Golf driver,

Hi there! I have the same problem! - au'pairs, insurance etc - please can you let me know who you found your cover with?

Thanks very much,

Guc

Hi again Golfdriver!

I appreciate that the vehicle won't be driven much, so obviously the risk is a lot less than say if you were to do 10-15k a year. You may trust the driver, but insurance companies don't know him from the next nutcase who is familiar with the steering wheel on the wrong side! Unfortunately the risk is certainly higher and if you have received a quote cheaper than your original policy (where the original doesn't have him named) then you were either paying far too much over the odds in the first place or the company you've gone to are employing infants. No prudent underwriter will underwrite a policy, such as this, cheaper than a standard policy. Out of interest. What were you paying before? What was the new quote? How long has the Au Pair been (officially) resident in the UK?

Vicissitude

Alright, alright. Keep your hair on! ;-)

I'll let the little Englander comments go. And I happen to agree about the cars. And having driven a lot in France you probably have a point about the driving too, and not just the lorry drivers. But my wife's French so historic antipathies and centuries of bloody conflict have to be put aside. Not that her dad was restrained from referring to us as 'les barbarians' in his wedding speech... But then he's army and as far as he's concerned we're all French since the Norman conquest.

Anyway.... Look it's only a 15-20min walk to the nursery. It's about a mile. And Inland Revenue rules explicitly provide for aupairs as not having an employment relationship with their families. And the car is fully serviced and sailed through its last MOT. We do c3000 miles a year. I wouldn't drive long-distance in it as it's not that comfortable, but it's fine round here. They'll take the bus most of the time, or walk when it's nice. And I don't think 'very probable claim' because I trust this man. If it were some dizzy country-bumpkin Latvian who's never seen more than 3 Ladas and an ox on the road at once, I would feel different. But he's alright, I'm sure. And when the cover starts I'll take him out a few times to satisfy myself he's competent before he drives on his own, or with one or both of my children in the back!

And believe it or not I've found cover, cheaper than my old policy!!!! You heard me right. I was totally straight, spelt out the situation for him. Very clear that additional driver is an aupair and French. Even got his supervisor to confirm it. And he's advised me to make a note of the day/time of the call, to confirm the record of the offer of cover. Something of a relief to us as we want the flexibility to get the aupair to do stuff using the car if we need him to.

But if you think I should be phoning them back to question it, let me know and I will. The last thing I want is bogus cover that gives me grief in the event of any claim, however improbable I believe that to be.

Thanks for the post and for your interest.

Golfdriver

Golfdriver, surely to God to can see the increased risk here!?

You are wanting to have an additional driver that is: 25, Male, French (but we won't hold the fact they build rubbish cars against him), no accident history (and probably no driving history that can be taken into consideration as prudent insurers aren't interested), an AU PAIR!!, your employee (you make payments/provide board for him), to take your KIDS out to a NURSERY when the WEATHER is bad... in a 1990 VW Golf. Personally, if somebody wanted me to underwrite a risk like that I would tell them to stick to the bus, or charge at least £1500-2000+ ! You have to see the fortuitous event that lies ahead. A driver, not from this country drives on the UK roads with somebody's children in the back!!!!!?????!!!!???? Think 'Very probable claim' and 'Medical bills'. Have you not seen French lorry drivers on the roads?

Hi

PLEASE can you advise me as on-line quotes have proved no use as yet.

We have just welcomed into our home on a 25yr old French au pair, male, with a clean EEC driving licence, no accident history, driving for 5 yrs.

I tried to insure him on our existing policy and was very frustrated that our insurer of many years standing flatly refused, as soon as I mentioned the word 'au pair'. Their member of staff was pretty surly and unhelpful, asserting their policy that au pairs are a specific exclusion from 'social domestic and pleasure', because we 'employ' the au pair. That's not the case as Revenue rules for au pairs are very clear on that. I was not offered any options, even with a higher premium. She was also pretty rude about 'ferrying your kids about'! We only want to insure him so he can take one of them to nursery in the car when the weather is bad. They walk or get the bus usually.

We have a reliable but old and worthless car (1990 VW Golf) which does <3000m pa and is really used for local trips and the odd trek up to the grim north. I'm the main driver and a good bet - 5 yrs no claims, clean licence, civil servant etc....

I'm pretty fed-up and life's too short for this hassle! Surely it can't be that big a deal?

Many thanks

Golfdriver