Car Insurance - changes to policy (mileage)

Bek_Bee

Has anyone had to make changes to their car insurance policy recently?
I am currently with Churchill, who contacted me recently to say customers whose annual mileages have been reduced due to lockdown may be entitled to a refund. I thought that was a lovely gesture as I'd been working from home and just paid for a full years' renewal. I had only been using my car once a week to go to the supermarket.
My employer has recently told me I'll be working from home from the foreseeable future. So, I contacted Churchill again today to amend my policy. Only to be told my premium would go UP and there would be an admin fee (which the customer service agent said she would waive). 
Has anyone else experienced this?? I feel it's really unfair for companies to make a profit at this time, with many people switching to work from home and driving less. Or even being made redundant or put on furlough.
Surely taking off my business cover and not commuting would reduce my policy? 
As I've paid in full I can't even switch to another provider for another full year...

tasticz

imo people tend to drive more carefully when using for business / commuting to work (plan their journey, leave little earlier, etc.) which may statistically show insurers that having these addons in the policy means safer driver? there is lots of statistics behind the pricing, we'll never know.

you can ask Churchill how much it will cost to cancel and they will give you a figure.

if your numbers work out favourably when switching then you can do so, but remember you'll lose the months towards this years NCD.

rs65

Bek_Bee said:

As I've paid in full I can't even switch to another provider for another full year...

yes you can but check cancellation charges

Ditzy_Mitzy

It's probably down to a variance in the risk rating.  Drivers covering very few miles possibly have a greater number of accidents than those doing a moderate mileage, as the ultra low milers are more likely to be out of practice or lacking confidence.  They might not, for example, use dual carriageways or drive outside their immediate localities meaning they lack skills when required to do so.  I know I've got rusty and somewhat more nervy; I used to drive six days a week, but have only used the car at weekends in lockdown.  I'd need to drive a fair bit to get back to where I was, pre-lockdown, in terms of general aptitude.  

Bek_Bee

Thanks all.
I will look into cancellation. Not sure it'll be worth it but hey ho..
Ditzy_mitzy I hadn't driven for 3 years while I lived abroad and that didn't affect my quotes or my confidence! But, I can see your point.
I've asked Churchill to leave my business cover for now as I definitely won't be paying them a penny more!

Nebulous2

I’m not an expert on this, but I can’t see that you have to use business insurance just because you have it.  

We have several times switched between one and two vehicles over the years. My wife has always insured her car for business use for me, as there was very little if any difference in costs. It has very rarely been used for my work, but it’s nice to know it is there. There may well have been a year between policies where it hasn’t been used at all. 

Grumpy_chap

Was it Churchill that did the £25 back thing?  That was more a marketing gimmick than anything else.

With regard to any further change for mileage / more working from home, it is probably best to just leave it and sort at the next renewal when things are all more stable.

Thrugelmir

Admiral refunded £25 per policyholder. Though customer service suffered at the outset of lockdown. Made for good PR.