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

Sgt_Pepper_2

olly300 wrote: »

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.

so when the database says she has no business cover, what part of the police won't know is that?

phill99

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.

Sorry but you have one of those vocal rectums.

If the police stopped the driver for any reason while using her car for business purposes, the insurance data base identifies the exact type of insurance ie whether it includes business use or not. Therefore at that time, no valid insurance would be in place and the police have the right to seize the vehicle.

moggymutt

My NFU office told me to get business cover just because some of my trips are to do voluntary work , even though its unpaid work.

When I was at school, they told everybody to check that insurance covered business use in case we ever had a pupil/pupils in the car with us.

dacouch

phill99 wrote: »

Sorry but you have one of those vocal rectums.

If the police stopped the driver for any reason while using her car for business purposes, the insurance data base identifies the exact type of insurance ie whether it includes business use or not. Therefore at that time, no valid insurance would be in place and the police have the right to seize the vehicle.

Don't think they seize the car if it is has an insurance policy on it

rs65

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, but how about if it's a one-off?

The difficulty is how do the insurers know it was a one-off?

I think the ombudsman would support the insurers - as you say, its black and white.

Sgt_Pepper_2

dacouch wrote: »

Don't think they seize the car if it is has an insurance policy on it

It happened to someone on pepipoo.

dacouch

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

It happened to someone on pepipoo.

Don't the police have to satisfy the following

"In order to justify seizure of a vehicle three facts must be present:

a constable in uniform must require that a driver produces a relevant certificate of insurance,

the driver must fail to produce the relevant certificate, and

the constable must have reasonable grounds for believing that the vehicle was being driven without insurance."

(Not sure whether being in a uniform is a requirement)

Sgt_Pepper_2

dacouch wrote: »

Don't the police have to satisfy the following

"In order to justify seizure of a vehicle three facts must be present:

a constable in uniform must require that a driver produces a relevant certificate of insurance,

the driver must fail to produce the relevant certificate, and

the constable must have reasonable grounds for believing that the vehicle was being driven without insurance."

(Not sure whether being in a uniform is a requirement)

And your point is?

System

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

And your point is?

The point is that there is a debate here over whether failing to comply with one of the terms in an insurance policy is an offence under the Road Traffic Act or simply a matter between you and the insurance company.

Arguments have been advanced for both points of view, but no amount of slanging Oh yes it is or Oh no it isn't is going to resolve the debate unless someone can produce a link to an authoritative source that addresses this particular point.

loracan1

I've had to do one or two errands for work in my own car - I've always ensured I've got hold of some form to cover my back on their insurance and had it signed off by a manager (can't remember what it's called and I suspect everyone isn't aware of the need)