UK car insurance - borrowing a car

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › UK car insurance - borrowing a car

gzt

17104 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#101878 10-May-2012 20:58

I've arranged to borrow a car in the UK.

To add an additional overseas driver to the existing insurance for a month is around NZD$600(!). Clearly that insurance company is not keen on the idea.

Anyone encountered this situation and know of better alternatives?

jbard

1377 posts

Uber Geek

#623214 10-May-2012 21:34

gzt: I've arranged to borrow a car in the UK.

To add an additional overseas driver to the existing insurance for a month is around NZD$600(!). Clearly that insurance company is not keen on the idea.

Anyone encountered this situation and know of better alternatives?

For a month in the UK that is about par. Doesn't matter at all that you are from overseas that is the standard price for anyone.

Had that same thing about 3 months ago when I was over but I was borrowing my Grandads car. Worse for me as I am under 25. Ended up about NZ$500 for 6 weeks and that was cheap because the car I was borrowing was tiny.

No other options really, hiring a car is usually more expensive, but only fractionally so maybe you can get a good deal as it is winter?

Their is one other option that involves hiring a brand new car from Europe, but this only works out cheap if you are going for a month or more, how long is your stay?

gzt

17104 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#623228 10-May-2012 22:04

I will really really need a car only for about 10 of the 35 days I'm there, so hire is a possibility.

I'm staying with the owner on and off for some of that time and it would be nice to drive locally and have the additional flexibility.

The owner just got a temporary insurance quote from http://www.temporarycarinsurance.ws/international-drivers.html. I don't yet know terms but cost is £63 (NZD130) for 7 days and £145 (NZD300)for 28 days.

gzt

17104 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#623236 10-May-2012 22:07

jbard: Their is one other option that involves hiring a brand new car from Europe, but this only works out cheap if you are going for a month or more, how long is your stay?

37 days. How does that one work?

jbard

1377 posts

Uber Geek

#623268 10-May-2012 22:44

gzt:
jbard: Their is one other option that involves hiring a brand new car from Europe, but this only works out cheap if you are going for a month or more, how long is your stay?

37 days. How does that one work?

Basically it goes like this. You hire a brand new car from Peugeot or Renault (these are the only two I know of). The price includes unlimited mileage (rare in UK), full insurance, vehicle recovery from anywhere in Europe, $0 excess, and a few other features I can't remember. If you borrow for more than 21 days the price works out cheaper than hiring and for something like 35 days would be very cheap compared to hiring.
You can choose any car for their 2012 range to hire :)

Downside: Unless it has changed you will get a left hand drive car which maybe an issue for you or maybe not.

What do they get out of it: Basically when you return the car it isn't new anymore so they sell it to a local for much cheaper as it slips into a different tax bracket while still being virtually new.

I can't find the websites I used anymore but travel agents have booklets on it and can book it for you, this website does have some info though: http://www.renaultusa.com/

You usually have to book 2 weeks in advanced although being winter you could possibly just turn up and hire one.

savag3

188 posts

Master Geek

#623680 11-May-2012 19:08

www.renaulteurodrive.co.nz

gzt

17104 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#623707 11-May-2012 19:58

Most charge a hefty fee for pickup in London. Pickup and return to France is usually the best option. I'm considering it, but the changes might be a bit radical, and I've left it a little late for the best deals. There are still some good deals around - US$150 free fuel and other extras this time of year.

jbard

1377 posts

Uber Geek

#623708 11-May-2012 20:04

gzt: Most charge a hefty fee for pickup in London. Pickup and return to France is usually the best option. I'm considering it, but the changes might be a bit radical, and I've left it a little late for the best deals. There are still some good deals around - US$150 free fuel and other extras this time of year.

Yeah the pickup/drop off in london is a killer. I just took the train over to france picked up the car and took the train back. Cost me about 100pound and took 2 hours but saved me about 400pound.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

Chambers

22 posts

Geek

#623710 11-May-2012 20:07

$600 sounds expensive. Are you trying for third party? This is generally more expensive then full cover in the UK.
I don't know why but that's how i found it when i was living there.

http://www.duinsure.com/sites/duinsure.nsf/homepages/homepage

Try downunder insurance, i used then in 2005 2006, at the time they when focusing on full time insurance for people from our neck of the woods.

They should be able to offer a campervan /motor insurance that is geared towards backpackers. Could be a cheaper option.

jonherries

1395 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#623742 11-May-2012 20:56

Hi,

We are in the UK in the moment. There is massive variation in the insurance market. Just looking at insurance for my sister in laws car on www.confused.com

Premiums vary from 191 - 690 pounds....

Another to check is directline, we used them in 2007 to get me on a NZ driver as an additional named driver.

Jon

kimberlymitchell87

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#623818 11-May-2012 22:22

I'm sure you need to be a named driver on his policy otherwise you could in effect just hop into any car from a Fiat to Ferrari and off you go without paying any insurance!!