Van insurance - business use/social and domestic

nappy501

Hi Everyone,

I found myself in a horrible position today.

I haven't driven since 2007 apart from Sept 2009 to March 2010 for six months. In the past I have insured my car for social and domestic with business use as I carry clients, that is take them to appointments etc. This is normally £10 to £30 extra on the car insurance.

I have been working locally and have been cycling to work and using public transport with clients. I am about to start an additional job with another charity who does the same sort of work in a town about 10 miles away. They insist that I have a vehicle as I will need to travel in the surrounding villages between clients as well as accompany clients to appointments.

So I need a vehicle. However I thought that rather than get a vehicle for work, I would get a vehicle that would suit our family. You know work to live, not live to work.

What would really suit us is a panel van. Three seats in the front and all the space in the back, so when we go away on holiday we can take 3 bicycles and all the camping gear and I don't have to pack it, like some Krypton Factor puzzle to get it all in. I have some stuff at home to sell off so I can also get to local car boot sales. There is a National Trust park not far away, so on a nice Sunday we can put the bicycles in and go out riding for the day.

So I have been looking for a Fiat Scudo, Citroen Dispatch or Peugeot Expert. I purchased one on Saturday from across the other side of the country. On Saturday evening, I looked for quotes and following Martin's guide I found one I was happy with at £225, but I didn't purchase as I just wanted to make sure that they understood my business use was carrying clients.

This morning I started ringing around and they all said no, the underwriters don't cover things like carrying clients, they do insurance for tradespeople. When I put the registration into the car sites, it says it is a van and they is no cover.

I only had until 11 am free and then work and then on a train to meet the seller halfway to collect the van, so I had to have insurance. In the end I have purchased 10 days insurance at £96. It may seem a lot, but the 3rd company was quoting me £446, before telling me I couldn't have the insurance.

Finally when Swinton said no they also gave me the number for their specialist department, who ran through my quote, but didn't bother to call me back.

I didn't realise it was such a big deal. I actually saw some of the same vehicles that had been adapted for wheelchair users with a ramp at the back. I suppose I could have put tinted film on the windows and with only 2 seats in the front one of the children would of had to sit in the back, so I would have lost some space, but I didn't go for it because I thought they have definitely been modified, so I am going to have a problem with insurance.

Am I doing something wrong?
Am I asking for the wrong thing?
Are they supposed to count ply lining, bulkhead and roof rack as modifications?
How do I get insurance?
How do I get insurance that doesn't cost more than the van?

Any ideas gratefully received.
Nappy

Quentin

See if a "proper" local broker (not swinton) can help.

dacouch

What's your actual occupation?

CKhalvashi

I have a public liability add-on to my insurance.

It was done through Hiscox, but I know that others offer a similar service.

CK

nappy501

dacouch wrote: »

What's your actual occupation?

I am a Care Assistant at a Residential home, but I don't need business cover for that. I am called a Support Worker. I support vulnerable people to remain in the community.

nappy501

CKhalvashi wrote: »

I have a public liability add-on to my insurance.

It was done through Hiscox, but I know that others offer a similar service.

CK

Public liability? Is that what they add on if it was for a car? Thanks.

forgotmyname

Your not commuting to a single place of employment. Your taking clients to/from places so you do need business cover.

vaio

Is transporting clients/employees/sub contractors around in a van that has business cover something you need to mention specifically if not asked?

It's certainly not one of the questions our insurer asks so you might have a case of talking to a poorly paid/trained call centre operator and they are wrong. (we need an acronim for that)

The general rule, especially in this online world where the intention is that you can buy insurance without talking to a human, is that if an insurer cares about something they need to ask clear questions.

The questions are written by highly paid people who understand insurance & risk, if you ring up then you get answered by someone who might not have the training or understanding to give you the correct answer and/or see an opportunity to jack your premium up

dacouch

vaio wrote: »

Is transporting clients/employees/sub contractors around in a van that has business cover something you need to mention specifically if not asked?

It's certainly not one of the questions our insurer asks so you might have a case of talking to a poorly paid/trained call centre operator and they are wrong. (we need an acronim for that)

The general rule, especially in this online world where the intention is that you can buy insurance without talking to a human, is that if an insurer cares about something they need to ask clear questions.

The questions are written by highly paid people who understand insurance & risk, if you ring up then you get answered by someone who might not have the training or understanding to give you the correct answer and/or see an opportunity to jack your premium up

A standard van policy would trip the OP up as they are designed for self employed or business. The problem being the default use is "carriage of own goods" with other options of haulage etc.

Getting class one use on a van is not easy as it tends to be people such as the OP or people trying to disguise their occupation. The Insurers either don't cater for that market so don't want to go to the trouble / risk, which will be the problem the OP finds with a lot of companies or intentionally don't cover it.

Nebulous2

I suspect this is going to be very difficult but try Adrian Flux. They seem to specialise in odd quotes. We had a self-build camper van and they were pretty much the only people who would cover it.

We got strictly no work use though, not even travel to work.

nappy501

dacouch wrote: »

A standard van policy would trip the OP up as they are designed for self employed or business. The problem being the default use is "carriage of own goods" with other options of haulage etc.
.

That is it exactly, I saw "carriage of own goods" and thought not for business, but does that include clients. Also I have to make sure, because my employer will want my vehicle and insurance details, before allow me to transport clients.

Are you saying I would be automatically covered on any van policy? As in I am carrying someone as part of my employers business, like a subcontractor? Although clients are not employed by my employer.