Running a work errand in my car - would I be covered on my car insurance?

hessodreamy

I was about to head out of work to pick something up from a customer locally. I know car insurances do exclude business use, but how about if it's a one-off? I do not use my car for business on a regular basis, and if I want to run an errand once a year, surely it's not 'reasonable' to be required to take out a separate or extended policy to cover this?

The policy may say it in black and white, but when it comes down to an ombudsman, how would that be likely to fly?

raskazz

hessodreamy wrote: »

I was about to head out of work to pick something up from a customer locally. I know car insurances do exclude business use

Not if they have been arranged including business use they don't!

hessodreamy wrote: »

but how about if it's a one-off? I do not use my car for business on a regular basis, and if I want to run an errand once a year, surely it's not 'reasonable' to be required to take out a separate or extended policy to cover this?

It's totally reasonable. It's black and white - if your policy does not include business use then the trip will not be covered.

Incidentally, your employer should be checking that such use is covered before they allow you to make the journey. Many employers have what is called an occasional business use extension to their fleets in order to cover such scenarios.

mauriphonic

Ask your insurer what it would cost to add business use. I've always insured including business use so haven't seen what difference it makes personally but a colleague recently checked the difference for their policy. There was only a £20 a year difference.

HeadAboveWater

I used to have business class insurance on my policy when I was self-employed. When I'd 'given up' that job, I contacted my insurers and they said it was the same price as SD&C insurance so I just left it as it was. You may find there's not a lot of difference between the two.

But agree that your employer should check you are insured first. Or else provide their own transport for you to use, again making sure you're insured to drive.

Just_Some_Guy

Business use usually costs a few quid. If you have one of a fairly select list of jobs or employers then business use suddenly becomes very hard to find.

phill99

You wouldn't be covered. Your policy is an absolute. It will exclude business use. That's ALL business even if it's a one off. If you were stopped the police, you would not be covered and they would take your car away, fine you £200 and give you 6 points.

olly300

phill99 wrote: »

You wouldn't be covered. Your policy is an absolute. It will exclude business use. That's ALL business even if it's a one off. If you were stopped the police, you would not be covered and they would take your car away, fine you £200 and give you 6 points.

Nonsense.

The police wouldn't know the OP doesn't have business cover and wouldn't care as they have 3rd party insurance which is all that you are required to have by law.

If the OP had an accident while running an errand for their employer, then the insurance company would pay out to the 3rd party and persue the OP for the cost.

Sgt_Pepper_2

So by your standards its ok to drive without insurance once a year?

PasturesNew

Would you be covered if you drank a bottle of whisky and drove home.... after all it's only a one off...

Sgt_Pepper_2

olly300 wrote: »

Nonsense.

The police wouldn't know the OP doesn't have business cover and wouldn't care as they have 3rd party insurance which is all that you are required to have by law.

If the OP had an accident while running an errand for their employer, then the insurance company would pay out to the 3rd party and persue the OP for the cost.

Err, yes they would.

olly300

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

Err, yes they would.

No they wouldn't.

First of all the OP has insurance.

Secondly the OP would come up on the police computer as having insurance so the police would have absolutely no reason to stop them unless they were driving in a way that broke the law.

Thirdly the police aren't involved in most car accidents

Fourthly while the OP isn't covered for business use if they had an accident and admitted* that they were doing an errand for their employer their insurance company would be liable to pay out to the 3rd parties and would have to persue the OP for the cost.

*Most people aren't dumb enough to openly admit they were doing something forbidden by their insurance they get caught out by the insurance company questioning them and their story being too perfect or too inconsistent.