I'm a courier, can't get insurance on my personal vehicle.

thejez

Started a new job a few months ago for one of the big companies named after a rainforest. I have a van and insurance provided for by my company. I forgot to update my occupation on my personal van insurance and my renewal is due soon, started looking at quotes to insure it and nobody will insure me..

It's only a peugeot partner, no bigger than an estate car. I only have it because I'm into kayaking and mountain biking and it's handy for going to the tip every now so would much rather have a small van than a car. This is a personal van and will only ever be used for personal reason but as soon as i tell them i'm a courier the computer just says sorry we can't get you a quote. This is ridiculous. Anyone else ever had this problem? I have a camper van as well my grandad left me when he died and that's due for renewal as well this year i'm definitely not getting rid of that.

Sea_Shell

Keep trying.    Have you contacted any Brokers?   Or just been using on-line comparison sites.

Many people work as direct employed delivery drivers (inc couriers), so if you work exclusively for just one company, maybe, there is a technical difference in your occupation?    EG, do supermarket delivery drivers have the same problem, or Royal Mail workers?    They are also multi-drop drivers.

So it's probably because you have a van, and not a car, as your personal vehicle.   They think that if your works van breaks down, you'll hop in yours to ensure your deliveries are made.   

Someone will do it, somewhere, at a price, which might make your eyes water, but you need to be able to talk to a person, not just a computer.

Ultimately, it might come down to change the van, or change the job!!  

Mildly_Miffed

It's no great surprise as to why insurers might be wary of couriers insuring their "personal" vans and claiming they absolutely don't ever even contemplate using those vans for their courier business, is it?

EnPointe

thejez said:

Started a new job a few months ago for one of the big companies named after a rainforest. I have a van and insurance provided for by my company. I forgot to update my occupation on my personal van insurance and my renewal is due soon, started looking at quotes to insure it and nobody will insure me..

It's only a peugeot partner, no bigger than an estate car. I only have it because I'm into kayaking and mountain biking and it's handy for going to the tip every now so would much rather have a small van than a car. This is a personal van and will only ever be used for personal reason but as soon as i tell them i'm a courier the computer just says sorry we can't get you a quote. This is ridiculous. Anyone else ever had this problem? I have a camper van as well my grandad left me when he died and that's due for renewal as well this year i'm definitely not getting rid of that.

personal van insurance and your occupation are   the  underwriting issue here 

You are not as a 'courier', even if you  state you have access to  to company vehicles going to be able to  find  cost effective  personal cover on a van 

in a previous  job  i worked in  Warehousing and logistics  for a retailer  and  required  business cover  on my  personal car insurance,  i had to have a conversation with the underwriter  aobut the exact nature of  my  business use ( i was a Union rep, a Safety rep and a workplace trainer -  that satisified them that my  business use   would be related to me travelling  to other sites to do these  sortso f things )   in my current role i require business cover as i don;t  always work  from the same base  location,  but due to the nature of thr work i have to make it clear o the underwriters i don't  respond my  my  own car  and that it doesn;t have warning devices fitted ) 

cw8825

Mildly_Miffed said:

It's no great surprise as to why insurers might be wary of couriers insuring their "personal" vans and claiming they absolutely don't ever even contemplate using those vans for their courier business, is it?

This will be the issue. 

You need to speak to someone on the phone not use an automated site
a lot of insurers will have set parameters to avoid having someone take out a personal policy and then use it to work as a courier. 

It will be similar for insuring a car with occupation as food delivery driver 

Nebulous2

I've a van, which is primarily a personal vehicle, but also need it covered for travel to work and very occasional work use -travelling to other sites. 

I find the only way to preserve my sanity is to go through a broker - they have an idea who will take it on and who won't. Don't even think about a quote engine. 

I previously had a self-converted camper van, and it was even worse - purely social domestic and pleasure, wasn't even allowed to commute in it. Adrian Flux were the only people I found who could help with that. 

macman

I don't quite understand this. If the OP is seeking cover only for social domestic and pleasure use, then there is no question of a claim being successful if it were being used for business? 

cw8825

macman said:

I don't quite understand this. If the OP is seeking cover only for social domestic and pleasure use, then there is no question of a claim being successful if it were being used for business? 

As noted earlier in the post. 

The insurers worry is them insuring it for SDP but then driving 30k mikes a years doing delivers which is an entirely different risk.  

Then their is the situation where drivers use their own vans but take additional insurance 
they don’t like they grey area of them being exposed to costs 

ontheroad1970

macman said:

I don't quite understand this. If the OP is seeking cover only for social domestic and pleasure use, then there is no question of a claim being successful if it were being used for business? 

What about the nuns and children who get involved in an accident through no fault of their own?  As TP insurer, the insurer would have to pay out first and reclaim from the policy holder later

cw8825

Just came to mind is the OP not a delivery driver rather than courier

sounds simple but that could be a thing. 

Courier is seen to use own vehicle
so they See -
van driver. Courier. Sdp only
Dosent add up to then