Taking own car to the test- help clarify insurance details

[ncrdbnc]

I have a very specific questions on what happens on the day please.

I have a provisional licence, insurance has the details as provisional licence and third party only.

My partner is not a named driver on the car.

If I talk them with me to the tests do they are DVLA verify or check the details if my partner is named on the insurance, is able To drive and their licence details?

Thanks.

Other than this, we got the car, MOT, mirror, roadworthiness all sorted.

Fingers crossed

 

[Snow1964]

It sounds like you would be ok to get to the test, and take the test.

However if you then pass (which is obviously the aim) you are technically allowed to drive on your own (unaccompanied). In old days the tester would give you a pass certificate that you sent off with provisional licence to swap it full. Might be electronic now. So although you physically have the provisional licence card, it has various small print on back about full licence, and that is what DVLA will have if notified electronically. Not sure how insurer would treat passed but new full licence not yet issued.

You would be best to clarify it with your insurer, because they might be basing your premium based on you having a full licence holder accompanying you.

 

[Herefordian]

My understanding is anyone supervising a learner driver needs to be insured on the vehicle.

This is in case they have to take over driving at any point.

Good luck with your driving test.

 

[ncrdbnc]

Thank you both

 

[DelW]

My understanding is anyone supervising a learner driver needs to be insured on the vehicle.

This is in case they have to take over driving at any point.

Good luck with your driving test.

If the supervising driver owns a car themselves, most policies give legal minimum cover to drive any vehicle they don't own - which would include the learner's car.

Incidentally, it wasn't a rule I was aware of, and I certainly didn't comply with it when I was learning, since I drove with quite a variety of qualified passengers. That was a few decades ago though.

 

[Enthusiast]

My understanding is anyone supervising a learner driver needs to be insured on the vehicle.

I don't believe that is correct. I note that some insurers' websites are suggesting that but, as far as I can recall, there is nothing in the RTA that makes such a provision.

What you may have to look at is your own insurance. Many insurers provide "learner insurance" which is only valid whilst you are a provisional licence holder and drive accompanied. It lapses when you have passed your test and are driving alone. You need to check your policy conditions.

 

[ncrdbnc]

I don't believe that is correct. I note that some insurers' websites are suggesting that but, as far as I can recall, there is nothing in the RTA that makes such a provision.

What you may have to look at is your own insurance. Many insurers provide "learner insurance" which is only valid whilst you are a provisional licence holder and drive accompanied. It lapses when you have passed your test and are driving alone. You need to check your policy conditions.

Thanks

Thanks. I was under the impression that the learner insurance in other words, insurance that has a provisional licensee as main driver declared when taken would have factored in a lower risk and therefore defaulted to a supervisor being present. I can see the quotes are a lot lower compared to myself as a full driver licence holder with everything else the same.

I don’t see any requirement for the supervisor to be able to takeover. Not sure why they need to takeover at any point anyway. There are no dual controls.
Own car practice are prohibited from using motorways. Everywhere else I can drive as long as they are there by my side.

Does anyone happen to know if the examiner checks for the supervisor licence and insurance details please?

 

[Energy]

When you pass they'll take away your provisional ID and the full driving licence will be sent in the mail, you can use the pass certificate until your new licence arrives.

Once you pass your learner insurance will no longer be valid. Some companies (like Cuvva) will let you sort it out in the car right after you've passed or you need someone else insured to drive it home (temporary insurance policies are available for a short period of time).

Remember your car must be insured (even while on your driveway) or registered as SORN.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Remember your car must be insured even while on your driveway or registered as SORN.

Don't believe that's correct. If your car has been "SORNed" and is actually then kept off road, you don't need to pay VED (road tax), have an MOT, or insure it. The latter, could, of course, be an issue if the car then gets stolen or damaged, but insurance cover isn't mandatory.

 

[Energy]

Don't believe that's correct. If your car has been SORNed and is kept off road, you don't need to pay VED / road tax, have an MOT, or insure it. The latter, could, of course, be an issue if the car gets stolen or damaged, but insurance cover isn't mandatory.

You are correct I meant it as "Remember your car must be insured (even while on your driveway) or registered as SORN."

 

[danm14]

Your supervising driver does not need to be insured on the car you are driving, only you do. Whether it is a good idea for them to be or not, so they can take over driving if needs be, is another matter - but it is not a legal requirement for them to be insured on the car.

You do not need to bring a supervising driver to the test, they won't ask to see them, speak to them, or confirm any details with them. For example, it's perfectly fine to have someone deposit the car at the test centre before they go to work, you arrive on the bus on your own to sit the test, and they come back and collect it after work.

If you wish to have someone sit in the back during the test to observe, they do not have to be a licensed driver - it can be absolutely anyone over 16.

 

[Herefordian]

I can only go from my own experience from when I supervised a learner driver.

They were told by their provider I had to be on their insurance as a named driver.

Some years later, I now know this wasn't necessary.

At least I know for future reference.

 

[gswindale]

When I took my test (3 times), my instructor's rule was that regardless of pass or fail that he would drive the car back from the test centre. Rationale behind that was that if you failed, you wouldn't be in the right mindset to drive home and if you'd passed, you'd be over the moon and therefore might not fully concentrate.

Whilst there is nothing legal saying that you should do the above, it does seem to make sense to me.

 

[80073]

A bit off theme, but a few years back a friend failed their test before engine started! They were using instructor's car. Instructor had recently got personalised number plates, but examiner noticed that Tax Disc showed old registration. He failed them because he was concerned that insurance might still be in old registration, meaning car not insured. Friend got compensation from instructor and passed another time!

 

[ncrdbnc]

Lots of useful information.

Thanks

 

[philthetube]

My understanding is anyone supervising a learner driver needs to be insured on the vehicle.

This is in case they have to take over driving at any point.

Good luck with your driving test.

The insurer could make this a requirement of the policy, if so it would have to be observed regardless of what the law says.

 

[Enthusiast]

The insurer could make this a requirement of the policy, if so it would have to be observed regardless of what the law says.

They might struggle if they refused cover on that basis in the event of a claim. An insurer can only decline a claim due to a breach of policy condition if the breach is material to the loss. That might be difficult to show.

 

[P Binnersley]

The Driving Standards Agency have issued guidance on using your own car for the driving test.

This includes:

Tax and insurance​

Your car must:

• be taxed
• have a current MOT (if it’s over 3 years old)
• be insured for a driving test (check with your insurance company)

So it looks like you will have to have a chat with your insurance company in any case.

You will also need an extra rear view mirror for the examiner.

Your car must:

• be fitted with an extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner

 

[Cowley]

We’re teaching our kids bit by bit and have got two through their driving tests so far and another two learning.

With my stepson the car was in my partners name, she insured it and I was a named driver on it and whenever we’ve taken any of them out for lessons we’ve used Veygo temporary learner insurance (who know who the main insurer is and also ask which company the car is insured with).

The day he passed we were at the test centre waiting in our other car and afterwards we just bought him four hours temporary insurance as a present so that he could go off and see his friends to celebrate (I think I might have got a bit dust in my eyes as he drove off because they were definitely a little bit moist )

A couple of other things to remember. Appearance is important to some examiners, make sure the car is clean inside and out and that there’s no obvious faults with the vehicle.
Also make sure you know where everything is - spare wheel, jack, washer bottle, dipstick etc. You never know what they might ask you and you need to know about these things anyway.

When our youngest took her test earlier this year she’d probably done around half of her learning by lessons and then half with us. Unfortunately though the instructors car developed a fault with the ABS on the day of the test, which as you can probably imagine caused a fair bit of panic! The little Skoda car that we’ve got for teaching them in had loads of my tools in the back, dust everywhere inside and was covered in Devon red earth mud!
In the end Mrs C got the lovely Skoda to go to work in while Little Miss C (once she’d organised the temporary learner insurance) headed off with the examiner to do her test in our recently purchased spankingly clean Golf (and yeah she couldn’t believe her luck ).
She passed first time, bought an hour’s fully comp temporary insurance and drove the car home…

Anyway, as others have said, good luck. You can do this!

 

[londiscape]

Did my own test in Feb this year in my own car, I was insured with Admiral and they were very reasonable, although I'm quite a bit older than is usual for taking a test, so may not be typical.

As others have said, you need to be covered to take the test itself. I had insurance on my provisional license and Admiral confirmed I was covered to take the test (I phoned beforehand to check).

My supervisor (a family member) was covered for third-party only by his own insurance which allowed him to drive any car on this basis, so was fully legal. He was not a named driver on my policy.

After passing (on second attempt!!) I had to phone Admiral and inform them I had passed and then pay a supplement to transfer from provisional to full license, had I not done so I believe it would have been illegal to drive myself after passing, even with my supervisor in the passenger seat.

As regards checking by DVSA, I only needed to sign a declaration before taking the test to affirm I was insured correctly, I saw no evidence of any checking to confirm this was true.

Best of luck with this, passing the test, especially if you already have a car, can change your life. Certainly did mine!