Occupation: engineer or student for car insurance

sukiduki

If someone was a 'PhD research student' with a degree in engineering then their car insurance would depend on job class:

Student = highest quote
Researcher = high quote
Scientist = lower
Engineer = lowest

Is it OK to say engineer? I'm sure people who know this hyperthetical person would say they were an engineer but maybe in the event of a high value clain the insurer would be cross?

espresso

Someone with a degree in engineering is an engineer.

sukiduki

but what if the person with the engineering degree was in HR, they wouldn't be an engineer then.

Quentin

The question is asking for your occupation, not what you got in your exams.

Pssst

I've got a "length" certificate...

Its your current occupation,not what youve got in your educational portfolio.

sukiduki

but the ins company could use the fact that the official job title contains the word 'student' to get out of paying. However, this person is classed as 'employed' by the uni and gets paid by a stipend by the uni.

And the job is engineering, not studying.

Its tricky isn't it!

Quentin

Best to discuss this "tricky" situation with the insurer, get the answer in writing then no-one can then claim to have been "tricked",

sukiduki

won't they just pick the most expensive one. And you only get to discuss with someone who has no capacity to make decisions (i.e. a bored out of their mind call operator who doesn't care)

Quentin

How else will you be sure you are covered in the event of a claim?

No post on here will be definitive, or stand up in court in the event of a dispute!

sukiduki

an engineer.

Its whether an arbitrary title such as 'student' disqualifies that.

I know its not 100% fulproof but I can't imagine a court of law disagreeing, can you?

raskazz

sukiduki wrote: »

an engineer.

Its whether an arbitrary title such as 'student' disqualifies that.

I know its not 100% fulproof but I can't imagine a court of law disagreeing, can you?

The only way forward is to contact the insurer. As you are a first and foremost a student then student would be most appropriate IMO. You could probably get away with 'research scientist' as well which I'm sure is on the list of ABI occupation codes. To select any of the others without a checking with the insurer beforehand would be a bit silly, especially as they will be able to see in the quote history that you have 'played around' with your details...