Is this an allowed use of a company car?

Username03725

When I had a co car the routine was to supply name of spouse / partner for inclusion on the insurance, the logic being that you're being given a car and for most households it's not reasonable for them to expect you to continue to run a second car for normal family use. The company car is the family car. Covering the named driver for business use never arose tbh, but as above it's an easy question to ask.

MEM62

Brie said:

I doubt his company insurance would cover you at all.  

Our company policies automatically give cover to spouses.  However the OP will only find the answer to their question in their company's vehicle policy.  Each company are free to make their own decisions and set parameters as they wish.     

Jenni_D

The car policy for my employer makes this clear - business use of the car is only for the employer, no other company:

The company car should not be used for business purposes of a company other than <Company Name>.

Grumpy_chap

Jenni_D said:

The car policy for my employer makes this clear - business use of the car is only for the employer, no other company:

The company car should not be used for business purposes of a company other than <Company Name>.

But I don't think the OP wants to use the partner's company car for business use.  Only commuting.

MEM62

Jenni_D said:

The car policy for my employer makes this clear - business use of the car is only for the employer, no other company:

The company car should not be used for business purposes of a company other than <Company Name>.

From their original post the OP does not seem to need business use - just commuting.  

Jenni_D

Even commuting can be a grey area though. However I can't see any clarity regarding this in the Car Policy. Hmm...

MEM62

Jenni_D said:

Even commuting can be a grey area though. However I can't see any clarity regarding this in the Car Policy. Hmm...

No grey area here.  It is a clear-cut definition.  Commuting is commuting.  Business use is business use.  

Grumpy_chap

Jenni_D said:

Even commuting can be a grey area though. However I can't see any clarity regarding this in the Car Policy. Hmm...

The devil could well be in the detail, so there is no express permission or forbidding the use by a spouse to use the company car for commuting.  

Most company car policies seem to prefer simplicity rather than complex rules that people get hung up about, or trying to consider every possible eventuality.

When I have had a company car in the past (various employers), there has always been a requirement that the car is available for use during the working day if needed to attend a meeting at short notice.  That is a perfectly reasonable restriction but does constrain use by others during the day unless the employee and the "other" are all near that would allow the employee to access the car relatively quickly if said meeting arose.

caprikid1

I would expect the company would expect the car to be available for the driver during office hours, if they got requested to go to a meeting at the last minute or had an emergency etc. I am not sure most companies would approve unless it is viewed for tax purposes as merely a pure benefit and they don't care.

Sunday88

Thanks all for your thoughts. We have checked the policy and spouse is allowed to use the car for personal and business use so I am covered... looking forward to saving some money when my lease is returned!