Now that the UK is out of the EU, it appears that we can’t use our car insurance to drive an owner’s car other than at exorbitant day rates. The alternative seems to be asking the owner to add us to their car insurance for the house/pet sit period. Of course, we are happy to pay the owner’s additional cost (presumably at a lower rate). However, it would add admin to the owner - some may be OK with this, others may feel it’s an inconvenience.
Have I got this right? What are other UK sitters finding?
We rarely use a home owner’s car in the UK, but the one time we did, they added us on and paid for it. I think we had to send them our driver’s licence documentation. hat being said, we had our own rental car at the time and only used their car to drive their 4 big dogs to a place where we could run them so it was by their request. I guess it depends on who is benefitting the most. I don’t see why you can’t ask, especially since you are offering to pay.
Thanks Kelownagurl. We’ve asked and, fortunately, we don’t have to do anything as the owner’s insurance allows other people to drive their car. But I will get a written confirmation to keep in the car.
I am travelling through Europe from sit to sit with my own car with British number plates, and I have reported the car as “permanently exported” with the British authorities, as I don’t intend to ever bring the car back to the UK. I live a nomadic lifestyle now and it is much cheaper and far more convenient to just get a flight ticket when visiting family than to pay the car ferry and have a lot of extra driving.
Now my car insurance has run out yesterday and the British insurance agency refused to extend it for another year, because of the permanently exported status. How can I get a car insurance if I don’t settle in any country? I want to keep moving from country to country for a few years, and I really need my own car, as all my stuff wouldn’t fit into two suitcases, and public transport is often not an option for housesits, and definitely not as convenient.
Any advice?
This may not be exactly what you are looking for, but you can get decent excess insurance for when you hire a car in Europe through Questor. I’m not sure whether that would extend to driving the homeowner’s car, but you might enquire. An annual policy cost me only about £80 or so for a year and covers me both in the UK and Europe. Might be worth looking into. (Car Hire Excess Insurance || Questor Insurance | Questor Insurance)
As I understand it in France the insurance covers the car so anyone can drive it with the owners permission . I shall be checking this with my assurance company as my next sitters will be using the car.