Help! Car insurance when not working due to ill health?

igloo99

Hi - I need some advice regarding renewing my car insurance. I recently stopped working due to ill health and am claiming Employment and Support Allowance (formerly Incapacity Benefit). I read that if you state that you are 'unemployed', then car insurance premiums can shoot up.

Cash is tight as it is, so I want to avoid any extra costs, whilst staying on the right side of the law (and insurance companies). When I'm feeling up to it, I do some occasional unpaid work for a charity (permitted under ESA rules) - so I was considering putting 'charity worker' as my job.

Does anyone have any experience of this, or can advise on which relevant employment categories may give the lowest premiums? (I've heard that if you get multiple with different job titles, then insurance companies can pick this up.)

Many thanks!

PS - I do not use the car for work-related activity e.g. deliveries, giving people lifts; though I do use it to commute.
Also, my medical condition does not affect my ability to drive.

Bangton

Don't know if this helps but there is the option to put yourself as retired on medical grounds and in my experience this makes very little difference to the insurance premiums (as well as being factually correct)

forgotmyname

You will probably need to speak to the insurer not just do it online.

If you put unemployed you will have issues with your commuting. If you put employed then thats not right as you get ESA.

Speak to them and see what they say.

igloo99

Thanks folks!

forgotmyname wrote: »

If you put unemployed you will have issues with your commuting. If you put employed then thats not right as you get ESA.

It's not so black and white - the grey area of unpaid work is still 'work' even though I don't get paid. Some work, paid or otherwise, can be permitted if you're claiming ESA. As you say, phoning insurers may help to clarify.

Bangton wrote: »

Don't know if this helps but there is the option to put yourself as retired on medical grounds and in my experience this makes very little difference to the insurance premiums (as well as being factually correct)

I can't put retired as I've not been officially 'medically retired'. Plus I'm young'ish and I see my current status as a temporary recovery period and do hope to return to work at some point (though this may be longer than I'd like!)

cheghead

I am on ESA as well and have also lost job recently. I would recommend you let your insurer know your change of details. I let mine know (with credit card at the ready) expecting an increase. They did say it would be more but 'waived the amount' so I haven't had to pay anymore. :beer:
Ironically while I was parked on a hill outside my house a car parked behind and its handbrake failed crashing into the back of mine.:eek:

InsideInsurance

Unemployed is normally to mean not just those out of work but only those also actively looking for work. Generally if you are simply economically inactive then housewife/husband, retired etc are more accurate definitions.

There is no universal definition and so certainly worth checking with the insurer in question before pressing the big buy button

forgotmyname

When i was off work on the sick my renewal came through i thought
i had better check with them.
They said if i was in receipt of any benefits then it would be classed as unemployed and they dont cover unemployed at all.

I said im on sick pay and still get wage slips. They said that was OK.