Advice, please... now unemployed

mumto1_2

Hi all. Two questions, please. I am now unemployed - should i inform my car insurer as I am no longer commuting to work so my milage will drop quite a bit? I'm wondering if I might get a partial refund on what i paid for car insurance in June.

I may have to SORN it or sell it as well. Should I leave insurance on it even if it's SORN or cancel?

TIA.

scheming_gypsy

it's unlikely you'll get a refund due to your mileage but you'll more than likely pay an admin fee for changing your work status, then an admin fee for changing it back when you get a job... Plus on top of that you're not at work for 8 hours a day so you've more time to be driving it about; so your premium might go up instead of down.

Unless SORN'ed cars are less appealing to thieves; you'll be better to keep it insured unless you can afford to just give it away.

daveyjp

Your insurance may well increase - but it is a material change in circumstance so you have no option than to tell them.

mumto1_2

ouch. I have no money to buy petrol - that's why it wont' be driven. Guess SORN it is then.

scheming_gypsy

Its swings and roundabouts really. You're not working so you can't afford to drive it but you aso have more time to go out and about and you could be driving to interviews.

Personally though I've never even thought about anything other than making sure I can still pay the insurance when unemployed. Changing employment details never crosses my mind

mikey72

"Unemployed" I'm afraid is a high risk group. Your insurance will go up, and you should advise them if you are keeping the car insured. Housewife is a cheaper option.

If you consider cancelling, don't tell them why, just cancel.

If you tell them the reason, they will probably change your occupation first, charge you an ammendment fee, and recalculate your annual premium, meaning you will owe them for the rest of the year.
Then they will calculate your refund, minus what you owe them on paper, plus a second fee.

Either way, when you cancel, you will have to sorn, do it before Friday and you'll get Octobers tax back.

Limey

As above unemployed is a high risk group but 'housewife' (I'm guessing you're a lady) is not.

Go figure.:rotfl:

davidjwest

Is there such a thing as "house-husband"? I've been made redundant and given 4 months notice so I may be going through this myself in future.

I do mystery shopping so could say I was doing that part-time perhaps?

Lum

Yes there is such a thing as house-husband and they claim otherwise that's gender discrimination.

Do you have children and/or a partner.

However, if you are SORNing a car, look for "lay up insurance", which covers fire theft etc but not driving. This will likely be cheaper.

mikey72

davidjwest wrote: »

Is there such a thing as "house-husband"? I've been made redundant and given 4 months notice so I may be going through this myself in future.

I do mystery shopping so could say I was doing that part-time perhaps?

Yes, you can be a house husband.

There is no definition of "unemployed", the normal one seems to be if you are actively seeking work, others have claiming benefits, others appear to state both.

If the mystery shopping is a part time job, it should be declared.

davidjwest

Thanks, they know about the mystery shopping so I suppose if I finish my main job then I am not actually unemployed, depending on how you look at it!

Hopefully I'll get another job before my current one ends in any case, thanks again.