Anyone Who Drives Your Car Insurance Recommendations? (Can Be Restricted to >25yr)

LJDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 11:36
Last edited 25/07/2024 - 12:13

Hi everyone, long time lurker/commentor, first time poster! Sorry for the long post, just trying to give context.

TLDR: Looking for car insurance recommendations where all drivers do not need to be listed. Primary driver drives car nearly all the time, with use by me being at most 1-2 times a month (I have my own car) but resulting in 50% premium increases if added on. I have no claim history and no demerits, just aged between 25-30.

Just looking for recommendations for parents' car insurance as the NRMA policy has gone up 50% on a like for like basis following their pricing restructure earlier this year.
They previously had a 20% loyalty/multi-product discount and a 65% NCB (don't think these stacked), which made insurance with NRMA extremely price competitive (The revised discount is now 10%/10%)
It seems the NRMA discounts restructure has benefitted younger drivers/new customers but shafted their longer-term client base (yes, I know loyalty doesn't pay, but until recently it did)

Anyways, our house is a multi-car household, and as a result the vehicle above is mainly driven by the primary driver and will very occasionally be used by me, a >25yr old, 1-2 times a month (pretty much only if my car is blocked in). NRMA has always been beneficial to date with their 'cover anyone who drives your car' policy, allowing me to remain off both parent's policies, but remain covered.

Some insurers specifically word that anyone who drives your car more than once in the policy period/ lives at the same address need to be listed (AAMI) which obviously rules them out. However, others like GIO make no mention of either when getting a quote or in their PDS, but their site mentions, "Yes, all drivers who you expect will repeatedly drive your car should be listed. If you don’t list a person who repeatedly drives your car, it may result in additional excesses and/or a reduction of or refusal of a claim.", leaving it quite ambiguous. NRMA just outright states that everyone is covered (as long as they're licenced), with additional excesses to be paid, if applicable.

Looking to see if anyone else has personal insight on the matter.

Cheers!

Edit: Typo

Automotive Car Insurance Insurance

Comments

  • Fredfloresjr on 25/07/2024 - 11:46

    To be honest, if you do not want headache at the time of accident, be honest with your insurance provider. With the current economy, they'll just refuse your claim if the driver is not listed. Read your PDS.

    • JDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 12:11

      To be fair, I don't think you've read my post properly. I've made no mention of being dishonest here and I'm looking for alternatives to NRMA, who have solution for infrequent drivers without needing to be listed. Paying an extra $600 for each car per year for about 10 drives of use is stupid, esp. with my lack of claims and clean driving history to date.

      Look at it this way, if you lent your car to a friend let say once a month, do you think you should be forced to list them on the policy? I argue they are infrequent enough to not be a regular driver and instead have an additional excess in the event of an accident

      • HeWhoKnows on 26/07/2024 - 14:19
        +1

        Same rules apply to all car insurance policies mate.
        Insurance comapnies are not charities nor fools.
        And as others pointed out there are options such as paying a higher excess for unlisted drivers.

        Go to the insurance comparison sites if you want a better deal

        Thats the best place to check OP.

        • JDMcarfan on 26/07/2024 - 15:26
          +1

          And as others pointed out there are options such as paying a higher excess for unlisted drivers

          I've literally said just this in my comment above. I know they aren't charities, but they're also taking a cop out approach to state: that more than one use per period, should be recorded as a listed driver, but then have absolutely no breakdown of excluded drivers/requirements for listed drivers in their T&C/PDS.

          Anyways, I'm calling up the price competitive companies on for my situation (AAMI/GIO who both have the same underwriter) and will ask for a clear explanation.

  • boomramada on 25/07/2024 - 11:54

    Why not get a insurance which you have to pay extra excess for unlisted drive? Not that you going to have a accident every week of the month and let the unlisted driver knows (pretty much similar to car rentals).

    Whichever silver bullet you looking for won't be cheap.

    • JDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 11:57

      That is what I'm looking for - insurance where you can have unlisted drivers covered. I'm happy to pay an extra excess in the event of an accident, if there's one applicable

      • oscargamer on 25/07/2024 - 12:03

        Why wouldn't the driver pay the excess?

        • askbargain on 25/07/2024 - 12:04
          +1

          who said that

          • oscargamer on 25/07/2024 - 12:43
            -1

            @askbargain: The op

            "I'm happy to pay an extra excess in the event of an accident,"

      • EightImmortals on 25/07/2024 - 12:04

        I thought most of the them covered unlisted drivers but with a larger excess fee if you make a claim?

        • JDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 12:08

          that's what I thought too, but so far outside of GIO (see above), the ones that come up cheaper than NRMA all either ask if you expect to drive the car more than once a year (then you are considered a regular driver) or live at the same address

        • sumyungguy on 25/07/2024 - 12:18

          Some now require all drivers living at the same address to be nominated, otherwise they're not covered

  • sumyungguy on 25/07/2024 - 12:12

    This is shifting constantly, try Australia Post (QBE) and Allianz

    • sumyungguy on 25/07/2024 - 14:33

      … and all the inexperienced driver excesses are for under 25s so you should be fine.

  • Muzeeb on 25/07/2024 - 12:15

    RACV just apply an extra excess for unlisted drivers. $600 seems to ring a bell. They also have an excess for inexperienced drivers.

    • JDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 12:21
      +1

      RACV not offered in NSW unfortunately, but falls under the IAG group like NRMA

      • ihbh on 25/07/2024 - 14:28

        RACV is in a JV with IAG (they put all their retail VIC business in a company; IAG put all their NSW retail business in the company, and they own it say 60:40 IAG/RACV with IAG doing all the underwriting).

  • mboy on 25/07/2024 - 12:31
    +1

    Budget Direct? My insurance certificate with them is structured like this:

    Excess(es) on claims:
    Basic Excess (except window glass) $xx
    Window glass only $xx

    Additional excesses:
    The following amounts are added to the Basic Excess when the car is being driven by a person who is not an excluded driver, but who:
    is under 21 years of age $xx
    is aged 21 to 24 years inclusive $xx
    has not held a full or open Australian licence for 2 or more years $xx
    is not listed as a driver on the policy $xx

    And regarding that "who is not and excluded driver" part, this is what it says under the 'Excluded Drivers' section:

    "Any Household Member not listed above"

    I take that to mean if I live with someone and they're not listed on the policy then they're not covered no matter what. But if it's someone that doesn't live with me (like a friend) then they're covered with the additional excess.

    • JDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 13:01

      Yep, correct! the excluded driver section (or equivalent) is the catch-22 of most insurer's policies.

    • 2esc on 26/07/2024 - 17:23

      Personally after the way Budget treated the mother in law when she lost her car in the 2009 Victorian fires ill never use them.

      They wanted a complete service history record of the car.

      Now where do most people normally keep the service books?

      She was the second owner so only knew where she had it serviced and though the service book was complete you dont commit to memory prior to ownership entries in the service book.

      Not the sort of stress you need when a fire has gone through your property.

  • mrmc on 25/07/2024 - 12:33
    +1

    bingle - Unlisted household member or
    unlisted regular driver excess $1950

  • FezMonkey on 25/07/2024 - 13:47

    PD insurance includes it, but it's an extra $3000 excess

  • Boioioioi on 25/07/2024 - 14:30

    I'm with AAMI, gotta pay extra if unlisted driver, their prices and service are good though I like them

    • JDMcarfan on 26/07/2024 - 15:30

      I have purchased a policy through AAMI and will call and confirm with them (wont be driving parents car till then), but when getting a quote it says that anyone expected to drive car more than once in policy period should be listed.
      A general search of their FAQs then says that they may continue to cover/refuse an unlisted driver but provide no checklist of requirements associated - I.e as long as you are licenced, you are covered albeit with an extra excess, or if not listed, but living at the same address then completely exlcuded (some insurers are like this).

  • ihbh on 25/07/2024 - 14:31
    +1

    Thanks for sharing your experience OP. I've heard of these changes and have been a loyal NRMA customer for almost 3 decades and benefited enormously (massive loyalty bonus with being a loyal and savvy customer). Will see what I do at the end of this year when all the insurances come up for renewal.

    • JDMcarfan on 25/07/2024 - 14:58

      Yeah, the order of savings for my family have been pretty massive. I've price shopped every year and have been priced in-line with Budget Direct (without me listed) and other known 'cheap' insurers, all whilst having the NRMA support network. For the claims we've had (all not at fault), they've been super responsive so no complaints till now.

  • GordonD on 25/07/2024 - 18:48

    I thought I'd better check my policy.

    I don't have to list other drivers. As long as the driver is >25 I'm covered and there's no additional excess.

    I get a lower premium by setting that minimum drivers age of 25. If I hadn't my premium would be higher, as well as anyone younger having a bigger excess.

  • lainey13 on 26/07/2024 - 00:18

    Had this scenario previously, we were with Allianz

  • CL123 on 26/07/2024 - 10:03

    Sorry I don't know the exact age and driving amount criteria, but I am with Woolworth's car Insurance. For me who does not drive much the Drive Less, Pay Less is the best quote I found and sometimes they give bonus Everyday Rewards points that can add up to a decent sum PLUS you get a 10% shop at both Woolies and Big W once a month either in store or online. Those savings add up over time as well.

    You can do a quote online so it may be worthwhile to do that and pick the options and see where you end up.
    Good luck :-)

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