12 replies to this topic

[lewBlew]

This part of insurance has always confused me. My car isn't always going to be kept in the same place overnight, sometimes it will be left over at friends and family's houses, hotel car parks, anywhere really. How important is it, where you say your car is kept? I don't for one second think that insurance companies want to be phoned up whenever my car is going to be away for the evening

I've got use of a garage at my home address, which is in a block of garages. But what do I do, because my car won't always be in there so I didn't know whether to tell the insurance company it will be garaged or on the road. So I went with on the road to be on the safe side. Now I'm worried if I shove it in my garage I'll be uninsured

[Skortchio]

The clause is mostly to do with where the car is kept when at your home address, or within x distance from it - often something like 500meters.
If, for example you stated your car was garaged at night when at home address (and thus gaining a discount for more security) and you parked it on the driveway instead, if it were to be stolen your insurance wouldn't be vaild.

It doesn't mean you can only park in that location, but when within a certain distance it's expected that you'll keep it where stated.

[ShoutforJoy]

The question on my policy is "where is the car normally kept overnight?"

There is an explanation/endorsement for garaged cars: "The insured vehicle must be kept in a locked and secured building overnight when the vehicle is within a radius of half a mile of your private dwelling place or at any other address where the insured vehicle is normally kept which has been specifically agreed by us."

By normally I guess they mean most of the time. So you need to tell them where it will spend most nights.

[Ethel]

The wording is "usual", of course it's reasonable that you will park it elsewhere, it's what cars are for. The garage ought to be where you park the car more than any other place, there may be something more specific in small print and doubtless some further info on t'interweb

[Old Bob]

Insurance companies based part of the premium on the area where your car is usually based. Obviously, if it is garaged at night then there is less risk of theft or damage than if it is left by the roadside.

However; most if not all policies provide cover when the vehicle is 'away from base' but there may be a minimum distance (typically one and a half miles) from your home. So, it's no good claiming your car is kept garaged and then claiming for theft when you left it just down the road.

Bob

[Skortchio]

It's also worth noting that the policy can apply when the vehicle is within that minimum distance over a certain time frame.
Several hours or so.

[lewBlew]

OK well I expect it to usually be parked on the road. But I also want the option of parking it in the garage if it's really wet/icy since I've cleared it out and it will fit easily!

[Wigeon Incognito]

Garaging isn't always cheaper either. I spoke to one underwriter who said some companies prefer the car to kept on the driveway as apparently thefts are more likely to be successful if the car is in a garage.

I guess the thieves have cover in a garage but I'm not sure how true what I was told is.

[karenp41]

Garaging isn't always cheaper either. I spoke to one underwriter who said some companies prefer the car to kept on the driveway as apparently thefts are more likely to be successful if the car is in a garage.

I guess the thieves have cover in a garage but I'm not sure how true what I was told is.

The underwriter you spoke to was correct, I've just tried driveway and garage on compare the market website and the insurance was almost £100 higher + for the car been kept in a garage!!!

[Craig89]

That's quite right, a friend of mine has a mk1 focus rs and it is much cheaper to keep it on the drive. I think its down to the theft statistics of the area or the car

[lewBlew]

I've decided keeping it on the road is for the best. For one it's a cul-de-sac so not likely to get hit (touch wood), secondly I can see it from my house, whereas my garage is in a block of garages down the road. Thirdly, bits of my garage roof fall down every now and again and I'd hate it to dent the paintwork!!!!

Strange how garaging it is more expensive though. I thought some classic car policies demanded you keep it in a garage. Plus surely a built-in to your house garage is better than a separate one, but insurance doesn't discriminate.

[paul_s]

I seem to remember that for me, garaged or 'residential car park' was exactly the same price for me; not sure about on a public road (but I'd expect that to cost more).

On a slight sidestep though, if it's marked down as being parked in a residential car park (i.e. the car park for my block of flats), but there isn't a space in there so I have to park it on the road, would it still be covered?

[Ethel]

Think you'd have to check the small print, I believe many policies have a clause about distance from home, so you do park off road at home, if that's what the policy indicates. You'd still have the minimum 3rd party cover.