Car insurance

[Philip]

My uncle has graciously offered me the use of his car when we move to Australia in a few weeks - he is coming to Europe on holiday around the same time, so he said he will park it at SYD and meet me in London to give me the keys.

He is the kind of guy who just hopes for the best. I asked him about the car insurance and he only said "don't worry it'll be all right".

In the UK if I want someone else to be able to drive my car I have to specifically add their name to my insurance, and I think that is the case with most policies here (at least I've never been able to drive my friends' cars in the UK, even when it would have helped them, because getting me insured was more expensive than getting a taxi).

Is it different in NSW?

[rammygirl]

It is different here as the car is insured. Some have age restrictions and extra excess for unnamed drivers. When I checked ours about this very thing they said it was fine even with a UK license. Better always to check with insurance first though……..

[InnerVoice]

The registration fee (or 'Rego' as most Aussies call it) includes Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance, which only covers death or injury to other people caused by your driving. It won't cover damage to your uncle's car, damage to other people's cars or their property, so if you have an accident (and your uncle doesn't have comprehensive insurance) then you will be liable for those costs.

If your uncle has comprehensive insurance then asked if he can add you as a named driver for the duration of your visit. It's also worth looking at what's covered under your travel insurance policy.

Edited September 23, 2023 by InnerVoice