Car Insurance for Self Employed - Up To Date Advice Please

FlowerGirl69

Hi All  - My car insurance is due a the end of this month, and as I wasn't impressed with the £120 increase to renew with current insurer I've been trying to get a more competitive quote.  However, since last year I've made a career change from employed PA/Office Manager to self employed Garden Designer/Gardener - and I'm now finding that my premium has at least doubled.   I spoke to Admiral, having previously been insured with them as some online quotes were coming back as uninsurable.    My question is, as I explained to Admiral, although I am now self employed, there has been no material change in how or where I use my car - ie, I still live in the same place and live and work in a very rural area, I drive approx 5 miles to work (one place per 8 hour day) which is usually a private residence with driveway parking, and don't carry any tools/machinery in my car - ever...... in the face of this, I am tempted to just take the renewal offer and not tell the insurer I've changed jobs - unless anyone can recommend a more specialist motor insurer that might be able to help (at a competitive price).  Help please

400ixl

There will be multiple factors which are different. You will no longer be going to the same place everyday, you will be going to different places of which many you will not have been to before.

Your view is you will only be travelling to one location per day, will not have any tools and parking on private drives, but that would not be the profile they have for that for a gardener who would typically be going to more than one location a day, will have tools with them, and could be having to park anywhere.

That is a very different profile to an office based job.

Not telling them would not be a sensible move. You need business use cover as an absolute minimum and if they found out, they could cancel your policy for fraud and you would have to declare that on all future policies making them all very expensive.

DullGreyGuy

The fact you've been doing quotes means there is a reasonable chance of them wanting to validate your employment status, particularly if you have a claim. If you're going to commit fraud by not advising them of the change it's sensible to give them no indication. Remember that under CIDRA if they believe you intentionally lied they can void your policy, keep the premiums and if you think premiums are high now see what they're like after declaring a policy cancelled for fraud. 

 There are too many insurers, brokers and intermediaries out there, each with differing preferences. Some may love the self employed element but then hate where you live. Follow the normal approach of using the aggregators and then the major players that dont play on them. Only quote for what you intend to insure on the basis of else you'll hit counter fraud measures which will increase premiums. 

Mr.Generous

I suspect everyone's premiums have gone up this year. You would be foolish to lie on an insurance form.

dunstonh

, I drive approx 5 miles to work (one place per 8 hour day)

That means you need business use rather than commuting.

 I am tempted to just take the renewal offer and not tell the insurer I've changed jobs 

Insurance fraud can bankrupt you in the event of a claim and potentially lead to imprisonment.   You find crime tempting?

Have you been playing around with the occupation in various quote engines?   If so, you may have triggered anti-fraud measures which will see many insurers refusing to offer a quote or significantly increase their premium.      And in this case the anti-fraud measures do appear to be correctly picking up someone willing to commit fraud.