Occupations for car insurance purposes

GoodHouseKeeping

I am a parent with a dependent student (final year of a degree) and I have always called myself a Houseperson, although I am currently unable to work due to a disability.
After 6 weeks or so following paying my car insurance with a different insurer, they have decided that I am not a Houseperson and have re-catorgorised me as Unemployed and have informed me that my premium has doubled and they are changing me £50 for the priviledge.
I have truthfully provided them with information on the basis judging the most suitable category in my view, I appreciate that I am not currently working, but I do get a small income.
Is an unemployed person, someone who is currently able and looking for work?
Can someone help me with these definitions, please?

fatbelly

I would have said that an unemployed person is someone who receives Jobseekers Allowance.

Under the new benefit structure it's a little more tricky, maybe

'someone who has a Jobseekers Agreement within Universal Credit'

Flugelhorn

really need that lovely one from the old census of "living on own means"

DH was "house husband" until he actually got his pension at 60 - never any problem with that 

elsien

What is your small income from - wondering if that would give a hint as to categorisation.

DullGreyGuy

GoodHouseKeeping said:

I have truthfully provided them with information on the basis judging the most suitable category in my view, I appreciate that I am not currently working, but I do get a small income.
Is an unemployed person, someone who is currently able and looking for work?
Can someone help me with these definitions, please?

Whats the income from?
Are you married/living with a partner who brings in most the monies?

These things are not normally defined in policy books and so assuming they aren't defined in yours it falls back to plain English. 

A House Wife/House Husband normally implies a working spouse is the source of the family income, a "house person" is just the gender neutral version rather than fundamentally changing the meaning

Unemployed - I'd say suggests actively looking for employment (I wouldn't link it to JSA as you can be unemployed and not claiming JSA or its modern equivalents) 

Many have a "disability" option which by the sounds of it could be relevant but again would need to know more about your circumstances. 


Ultimately go back to the website in question and check what options are available. From that put a complaint in as to why, using plain English definitions what you chose was technically the most accurate description. 

Jaybee_16

I had that discussion with my car insurer a few years ago. My situation meant I wasn't working and was living off savings. Spoke to the insurer on renewal to ask about my status and we agreed on househusband because I wasn't seeking work so not unemployed, which would have been £200 more.

DullGreyGuy

Jaybee_16 said:

I had that discussion with my car insurer a few years ago. My situation meant I wasn't working and was living off savings. Spoke to the insurer on renewal to ask about my status and we agreed on househusband because I wasn't seeking work so not unemployed, which would have been £200 more.

Sounds more like Independent Means but could also be HousePerson assuming you had a working spouse. 

GoodHouseKeeping

DullGreyGuy said:

GoodHouseKeeping said:

I have truthfully provided them with information on the basis judging the most suitable category in my view, I appreciate that I am not currently working, but I do get a small income.
Is an unemployed person, someone who is currently able and looking for work?
Can someone help me with these definitions, please?

Whats the income from?
Are you married/living with a partner who brings in most the monies?

These things are not normally defined in policy books and so assuming they aren't defined in yours it falls back to plain English. 

A House Wife/House Husband normally implies a working spouse is the source of the family income, a "house person" is just the gender neutral version rather than fundamentally changing the meaning

Unemployed - I'd say suggests actively looking for employment (I wouldn't link it to JSA as you can be unemployed and not claiming JSA or its modern equivalents) 

Many have a "disability" option which by the sounds of it could be relevant but again would need to know more about your circumstances. 


Ultimately go back to the website in question and check what options are available. From that put a complaint in as to why, using plain English definitions what you chose was technically the most accurate description. 

Thank you for your comments. For anyone having the same problem, I hope that you find the below helpful.

I have been in touch with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and checked out the reviews of 1st Central, the insurance company and read mypolicy. 

The CAB said that car insurance is a matter of contract law - the only other reference point being the Financial Conduct Authority. Consumers must read the terms and conditions and negotiate their position on a case by case basis. In law terms must be Fair.

Looking up the reviews, it seems that other people have had similar problems.

I spent a considerable amount of time going back through the quotation with Money Saving Supermarket and re-doing the quotation and checking what options were available for Occupation and I still feel assured that I chose the one that was most applicable to me.

I contacted the company and laid out my position calmly and clearly. They having every right to verify the information that people provide them but that I consider it fair to request and conclude any investigation within the cooling off period, such that I would have the option to cancel with no penalty. [On that point, Reading the terms and conditions 1st Central make a charge of £50 pounds if you cancel within the 14 day cooling off period for distance selling and I'm not sure that's legal not without specifically mentioning it before you accept their offer their terms.]

My complaint therefore is twofold; the process and the fact that they decided to change my occupation.

As it turns out, the issue wasn't to do with the occupation, but to do with their request for me to send a copy of my driver’s licence which I'm not able to do because I've recently moved and I haven't received it from the DVLA; this point has been discussed previously with them. I was asked to provide my driver's licence and proof of my address, which I did via my Council Tax but they weren't satified and I had to re-do this providing more information - thereby extending the verification process beyond the 14 days cooling off period.  I have never been asked to provide this information before, the only thing that they do ask for is proof of No Claims.  I think that this process is fishy.

In short, they have agreed to not to increase my premium.  I feel frustrated that I've spent a good deal of time on this matter, and it's created a certain amount of anxiety for me. Of course, this process is concerning and I suspect that people may well be taken advantage of and I believe that they should be transparent and clear about their terms and conditions.

DullGreyGuy

It's a common mistake that people make, Financial Services do not fall within the scope of the CCR or the preceding DSR. There are separate rules for loans, insurance etc... the cooling off period simply gives you the right to cancel, it doesn't mean it has to be free or without fees (even with other Services they can charge for services rendered before the cancelation was served)

In principle after the cooling off period you have no right to cancel at all before the end of the contract. For certain classes of insurance its often true (eg Private Medical Insurance) however for other classes, like Motor, its a bit pointless as all insurers will allow you to cancel before you've made a claim as they won't want to provide cover on a vehicle you have sold etc. 

There are a couple of brokers that seem to have adopted the tactic of quoting very cheap and then going through applications with a fine tooth comb. They're entitled to do so, after all you have to certify that all the information given is accurate to the best of your knowledge. Many people however are lax and approximate and so not to hard to find people that are a few months out on when they bought their car or passed their test etc, all things a quick check would have corrected.