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Original poster

could really do with some help, DS (21) car accident, not covered on insurance

101 replies

dizzycatdance2 · 07/09/2021 17:01

Hi

Yesterday my DS pulled out at a junction, got hit by another car.
Coming back from work to walk his dog.

Put claim through on insurance, turns out only had insurance for pleasure and social.

What can he do ?

Its going to cost £1,000s isn't it Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
dizzycatdance2 · 07/09/2021 17:02

I feel sick, havent really spoken to DS, don't think he's really ware of the consequences

OP posts:
Original poster
dizzycatdance2 · 07/09/2021 17:03

will he be charged for driving without insurance ???

OP posts:
DementedPanda · 07/09/2021 17:04

I'm not sure why the insurance won't cover. He was on his way home to walk the dog, he wasn't using it as a business vehicle.

nimbuscloud · 07/09/2021 17:04

Does he use his car for work? Apart from driving to and from his place of employment?

LIZS · 07/09/2021 17:04

But he was not working at the time. Surely a commute is different to work use (ie. delivery driving or attending a meeting during work hours) .

OldScrappyAndHungry · 07/09/2021 17:05

I’m confused. He doesn’t need business insurance to drive to and from work.

JuneOsborne · 07/09/2021 17:05

So he's not covered at all to drive to and from work? Seems strange. I get that you have to have a special category for driving for work, but I didn't realise you could policies that exclude the commute! Going to check my policy now.

Who is his insurance with? Hoe does he know he's not covered?

RandomMess · 07/09/2021 17:06

Op is explaining that he didn't have commuting on his insurance so he shouldn't have been traveling to and from work in his car.

RandomMess · 07/09/2021 17:07

Most people have pleasure, domestic & commuting to a single place of work.

Social and pleasure is cheaper.

EvilPea · 07/09/2021 17:07

Mine specifically says commute on it I also had to answer how many work places I commute to.

Tricky one. Has he already told them he was coming back from work?

OnlyFlans · 07/09/2021 17:08

I think you don't need to worry. He will be covered - business use cover is for people who drive the vehicle as part of their job or to carry out work tasks.

Reallyreallyborednow · 07/09/2021 17:08

I'm not sure why the insurance won't cover. He was on his way home to walk the dog, he wasn't using it as a business vehicle

He isn’t insured for commuting, so presumably the journey to work isn’t covered.

I wondered this o/p. Now we are working from home I rarely go to the office. Is commuting needed for the odd trip in to pick something up of sign a form for hr? It’s not really commuting, but it isn’t pleasure or social either.

Does he commute in the typical sense? As in every day to work and back. If he only does odd visits then I’d wonder if it could be argued…

Original poster
dizzycatdance2 · 07/09/2021 17:08

My heart is racing, the insurance told him he is not covered.
Just , god,

OP posts:
MrsRobbieHart · 07/09/2021 17:08

There are different levels of insurance.

You can have social, domestic and pleasure

Or

Social, domestic, pleasure and commuting.

OPs son clearly only insured himself under the first kind (it’s cheaper generally)

So his drive home from work isn’t covered.

Meloncurse · 07/09/2021 17:09

Many companies have three categories

Social and domestic
Social,domestic and commuting
The above plus business use

TroysMammy · 07/09/2021 17:10

My insurance is social, pleasure and commuting so is for travelling back and fore to work which driving or business use is not as part of my job. I'd imagine social and pleasure is for people who don't work e.g. retired persons.

Nookable · 07/09/2021 17:10

I work in insurance. Whilst it's technially a breach of the policy its quite a low level one they'll probably just change his cover to include commuting and charge you whatever the difference in cost would have been but still deal with the claim.

If he only had social and pleasure but had been using it for business or deliveries it would be more serious and likely be repudiated.

MrsRobbieHart · 07/09/2021 17:10

OP why are you so worried about telling him? It’s his car, he chose the insurance. Or did you?

IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 07/09/2021 17:11

I think a lot of people don't understand insurance and the bit about commuting and simply tick the box that means it's cheaper.

Sadly this is a bloody expensive lesson for your son.

nimbuscloud · 07/09/2021 17:11

Was he at fault? Will he be liable for damage to the other car?

Original poster
dizzycatdance2 · 07/09/2021 17:11

Unfortunately hes already said he was coming home form work

OP posts:
TroysMammy · 07/09/2021 17:11

Domestic not pleasure, there's no pleasure in food shopping.

Soontobe60 · 07/09/2021 17:12

@OnlyFlans

I think you don't need to worry. He will be covered - business use cover is for people who drive the vehicle as part of their job or to carry out work tasks.
Incorrect. All policies now ask if the car will be used to commute, not just if it will be used for business purposes.
RosesAndHellebores · 07/09/2021 17:12

The other car should be covered but not his. It's a consequence of taking out a cheaper policy and ignoring the rules. A very hard lesson.

Original poster
dizzycatdance2 · 07/09/2021 17:12

@nookable I really, really hope that's the case

OP posts: