It's insurance renewal time. Coincidentally, Mrs H has been informed that the Health Trust she works for may choose to send her to another local hospital from time to time, or to Uni to study. According to the insurer, this looks like commuting to more than one place of work, so they want to change the "SDP & commuting" to "Class 1 business use". According to me, She will only be commuting to one place of work, at a time. She won't change hospitals during working hours. My attempts at clarifying this by email have met with stonewalling. Any thoughts, good Backroomers?
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I work on a similar basis. Yes, it is considered 'more than one place of work'. Insurers seem particularly nervous about anyone who does any studying at a University, even on a part-time basis, so its best to tell them.
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Similar thing a few years back - changed from SD&P+ commuting to Class 1 Business use. Made no difference to the premium - just another Ins Certificate.
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How would they know which place was her 'normal place of work'?
I've never heard of an insurance company asking where someone was going when they had an accident. Even if they did, what's wrong with saying you were just out for a drive?
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Been there done that.
Commuting = going from home to work.
Business use = going from one place of work to another.
what's wrong with saying you were just out for a drive?
Fraud.
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Even if they did, what's wrong with saying you were just out for a drive?
So many instances when, without any hesitation, people nowadays suggest committing perjury or fraud. The moral values of this nation seem to have gone down the drain.
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From my experience:
- Many years ago I needed to add business use to a policy - cost was actually £0 :-)
- My wife started to need to drive to a few council sites due to training... the insurance did not need changing on her car but I checked anyway
I do not think the cost difference will be huge (if anything) but you want to be sure there are no issues and therefore let them change it.
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I've never heard of an insurance company asking where someone was going when they had an accident.
Quite a few years ago I had a not-at-fault accident (hit from behind when I was in a queue). The insurance company wanted to know where I had come from and where I was going. Everything went smoothly, but they DID want to know.
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If you have an injury accident during the day the Police are supposed to ask the purpose of the journey so they can record it as a work related accident if you were driving during your normal working hours. You would be on dodgy ground if you didn't have business cover.
Also, if you travel to another location and are paid mileage expenses then you to have business use cover.
As others have said though, you'll probably find it makes no difference to the premium. In fact my teacher daughter changed to Class 1 mid year as she was visiting other schools and her premium went down £15 and they sent her a refund - how bizarre is that?
Edited by Bill Payer on 29/02/2008 at 16:20
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Sometimes it does make a difference...
I asked about upgrading my cover to Class 1 so I could use my own car to go between offices - they wanted to more double the premium from around £500 to around £1200.
I told them I'd continue to use pool cars...
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This shows the perils of arguing a point of principle. It's an insignificant £2.50 to have Class 1 business use on a £120 premium. Thank you for your replies.
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Both my wife and I have class 1 business at a zero increase in premium.
On the issue of what the journey was for I am not aware that if an HORT1 producer notice is given to a motorist by a police officer that the policy is actually checked for journey type validity as opposed to being simply insured at the time.
SIMON
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It can be! There is a space for 'Use'. So if the circumstances are such that the driver is obviously using the vehicle for buisness purposes then the insurance will have to show the cover.
Evening fast food delivery drivers are always a good source of prosecutions. Cant argue with a pile of red thermal bags stinking of garlic!
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I'm glad this isue's been raised since it may affect me and quite a few other lorry drivers who aren't aware of it.
During the summer months I go on agency work since my main job is seasonal. Given that I may theoretically drive for five different firms in a week, it looks like I may well have to investigate this further.
Thanks for the heads-up.
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There was an incident when a bobby nipped out during lunch break for a bit of shopping or something. Anyway had a bump and as the Bill are paid for their lunch hours (theoretically), it was held that buisness cover was needed as he was on duty. Insurance company refused to pay out.
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the biggest problem i've had in the past is having 'SDP and to/from workplace'....driving to work at one place, then being told someone has boo-boo'd with the planning or someone has gone sick...and then you have to drive to another site...so despite the fact you've not even taken your coat off and haven't started work as such, you'd still fall foul of the 'from home to one place of work rule' that the insurance companies stick to
it's easier to have business use....after the lenghty conversation I had with one company that got me nowhere
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