got a job as a care worker, cant get insured for business use and stressed about it!

lindens

You do need a car for this job, you sometimes barely have 5 mins to go from one client to the next so public transport isnt fesible.You will probably have to change your insurance so you are main driver and should find getting business use no problem.

getmore4less

There are different types of business use,

Also issues if you are not the main driver or spouse/civil partner
as a named driver you can be insured for your own business use.

Business Use
If the car is being used in connection with work, either to visit clients or more than one place of work, the client will need a level of business cover.

Class 1
It is only the Regular Driver and Spouse who may have business use class 1. Business cover does NOT extend to cover any other named drivers on the policy, although the named drivers may still use the car for social, domestic and pleasure purposes.

Class 2
Class 2 covers named drivers and the RD/Sp business use. The named drivers only have the business use cover when they are driving the car in connection with the business of the main driver, They do NOT have cover if they are driving for the business of a different employer.

Class 3
Class 3 use provides business cover for the transportation of light goods, which have already been purchased, for example, pizzas or flowers. The driver who needs cover while selling services on a "door to door" basis will be covered by this option.

Note: Irrespective of whether or not the client is getting paid for the work that they do, they may require business use if they are either carrying passengers in the car or using the car to travel between places of work during the day.

vax2002

Having Business use on your insurance as part of a general policy only covers you for class 1 purposes YOUR OWN BUSINESS, To use your car in connection with an EMPLOYERS business is a completely different policy (Class 3n) and is quoted separately around £800 - £1200 per year is an average. As this looks as if it involves transporting what would be patients in care which an employer is getting paid to transport, the hire or reward also comes on line.
My advice is to anyone who thinks they have "business use" and is using the vehicle for tasks your employer instructs you to do is to call your insurance company, but be ready for a huge shock.
On this job, transport is the biggest cost facing an employer, they are looking to offload this on to the employee, which to be honest makes the job not worth doing, you will spend the wage on running the car, there is a lot more than the fuel to pay for, you would be subsidising your employers poor business plan.

Techno

Hootie19 wrote: »

Well let's hope you're never in the position of needing a care worker.

Care work is one of the most valuable jobs that you can go into - unfortunately the salary and hence perception/ general public's appreciation of the job don't match this but believe me it is sooooo appreciated by the people who receive the care.

gujigurl22

i understand why you need business use for the job but the manager just seemed pushy over it telling me cant you try this and try if you can do that etc just felt it was too much she was telling me to do.
in the job description it does say desirable to have/use own transport but she never mentioned it as i mentioned i got my own car, as my elder sis is main policy holder and i am a named driver i could not get my name on as policy holder. ANYWAY i met with other new workers at the 3 day training which i undertook for the job and they were from various areas including leeds, harrogate and huddersfield few of them already started work and had only asked for hours as 16/35 in the week and they were working hours 15/20 in a day and was fed up of it already.

i don't know what to do, i'm thinking to ring another branch and ask what they say if public transport can be used etc and then ring manager back if they say you can

Charlie1986

I think you have to be the main driver on the insurance to be covered for business use. I've worked in care since the age of 19 and never had a problem with insurance companies adding this on at no charge. I just told them I was a care worker going from house to house during the day and have been assured several times that my insurance covers me for this.
Care work with an agency is normally long hours and most probably you will have a zero hour contract? - Have you tried local government or NHS, although I don't know if they will be recruiting with all the cut backs happening at the moment.

Hootie19

Techno wrote: »

Care work is one of the most valuable jobs that you can go into - unfortunately the salary and hence perception/ general public's appreciation of the job don't match this but believe me it is sooooo appreciated by the people who receive the care.

I know. My daughter is a care worker, working with special needs children. My goodness - you don't go into that work for the financial rewards.

My daughter is now on maternity leave, and unfortunately, with the rise in petrol costs a major factor, has decided that she will not be able to afford to return to the job that she has loved doing.

persa

Crazy_Larry wrote: »

Care work is crap, find another job

Finding any job is an achievement in itself in this climate and the OP should be congratulated, rather than sneered at. Secondly, care work is a very important job - it takes a special kind of person to take on such a demanding role that often doesn't result in a lot of thanks.

OP, when is your car insurance up for renewal? Is it possible to cancel it/are Tesco actually going to cancel it on the basis of the phone call you made? Another insurer might be more helpful?

hcb42

I have never paid for business use, and never had my own business.

I understood Class 1 was correct, which is normally FOC as Class 3 is commercial travelling, which is not what care work is...

System

vax2002 wrote: »

Having Business use on your insurance as part of a general policy only covers you for class 1 purposes YOUR OWN BUSINESS,

If that is all you have then your insurance company is ripping you off.

Normal * Class 1 is 'the policyholder in connection with the policyholder's business and/or that of the policyholder's employer' which is ample cover for getting between the care company's clients.

* Having checked my previous certificates of insurance and policies from 5 different insurance companies.

vax2002 wrote: »

My advice is to anyone who thinks they have "business use" and is using the vehicle for tasks your employer instructs you to do is to call your insurance company, but be ready for a huge shock.

Yes, they will find that they are covered.