Insurance for L driver without licensed driver in car?

T

Toby

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Just wondering if you are covered by insurance if you're an L driver driving without a fully licensed driver in the car, since technically this is illegal. This is a bit of a grey area and the delays in getting driving test appointments must mean that there are a huge number of people driving around in this situation. Can you get in legal trouble for it though and can the insurance company claim you're not covered if you try to make an insurance claim? Thanks to anyone who knows.
 
Given that a provisional driver on their second provisional licence is permitted to drive unaccompanied and that the insurance company will have built the provisional status into the premium, it's hard to see how the insurance status of such a driver is anything other than certain.
 
But only when they are on their 2nd provisional - right? Not before and not after...
 
Toby, you seem to have hit on a classic 'grey area' here and I'll follow this post with interest, since I'm soon enough going to be wanting to add one L-plated-and-provisionally-licensed daughter to our own policy, and am no clearer than anyone else here so far as to how the land lies on this question.

My own experience of motor insurance companies (and the claiming from thereof) suggests that they will automatically seek to wriggle out of liability, given the slightest pretext, and that (to answer your question) you'll need to ask your insurer to clarify unambiguously - and in writing - what the story is. I just hope your question is hypothetical and that you're not already weighing up your options following a 'prang'...!
 
I read before that you are covered and that just because you are illegaly driving it makes no difference. Otherwise, lets say you had a crash because you had a bald tyre. That would be driving illegaly...if you had a crash while drunk you're still covered etc etc.
So i read you are covered as driving illegaly doesn't discount yoru insurance...havign said that, I'd like to see a real example...
 
legend99 said:
I read before that you are covered and that just because you are illegaly driving it makes no difference. Otherwise, lets say you had a crash because you had a bald tyre. That would be driving illegaly...if you had a crash while drunk you're still covered etc etc.
So i read you are covered as driving illegaly doesn't discount yoru insurance...havign said that, I'd like to see a real example...
Click to expand...
I believe you are right...having worked in the insurance industry this is what we we believed the case to be, and what we told anyone that queried it. Just phone up your insurance company and ask them....making sure to get the full name of the person who tells you.

There are a few things out there that a lot of people believe you are not insured for (one example is doctors telling you that you are not insured to drive if you have a cast on your arm, which is patently untrue)
 
wow I have a cast on now, Are you sure i am ok to drive?
I have been keeping the driving to short spins since i got the cast on.
 
I think I remember reading something on this topic in another thread some time ago. If I'm not mistaken it was said, that if your policy was null and void due to modifying the car, lying about age or penalty points, driving on provisional license without fully licensed driver etc. in the event of a crash any third party damage would be covered but not your own car. I'm not sure though whether passengers in your own car were covered or only those you crash into. It certainly would be great to find some official documentation on this matter though.
 
Unregistered said:
wow I have a cast on now, Are you sure i am ok to drive?
Click to expand...

Yep, but a quick call to your insurance companies call centre to confirm may put your mind at ease if you doubt me.
 
But, as the wise old DrM says, none of us know.

This is remarkable: we don't know whether somebody is insured when driving our car. Read your policy documents and see can you tell.

Good old insurance companies.
 
I don't know that I'd trust the insurance company line on it to be honest, unless I get it in writing which one of you suggested. As mentioned, insurance companies will try to wriggle out of a payment if at all possible. Fortunately, its a hypothetical question, I don't have a claim to make.
 
I'm not an expert, but I understood that if you were driving illegally (drunk, speeding, L-driver on motorway), the insurance company would pay any claims made by 3rd parties against you but then pursue you personally for the money.
 
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