Saturday, January 5, 2008
Car Insurance
Having lived in America and South Africa I have found it difficult moving back to a country where the individual is insured as opposed to the vehicle. It used to be the case that if I wanted to borrow someone's car that they'd sling me their keys and off I'd go safe in the knowledge that if the worst were to happen I'd be covered.
Forgetting the laws in England I recently suggested to a friend that I drove their car home for them from the pub. The idea was laughed at and not because of my questionable driving. The reason is the penalties for being caught are so severe. The same applies for lending a vehicle over a couple of days. It is often difficult to find insurers that are willing to cover you for a short amount of time. So borrowing a car for a single journey can end up being extremely expensive.
Fortunately there are an increasing number of insurance providers that see the importance of offering insurance over a short period. The period of cover can range between a single day to a whole month. This makes it popular with people such as students that return home in the summer and want to use their parents' car. It is also an extremely popular option for the ex-pat community that return to the UK for a break. With many providers offering deals specified for people that live abroad it can mean using a car is significantly cheaper than hiring.
Arranging temp cover for a vehicle is a simple process that can be completed online. It is the perfect option for when you want to test drive or purchase a new vehicle and want to drive it fully insured. Because many providers let you apply online you can often print out the insurance certificate and carry it with you. This will give you incredible peace of mind if you are off to test drive a vehicle that is being sold privately or driving a friend's vehicle for a single journey.
It is a perfect option for insuring a relative to drive your car if you are ill and can't drive. It is also a great option for when your car has broken down and you need to borrow your partner's car. It can be a very cost effective way of borrowing a car from a friend. The rental period for temp cover is short so can be a very small one off payment.