cars Third Party

[Leighann2105]

Hi, I was wondering if anybody can help.

 

My friend was stopped by the police yesterday and has been fined £300 and received 6 points in his licence for driving a friends car.

 

He was under the belief he was covered third party through his own insurance policy with Enterprise Insurance. This was a genuine, honest mistake and I too, until now, have never heard of the DOC clause in insurance policies. I've done some research and it appears this clause has been brought in quietly over the years by insurance companies?

 

My questions is, has anybody ever successfully challenged this clause, and successfully won, thus setting a precedent?

 

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated as it appears many thousands of people have been caught out by this relatively unknown clause.

 

Thank you.

[Conniff]

Basically if it's not on the certificate, then it's not covered so your friend should read the actual cover he has bought.

 

This used to be automatic on all comp policies and was subject to not owning, hiring the car and it already being covered by it's owner, but hasn't been for a number of years

 

I can't see how you can challenge a clause, if what you want in a policy isn't there, it's up to the person buying to ask for it to be included and pay the excess.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Conniff

[Leighann2105]

Thank you. Yes, it was my understanding that this used to be automatic on all policies, but when this became not the case, how far did insurance companies go in being open and transparent with their customers in advising them so?

 

Given, if something is automatic for years, we shouldn't necessarily assume it will continue to be the case, however don't the insurance companies have a duty of care to their policy holders to make them fully aware of the change??

 

How many people actually check the small print of the policies?? We just assume we are being sold a product that fully meets our needs, and fully comprehensive insurance gave you the right to drive third party.

 

I am hopeful that someone may have challenged their conviction, and won? Perhaps this has never happened, but it seems very unfair that the government is raking in cash from unsuspecting people who in their eyes, are doing nothing wrong.

[Conniff]

Unfortunately assumption can lead to a lot of problems, Would you take out a mortgage without reading the agreement, I think not, so this would lie solely with the policy holder. You will also notice that it was never actually inclusive in the policy but said 'the policy holder may also .....' so an extra added on.

[unclebulgaria67]

This has been ongoing for years. People were using DOC to drive cars that had no other Insurance on them. This was proving a pain in the backside to Police, following the change in law making it compulsory for all vehicles to have Insurance. Obviously the DOC on some policies was allowing someone to drive, but if there was no other Insurance, the MID would have a record of no Insurance. So the Police would stop vehicles for no Insurance and an argument about DOC occurred.

 

I think there has been government and Police pressure for Insurers to withdraw DOC cover. It is possible that this cover will disappear from all Insurance policies.

 

It is up to the registered keeper and anyone looking to drive to make sure they comply with the law. If they make a mistake in believing there is Insurance it is not just Police they have to worry about. Potentially the mistake could ruin their life, if there was an accident creating a huge liability to third parties, which they had to pay, after the courts got involved.

[Leighann2105]

Thank you all. I personally, have never heard of this until this weekend....I'd have happily driven any car, thinking I was insured. It's very disappointing that financial institutions can withdraw clauses, and get away with it by including it in the "small print".

 

Thanks again for all your comments.

[unclebulgaria67]

Thank you all. I personally, have never heard of this until this weekend....I'd have happily driven any car, thinking I was insured. It's very disappointing that financial institutions can withdraw clauses, and get away with it by including it in the "small print".

 

Thanks again for all your comments.

 

But you approach an Insurers with the details of one car, giving them the registration number. You don't ask them to Insure lots of other cars you might have access to. The DOC was always just an emergency feature of some policies to offer temporary third party cover and never intended to be used on a regular basis.

 

This issue has been debated in forums everyday for years. There is one current case on Moneysavingexpert where someone faces thousands in debt, because someone drove assuming DOC was on their policy.

[tobyjugg2]

I have 'drive other cars' on mine, but I did specifically state it as a requirement.

 

I have been quite surprised to see there is no mention of the other vehicle needing to be insured (my last one with Hastings did as did swiftcover), and I've looked, but it does say I cant use it to get other cars out of car pounds.

 

It was an extra selection.