Reply to: Car Insurance for Contractors...

[RichardCranium]

I have friends' who are permie whose jobs involve them travelling to different sites away from the permanent site they are based at, and they have to get business insurance.

Most people pay nothing to about £10 extra to get business insurance added on to their policy.

WSS

One government agency ClientCo I was at last year had everyone (staff & contractors) bring in their driving licences and insurance documents if they were to drive during work time or give lifts to colleagues. Anyone with more than 6 points was forbidden from driving on business and they had to show business travel was included. The documents were checked and those that passed were recorded in HR as "permitted to drive".

I played the "My employee is fit to drive" letter / card.

[birdy-numnum]

I added business use to my policy - cost me all of £8 on top of my premium.

[SueEllen]

The way I see it, it is no different than being an employee. If you were a permie loser but had to use your own vehicle for driving to different sites, would you upgrade to business insurance? No

That is complete rubbish.

I have friends' who are permie whose jobs involve them travelling to different sites away from the permanent site they are based at, and they have to get business insurance.

Most people pay nothing to about £10 extra to get business insurance added on to their policy.

[SuperZ]

The way I see it, it is no different than being an employee. If you were a permie loser but had to use your own vehicle for driving to different sites, would you upgrade to business insurance? No
If your vehicle was bought by your ltd company, yes, you need business cover. If you bought a van personally that you also use for business then again it would be yes also because you are likely to be carrying goods in it.

When it`s just one employee of a limited company driving a car bought personally and it`s you one man and his laptop, I think no, you just need extra cover as it`s jsut commuting to place of work.

Could be worth speaking to insurers I suppose, but they`ll probably say yes if it means more dosh for them. It`s not something that concerns me

[xoggoth]

Have found that normal social etc will do with some companies, best to advise them of your circumstances and ask. Make sure it's in writing.

[SueEllen]

I would beg to differ. If you put whichever one is cheaper and after a prang the insurance find out that whatever you put isn't the truth they will pull the claim possibly leaving you in a very uncomfortable situation.
If you are going to give false information about your job to get a cheaper quote you might as well go the whole hog and tell em you have a completely different car. Result will be the same in the end.

The Admiral Group asks you to give your full-time occupation and your part-time occupation. So even if you arrange the quote to give you the cheapest price you have to put down both occupations, and as long as you do they have to pay out.

However not all insurers do............

[northernladuk]

I've always had (I think they call it) Class 1 business use. That covers for driving to/between customer sites for business, but doesn't cover for carrying goods beyond the personal stuff.

It costs me under a tenner a year over ordinary comprehensive if memory serves.

WHS.. I have same. Changed it mid year and they didn't bother adding anything extra at the time or at renewal.

[northernladuk]

Whichever one gives me a cheaper quote on the calculators!

Cheeky f*****s at Admiral tried to put +£100 on my renewal last week for no apparent reason. Changed it back when I told them the figure their website was giving me.

I would beg to differ. If you put whichever one is cheaper and after a prang the insurance find out that whatever you put isn't the truth they will pull the claim possibly leaving you in a very uncomfortable situation.

If you are going to give false information about your job to get a cheaper quote you might as well go the whole hog and tell em you have a completely different car. Result will be the same in the end.

[TykeMerc]

Whichever one gives me a cheaper quote on the calculators!

Cheeky f*****s at Admiral tried to put +£100 on my renewal last week for no apparent reason. Changed it back when I told them the figure their website was giving me.

That's routine, all inusurers will ratchet up the price if they can, they fully expect a significant percentage of people to not challenge it.
My ex wife was paying 3x more than she had to for this reason until she mentioned her renewal cost and then spoke to the insurer rather than just automatically renewing.

[moorfield]

The other question is what you put as your profession. Company director? Software developer/analyst?

Whichever one gives me a cheaper quote on the calculators!

Cheeky f*****s at Admiral tried to put +£100 on my renewal last week for no apparent reason. Changed it back when I told them the figure their website was giving me.

[TykeMerc]

I've always had (I think they call it) Class 1 business use. That covers for driving to/between customer sites for business, but doesn't cover for carrying goods beyond the personal stuff.

It costs me under a tenner a year over ordinary comprehensive if memory serves.

[Paddy]

Ok, if you're a contractor which type of motor insurance should you have?

Is Social Domestic & Pleasure sufficient for the needs of a contractor who commutes to the same client site?

SDP defiantly not. The difference in cost is not worth skimping on either. In the event of an accident the insurance company will try anything to get out of the claim. What happens if you have an accident while taking clients between offices?

It cost be an extra £15 to cover me on commuting and business use. I dumped Swindon because they were adding too many extra costs for administration eg: £50 if you amend, transfer or cancel your insurance. I now use Confused.com and selected an insurance company that cost me £180 fully comp including all business use.

[SueEllen]

The other question is what you put as your profession. Company director? Software developer/analyst?

You are suppose to put both if possible.

Lots of insurance companies ask you "What is your full-time occupation?" and "What is your part-time occupation?"

So your full-time occupation is the one you spend most time doing and the part-time one or ones as the ones you spend the least time doing.

If they don't ask you about part-time work, then you put the occupation you spend the most time doing as your full-time one.

There is a trick used to lower insurance premiums which is useful for people who have a fluid job title, for example a "software developer" in one company can be called a "software engineer" in another and a "xxx programmer" in another.

You are only caught out if you claim and state that you do a completely different occupation to what they have quoted you for because you clearly not acting in "good faith".

[RichardCranium]

You should ask Churchill! ooohhh yesssssssss

[BrilloPad]

You should ask Churchill! ooohhh yesssssssss

IGMC....