Motor Contradictions between Mr Call Centre man & motor policy and booklet wording

[mathepac]

I left my car into the garage for a big 126k miles service and worn front suspension mount replacements on Monday and took a loaner from them, a 02 Toyota Corolla 1.4 petrol saloon, tax and NCT current. No charge for car hire, rental. I am covered for "driving other cars" on my own policy under this wording on my insurance certificate:-

"5. Vehicles, or Classes of Vehicles, the use of which is covered
(a) The vehicle bearing registration number 04XX123456
(b) any Motor Car being driven, with the consent of the owner, by the Insured, provided such vehicle does not belong to him/her and is not hired to him/her under a hire purchase agreement."

My opinion is that I am covered to drive the loaner under that wording. To be 100% sure, I rang and did a temporary transfer till 5:00pm on Friday next just in case.

I rang today about policy renewal in August and the temporary transfer arose in conversation. I was told by Mr Call Centre that the wording above does NOT cover me to drive a loaner from the garage as they (insurers) ASSUME a loaner from the garage is RENTED to me in some hidden or inclusive invoice charge. I said that may be but could they substantiate that as I will produce an invoice showing a complete absence of hire/rental/hire purchase charges?

MR Call Centre said that didn't matter because page 17 in the Insurance Booklet said so. Here is page 17 from their web-site:-

"Loss of or damage to a car you are driving which is temporarily borrowed from another person

This cover does not apply unless it is shown in your schedule under section 1.

As well as covering you for your legal responsibility to others, we will give you cover as
described in section 1 and section 2 if applicable.

This cover will only apply if:

„„the policy schedule shows that your cover is comprehensive;

„„the certificate of motor insurance contains the ‘driving other cars’ clause number 5(b);

„„you are driving a private passenger vehicle. It does not include:

––Vans;
––Car-vans;
––Jeep-type vehicles with no seats in the back; or
––Vans adapted to carry passengers.
––Vehicles registered outside the Republic Of Ireland
––Vehicles modified beyond manufacturers, standard specification
––Vehicles hired or leased to you
––Cars with an engine size greater than 2000cc

„„you are responsible for looking after a car that is being driven under clause 5(b) of the certificate;

„„the other vehicle is properly compliant with a valid NCT test certificate

„„you do not regularly use or drive the car;

„„there is no other insurance policy which covers you driving that car (whether or not that policy would cover what is covered by this extended cover);

„„the car does not belong to you or your husband, wife or partner;

„„the other vehicle is properly compliant with road traffic legislation;

„„you have the owner’s permission to drive the car and have been driving it for less than 30 days;

and the loss or damage happens in the Republic of Ireland.

The most we will pay under this extended cover is €50,000."

I think Mr Call Centre is talking through his hat. Any thoughts?

 

[losttheplot]

Was the car loaned to you by the garage covered by their insurance? If it was I don't think your insurance would cover it. I seem to remember something like you're covered for "privately owned vehicles" (other peoples cars) and that cars owned by garages were not privately owned.

 

[peteb]

The problem with is that the wording of it is to stop you just driving around rented or leased vehicles. The likelihood is that these days most garages are going to charge you for a courtesy car during your service time in which case you are renting the vehicle so cover doesnt apply.

In any event a garage is not going to be happy for you to be driving around one of their vehicles on your Driving Other Cars extension as most insurers only give third party only cover for it. So if you damage it someone has to fork out cash to repair it.

 

[mathepac]

I can only repeat what I told Mr Call Centre that there is no line-item on the invoice that says "Car hire/rent/lease/HP/loan charge" nor is there any hidden charge like "Miscellaneous Services". The invoice will show parts supplied, labour hours utilised and VAT, as it always has

What's annoying is the ASSUMPTION they make despite meeting every single criterion they list and their attitude that says absence of a rental charge does not mean a rental charge has not been made.

Who writes these things? I noticed this morning as I set off to collect my car, they gave themselves a plain English award.