Must you have business insurance for one trip

[ingenieur]

Was having a debate with someone the other day about where the line is when doing occasional work-related things with your personal car.

If for instance you pick up a work colleague from the train station and drive to 'one place of work' usually covered by the 'commuting' aspect of your policy does that then mean you're completely uninsured from the moment you leave the train station with your colleague in the passenger seat because you've turned the journey into a 'business use' scenario?

Or similarly if you do an ad-hoc trip to a site you wouldn't normally travel to (assuming your company has multiple branches) are you not covered even if that journey was unexpected and not repeated for the duration of the policy?

I know what the authoritarians on here will say. But usually when something like this is fully debated it turns out to be more nuanced than initially imagined.

I just wondered what the general view was in this case.

[sixor8]

People share cars to work all the time, that is NOT business use. But id you receive payment for doing it (not expenses) it may be considered hire / reward.

Nor is going to a different place or site of work. But if you're using it to transport any goods for your work or using it to visit clients or potential clients (quotes for example), I'd consider that business use.

[Fastdruid]

ingenieur said:

Was having a debate with someone the other day about where the line is when doing occasional work-related things with your personal car.

If for instance you pick up a work colleague from the train station and drive to 'one place of work' usually covered by the 'commuting' aspect of your policy does that then mean you're completely uninsured from the moment you leave the train station with your colleague in the passenger seat because you've turned the journey into a 'business use' scenario?

Car sharing isn't business use. You're not using it for work purposes. That would be part of commuting (as long as there is no payment received for the trip).

ingenieur said:

Or similarly if you do an ad-hoc trip to a site you wouldn't normally travel to (assuming your company has multiple branches) are you not covered even if that journey was unexpected and not repeated for the duration of the policy?

If you're travelling to a different site (for example if you live in Cambridge and normally go to your office there but one day need to go to the head office in London travelling from home there and then back again) then equally no. It's still commuting. The wording for example for Admiral is "[SDP] plus driving to and from one place of work in a day". It doesn't specify it has to be the same place all the time, just only one place of work in a day.

You need business when it's actually for business purposes, for example if you are visiting customers or visiting multiple sites in one day.

This would mean from previous example if you were to go to your normal "branch" Office then drive to the head office and then home it wouldn't be covered but if you went straight to (and then from) the Head Office it would.

All that said....each insurer is different, check your policy carefully! It'll only ever be a problem if you need it!

[otolith]

In my experience, adding class 1 business use usually costs next to nothing.

[vikingaero]

I've seen some policies say "SD&P and commuting to a single place of work".

If you're middle aged, adding business cover will rarely add anything to your premium. When they ask the estimated annual mileage I put 15k and if they ask for business mileage I put 1k.

[Bobtherallyfan]

Not all insurers even include commuting under basic insurance anymore!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Fastdruid said:

If you're travelling to a different site (for example if you live in Cambridge and normally go to your office there but one day need to go to the head office in London travelling from home there and then back again) then equally no. It's still commuting. The wording for example for Admiral is "[SDP] plus driving to and from one place of work in a day". It doesn't specify it has to be the same place all the time, just only one place of work in a day.

Most insurers define commuting as travelling to and from a permanent place of work. So very occasionally travelling to a different place of work would not fall under commuting, but would require class 1 business use.

[ingenieur]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Fastdruid said:

If you're travelling to a different site (for example if you live in Cambridge and normally go to your office there but one day need to go to the head office in London travelling from home there and then back again) then equally no. It's still commuting. The wording for example for Admiral is "[SDP] plus driving to and from one place of work in a day". It doesn't specify it has to be the same place all the time, just only one place of work in a day.

Most insurers define commuting as travelling to and from a permanent place of work. So very occasionally travelling to a different place of work would not fall under commuting, but would require class 1 business use.

But if you did it once but had not had the foresight when taking out the policy to get the 'business use' upgrade would they tell you there was no insurance?

[ingenieur]

Bobtherallyfan said:

Not all insurers even include commuting under basic insurance anymore!

I'd say that's generally understood as it is one of the basic questions when getting a quote for normal car insurance.

[deckster]

ingenieur said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Fastdruid said:

If you're travelling to a different site (for example if you live in Cambridge and normally go to your office there but one day need to go to the head office in London travelling from home there and then back again) then equally no. It's still commuting. The wording for example for Admiral is "[SDP] plus driving to and from one place of work in a day". It doesn't specify it has to be the same place all the time, just only one place of work in a day.

Most insurers define commuting as travelling to and from a permanent place of work. So very occasionally travelling to a different place of work would not fall under commuting, but would require class 1 business use.

But if you did it once but had not had the foresight when taking out the policy to get the 'business use' upgrade would they tell you there was no insurance?

Yes, they would, because that use isn't covered. If your insurance says "a permanent place of work" then that's what it says. Not "a permanent place of work, unless it's only once and you didn't know, or maybe twice, that's OK petal".

[otolith]

deckster said:

Yes, they would, because that use isn't covered. If your insurance says "a permanent place of work" then that's what it says. Not "a permanent place of work, unless it's only once and you didn't know, or maybe twice, that's OK petal".

Come on now, surely you are not trying to tell me that a fine upstanding British insurance company would try to wriggle out of a claim on a sharp technicality? Everybody knows that they will always interpret the terms as generously as possible.

[Pica-Pica]

I seem to remember the issues about car-sharing, giving lifts and insurance were clarified during the 1970s fuel crisis when car-sharing and giving lifts were encouraged.

[Pica-Pica]

ingenieur said:

Bobtherallyfan said:

Not all insurers even include commuting under basic insurance anymore!

I'd say that's generally understood as it is one of the basic questions when getting a quote for normal car insurance.

Indeed, there is usually a drop down menu. The lowest is social, domestic and pleasure (and now almost always includes voluntary work).

[ingenieur]

deckster said:

ingenieur said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Fastdruid said:

If you're travelling to a different site (for example if you live in Cambridge and normally go to your office there but one day need to go to the head office in London travelling from home there and then back again) then equally no. It's still commuting. The wording for example for Admiral is "[SDP] plus driving to and from one place of work in a day". It doesn't specify it has to be the same place all the time, just only one place of work in a day.

Most insurers define commuting as travelling to and from a permanent place of work. So very occasionally travelling to a different place of work would not fall under commuting, but would require class 1 business use.

But if you did it once but had not had the foresight when taking out the policy to get the 'business use' upgrade would they tell you there was no insurance?

Yes, they would, because that use isn't covered. If your insurance says "a permanent place of work" then that's what it says. Not "a permanent place of work, unless it's only once and you didn't know, or maybe twice, that's OK petal".

So are you saying at the same moment you realise you're going to make the journey you have to phone your insurance company, spend 40 minutes on hold, pay £35 to add business insurance to your policy and then go ahead and do that one journey and that's what every driver is expected to do when something like this comes up?

[otolith]

ingenieur said:

So are you saying at the same moment you realise you're going to make the journey you have to phone your insurance company, spend 40 minutes on hold, pay £35 to add business insurance to your policy and then go ahead and do that one journey and that's what every driver is expected to do when something like this comes up?

Alternatively, there are day insurance options which may be cheaper and easier - e.g.

https://www.rac.co.uk/insurance/temporary-car-insu...

[Missy Charm]

I used to work for a company that had three offices in a role that necessitated very occasional car travel between them during work hours; two or three times a year at most. The company used to ask all those with cars to consider adding business insurance to their policies for the reasons stated. Another company did the same, on the basis that it might be necessary to drive to a backup office during work hours in the event of an emergency.

Surprised to hear that other employers are not taking such precautions. All academic anyway as I've never found that adding business cover affects my premium. Certain policies cost less with business cover applied!

[deckster]

ingenieur said:

So are you saying at the same moment you realise you're going to make the journey you have to phone your insurance company, spend 40 minutes on hold, pay £35 to add business insurance to your policy and then go ahead and do that one journey and that's what every driver is expected to do when something like this comes up?

I'm not quite sure how to interpret this.

But yes. If you find that have to use your car for a purpose that isn't currently covered by your insurance, you will need to ring your insurers to get covered before you do it. It's not complicated.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

ingenieur said:

deckster said:

ingenieur said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Fastdruid said:

If you're travelling to a different site (for example if you live in Cambridge and normally go to your office there but one day need to go to the head office in London travelling from home there and then back again) then equally no. It's still commuting. The wording for example for Admiral is "[SDP] plus driving to and from one place of work in a day". It doesn't specify it has to be the same place all the time, just only one place of work in a day.

Most insurers define commuting as travelling to and from a permanent place of work. So very occasionally travelling to a different place of work would not fall under commuting, but would require class 1 business use.

But if you did it once but had not had the foresight when taking out the policy to get the 'business use' upgrade would they tell you there was no insurance?

Yes, they would, because that use isn't covered. If your insurance says "a permanent place of work" then that's what it says. Not "a permanent place of work, unless it's only once and you didn't know, or maybe twice, that's OK petal".

So are you saying at the same moment you realise you're going to make the journey you have to phone your insurance company, spend 40 minutes on hold, pay £35 to add business insurance to your policy and then go ahead and do that one journey and that's what every driver is expected to do when something like this comes up?

What would you need to do if you insured your car for you and the wife to drive, but as a one off, you needed your sister or mum to drive? Would you expect them to cover it, because "usually it is only me and the wife and this was a one off"? Of course not. You choose the cover you need, and that's the cover you have. You chose pleasure use, or to & from one place of work. If that needs to change, even if for a one off event, you need to upgrade your insurance if you want to be covered.

[ingenieur]

If you are driving past your place of work on a social trip. Stop the car, walk into your office. Do some work. Leave your office, walk back to the car and then continue to your destination is that then considered business / commuting or is that social use?

[anonymous-user]

otolith said:

In my experience, adding class 1 business use usually costs next to nothing.

This, a couple of times a year I have to visit clients for work. I took the allowance over the car so sourced my own car and insured it. I added 1000 miles of class 1 business miles a year to cover this, and from memory it made a negligible difference to the cost.