Insurance details

Baldytyke88

There are various questions asked when you take out motor insurance. I have a Vivaro van, last year the insurance cost £290 and this year the cheapest quote is £350

They ask if its sign written, no, they ask if you carry tools.

Surely everyone carries tools, to change the tyre etc. Do they mean power tools, which is why some vans are broken into, so that would make sense.

I am carrying gardening tools at the moment, just hand tools. I am a parish councillor, so I am active as a volunteer.

I have hand tools and 3 pairs of step ladders in there at the moment. I am sure most people that own private vans have a reason for owning a van instead of a car, I may sleep in it in the school holidays, not sure.

They also ask you if you have access to a car/vehicle for work purposes only. I drive a VW Crafter. So I do, but it's not a car, if that is the question.

Okell

Why don't you just pick up the 'phone and ask them?

Perhaps I'm unusual but I would never rely on a website when buying any type of insurance.  I always do it over the 'phone to make sure I'm answering theri questions correctly and to clarify any ambiguity - as here.

Better a 'phone call than you answer a question wrongly and inadvertantly risk not being insured

Baldytyke88

Okell said:

Why don't you just pick up the 'phone and ask them?
Perhaps I'm unusual but I would never rely on a website when buying any type of insurance.  I always do it over the 'phone to make sure I'm answering theri questions correctly and to clarify any ambiguity - as here.
Better a 'phone call than you answer a question wrongly and inadvertantly risk not being insured

An honest answer should be ok.

I recall a friend trying different options for his partners insurance. Some options were cheaper, was is wife unemployed or a stay-at-home wife.

Those that retire before retirement age will have the option of unemployed or retired etc.

born_again

Baldytyke88 said:

There are various questions asked when you take out motor insurance. I have a Vivaro van, last year the insurance cost £290 and this year the cheapest quote is £350

They ask if its sign written, no, they ask if you carry tools.

Surely everyone carries tools, to change the tyre etc. Do they mean power tools, which is why some vans are broken into, so that would make sense.

I am carrying gardening tools at the moment, just hand tools. I am a parish councillor, so I am active as a volunteer.

I have hand tools and 3 pairs of step ladders in there at the moment. I am sure most people that own private vans have a reason for owning a van instead of a car, I may sleep in it in the school holidays, not sure.

They also ask you if you have access to a car/vehicle for work purposes only. I drive a VW Crafter. So I do, but it's not a car, if that is the question.

Think there is a major difference between the kit that comes with a car/van to change a wheel & tools that you use for work..
Do you really think that 3 pairs of step ladders is something normal people carry? 
Sounds like you are using for business use.

Answer no & then if/when it gets broken into & your ladders & tools are stolen. What do you think the ins co are going to say when you try to claim for them?

Hoenir

Baldytyke88 said:

I have hand tools and 3 pairs of step ladders in there at the moment. 

I don't use my car to store them in though. Nothing of value is ever left in the vehicle overnight. 

cw8825

Baldytyke88 said:

There are various questions asked when you take out motor insurance. I have a Vivaro van, last year the insurance cost £290 and this year the cheapest quote is £350

They ask if its sign written, no, they ask if you carry tools.

Surely everyone carries tools, to change the tyre etc. Do they mean power tools, which is why some vans are broken into, so that would make sense.

I am carrying gardening tools at the moment, just hand tools. I am a parish councillor, so I am active as a volunteer.

I have hand tools and 3 pairs of step ladders in there at the moment. I am sure most people that own private vans have a reason for owning a van instead of a car, I may sleep in it in the school holidays, not sure.

They also ask you if you have access to a car/vehicle for work purposes only. I drive a VW Crafter. So I do, but it's not a car, if that is the question.

Yes. You carry tools

Yes. You gave a vehicle for work purposes. 

And it will require business use. 

Baldytyke88

cw8825 said:

Yes. You gave a vehicle for work purposes. 

And it will require business use. 

I don't have a business, I work and get paid PAYE!

I wrote above "I am a parish councillor, so I am active as a volunteer."

DullGreyGuy

Baldytyke88 said:

Okell said:

Why don't you just pick up the 'phone and ask them?
Perhaps I'm unusual but I would never rely on a website when buying any type of insurance.  I always do it over the 'phone to make sure I'm answering theri questions correctly and to clarify any ambiguity - as here.
Better a 'phone call than you answer a question wrongly and inadvertantly risk not being insured

An honest answer should be ok.

I recall a friend trying different options for his partners insurance. Some options were cheaper, was is wife unemployed or a stay-at-home wife.

Those that retire before retirement age will have the option of unemployed or retired etc.

Being unemployed suggests that you are seeking employment whereas being a house person or retired suggests that you are not seeking work.

There are many cases on the ombudsman where people have tried to get "creative" with their job titles or work statuses and then when a claim happens they give the honest answer and suddenly find their insurance void for non-disclosure. Some of those cases the complainer was at fault for the accident so it was a very expensive mistake to try and be clever. 

paul_c123

"As a volunteer" could well be interpreted as voluntary work, which is business use. It could also be interpreted as part of SDP but that's more tenuous. 

A gigging drummer might own a van, because its a PITA trying to get the drum kit into a car. When he goes to band practice, its SDP (maybe). But if he does a gig......and that gig's paid.......is it work? Are the rehearsals leading up to that gig also work, even if they're unpaid?

Lots of scope for insurers to avoid paying out here.

I'd imagine there's a degree of interpretation with a car being used as above; but with a van, it shows a level of organisation or forethought, its more planned. Like work might be.

Okell

Baldytyke88 said:

Okell said:

Why don't you just pick up the 'phone and ask them?
Perhaps I'm unusual but I would never rely on a website when buying any type of insurance.  I always do it over the 'phone to make sure I'm answering theri questions correctly and to clarify any ambiguity - as here.
Better a 'phone call than you answer a question wrongly and inadvertantly risk not being insured

An honest answer should be ok.

I recall a friend trying different options for his partners insurance. Some options were cheaper, was is wife unemployed or a stay-at-home wife.

Those that retire before retirement age will have the option of unemployed or retired etc.

Why are you so reluctant to ask them how you should answer the question in your particular circumstances?

If you want to save a few quid on the premium by giving what you think is the "honest answer" then go ahead. 

But don't come back and complain if your insurance is voided because you inadvertantly didn't give a full and correct disclosure. 

Ibrahim5

When you phone an insurer you get someone in a call centre anywhere in the world who has no idea how to answer questions like that. I had a car that my wife drove a few miles a day for over 300 days a year. For holidays I would drive it across Europe for thousands of miles. Who was the main driver? They couldn't tell me. I think some policies have a clause that whatever you are told eg by a call centre isn't legally binding.