Moving abroad and car

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John_John
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Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:41 pm

Moving abroad and car

Post by John_John » Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:53 pm

Hi,

I am going job-seeking aborad in another EU country. This will be for 3 months, in case I don't find work I come back here, otherwise I stay abroad of course.

I have a car here in Finland, and I would leave it behind with my spouse for now. If I come back I will use it again, if I find work abroad I would come back to drive it there to register it abroad.

I tried to get out of Trafi if I need to change the holder to my spouse or not for that time. The best answer they gave me was that 'it doesn't seem necessary if I only stay for a couple of months', but did not say explicitely so. When I asked if my spouse can drive the car in the meantime I was told that they 'think so'. But again, I would not be given a definite answer even when I asked for it, which I find disturbing when talking to an official representative of an organisation like Trafi.

Does anybody know more on the topic maybe, or has personal experience?

Lots of thanks!



Moving abroad and car

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DMC
Posts: 1314
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:17 am

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by DMC » Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:31 am

I don't think there would be any problem with Trafi. My wife and I moved out of Finland for 5 years and during that time we kept a car here. Both of us used it during trips back here and it was occasionally driven by other people whilst we were away. There was no problem with this. I suppose we could just have been lucky not to get caught, but I really would be surprised if any registration change should be done. Also my wife's company made arrangements for things like KELA whilst we were away, and they never mentioned anything to do with Trafi. They regularly handle such matters for employees posted abroad so I think they would have mentioned something if it were an issue. BTW I am assuming that this is a "normal" Finnish-registered car rather than a tax-free import, as that might change whether your spouse can drive the car without you.

What I do suggest is that you inform your insurance company what is happening. If the car is insured in your name they may want to change something and anyway it is best to inform them so that they cannot later refuse a claim because you should have done so.

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rinso
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Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:22 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by rinso » Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:50 am

If the car is registered in Finland and the road tax is payed, there shouldn't be any problem.
Informing the insurance is indeed a smart move, just in case.

Honest
Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:28 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by Honest » Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:57 am

The only reason to inform insurance could be handling the issues in case if an accident. They might want to talk to the issuance holder and not a third person.

There is no problem if another person is driving your car for a normal usage. In Finland car is insured not people. So it doesn't matter who is driving it.

Honest
Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:28 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by Honest » Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:00 am

And in case of a husband and a wife it's just logical thay both of them use the same car so I don't see any issue with her driving your car in your absence.

I don't know what's the process of taking it out of the trafi register if you want to save money on insurance and road tax

betelgeuse
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Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by betelgeuse » Fri Mar 10, 2017 12:28 am

Honest wrote:There is no problem if another person is driving your car for a normal usage. In Finland car is insured not people. So it doesn't matter who is driving it.
The insurance rules require the insurance be taken in the name of the primary driver. There is a personal element to the insurance since the bonus system is based on personal accident history.
Honest wrote:I don't know what's the process of taking it out of the trafi register if you want to save money on insurance and road tax
It can easily be done in their web service.

Honest
Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:28 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by Honest » Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:39 pm

Bonus system is based on personal accident history?
So if the car is insured in husband's name and the wife causes an accident, there will not be any effect on the husband's bonuses? Insurance premium won't increase? I think you are wrong.

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foca
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Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 11:38 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by foca » Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:38 pm

I constantly drive a сar registered to my wife , while she drives a car registered in my name, both cars insured in he same insurance company and we both have been stopped by police - never had any problems.
What do you want from me?????

betelgeuse
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Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by betelgeuse » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:05 am

Honest wrote:Bonus system is based on personal accident history?
So if the car is insured in husband's name and the wife causes an accident, there will not be any effect on the husband's bonuses? Insurance premium won't increase? I think you are wrong.
They will increase (though nowadays each insurance company can set their own rules). I did not argue otherwise. However, if it was purely based on the car, the history would not carry over to the next cars.

Honest
Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:28 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by Honest » Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:01 am

It's the car and the person whose name is as the insurance holder.

Car is insured for everybody who drives and travels in it. And the person in whose name insurance is taken out is responsible for any accidents and other insurance related issues. It's not the driver but the insurance holder who faces the insurance related consequences of any issue which involves an insurance claim.

riku2
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Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:13 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by riku2 » Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:54 am

betelgeuse wrote:There is a personal element to the insurance since the bonus system is based on personal accident history.
At least with Pohjola the bonus system is based on having insurance and NOT MAKING A CLAIM and they explain it like this in their english conditions
The no-claims bonus system of discounts granted on account of no-claims years and increases due to losses for which compensation is paid is applied to motor liability insurance according to the following table.
There is nothing about accidents - you might have had accidents and not claimed such as running over a pedestrian but the damage to your car wasn't worth making a claim!

Also if you've driven in Finland for many years and had no accidents/claims but had a company car (and so insurance was not in your name) then you do not get any bonus and a 40 year old with 10 years driving history of a company car who then buys their own car is treated like somebody 20 years younger who just passed their test.

it's a bizarre system. it should reward driving without accidents, not that YOU PERSONALLY have paid for insurance in previous years.

I think with the current system if you have a company car and have had regular crashes because you're a bad driver then they totally ignore that if you take out your own personal insurance.

Honest
Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:28 pm

Re: Moving abroad and car

Post by Honest » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:35 am

System is not perfect but better than the one where every drivers needs to his/her own insurance. That's terrible for families and also for family and friends who need to drive occasionally.

If a driver causes accidents while driving a company car, the company should take care of him or if they are lazy or stupid then the insurance company will take care of the company.


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