Difference between business use and commercial travelling

sghughes42

I'm hoping someone can clear this up as none of the insurance companies give a clear guide on their websites...

What is the definition of commercial travelling?

The reason I ask - I run my own company and travel about a dozen time a year to model railways shows to sell my products. I have business cover on my car insurance but is that enough or should I have commercial travelling?

The bit about travelling to sell isn't that clear.... I just use the car to move my stock to a venue and sell there, I don't drive around customers selling so to me it sounds like normal business cover will be fine, but I'm just slightly worried...

Owain_Moneysaver

"This is defined as travelling from place to place in search of custom, but each insurance company will have its own exact definition." Source

You really need to check, therefore, with your insurer; there appears to be no standard definition. Some insurers will allow sales reps on normal Class 1 Business insurance.

Quentin

sghughes42 wrote: »

I'm hoping someone can clear this up as none of the insurance companies give a clear guide on their websites...

You need to get a definitive answer from your chosen insurer, and not rely on any generic answer you get in a forum like this which may not apply to your particular circumstances.

(Also you may need separate goods in transit insurance just to cover the stock being carried)

sghughes42

Quentin, I see you point, but the problem is it would be helpful when it comes to chasing around for prices if I had an idea whether it was most likely to be covered or not. Of course I'd check with the company I actually chose, but it would be useful to know what I should be putting on the forms on the search engines.

Annisele

I suspect yours is a case where price comparison websites don't help all that much. They're for people with bog standard requirements - but you don't have those, so you'll probably need to compare the actual wording of different insurer's clauses.

Possibly a problem for a broker rather than a website.

Quentin

sghughes42 wrote: »

Quentin, I see you point, but the problem is it would be helpful when it comes to chasing around for prices if I had an idea whether it was most likely to be covered or not. Of course I'd check with the company I actually chose, but it would be useful to know what I should be putting on the forms on the search engines.

A "generic" answer - as you are carrying goods to sell, then you could well need commercial travelling insurance.

As Annisele says, a broker (not swinton) is your best bet.

sghughes42

Thanks, will try that - my renewal is due in about 6 weeks so I'll start asking around soon.

I hope I don't need anything more than business cover as I checked the prices for travelling salesmen last year and it was more than twice as much. Of course I'll be able to claim it as an expense but when you are looking at an extra £30-40 per show I do it all eats in to profits which aren't exactly significant at the moment anyway...