Advice for those with car insurance!

[Calmasacloud]

For goodness sake check the small print and don't allow your husband to do these things without double checking!!!!

I apologise for being unclear but am a little bit worried and need advice.

My husband had an accident on the way to work last week. He hit a van which broken down on the road in the dark. Because he hit the stationary vehicle he is 'at fault'. He started an insurance claim, but whilst looking at the documents has realised he is only insured for leisure and domestic use. Eg he will not get any insurance. He is in effect uninsured for this accident although he does have insurance and the police who were present at the accident checked this.

So, is he classed as being illegal and as an uninsured driver. He was not trying to get a good deal and be fraudulent...he genuinely bought the wrong policy? We no he will not get any insurance and will be liable for the damage (write off) to the van and his car alongside the other driver's courtesy car. What else will he be liable for? Do you know whether he will have to pay the fee for the assessor who values the car even though he will be telling the insurers on Monday that he will no longer be pursuing a claim?

Please help. Never been in this situation and want to resolve it as quickly and as cost effectively as poss and move on.

When you are sold or when you buy insurance online, it specifically asks if you need to use the vehicle to travel to and from work.

Specifically.

How did I buy it? If it was thru a broker you may have a leg to stand on?

Surely domestic use includes going to work?
I'm sorry your going thru this
Insurance companies are a barrel of vipers IME
Hopefully someone more knowledgable will be along soon

I buy it? Lol you buy it

The claim against your DH will be covered but its possible your husband will have to pay for the cost of his own damage. I was under the impression that SDP policies also included journeys to and from work but I don't work in underwriting so I'm not sure on that. Who told you your husband's policy did not cover this? He should have been asked if he needed cover for journeys to/from work when taking the policy out so you can ask for a transcript of the call made and see if he was asked this.

'One the way to work' is usually classed as domestic use - if you are getting TO work? Otherwise most people would be wrongly insured here I think. If you are carrying things / people for work or need to travel between sites / to customers then that it 'work use'.

As I understand it, "social & domestic" covers driving to & from work but not actually using your vehicle for work iyswim. You couldn't drive to work and then use your car to go on a delivery or visit or pick-up without additional cover.

No

It's social and domestic pleasure use

Or

Social and domestic use and travel to a from work

Or two different sorts of business use which include to and fro and also different places of work with or without cover for people who use it to seek orders.

tragically boring job selling insurance

THANKS for clarifying QOD

[goes checking her smallprint!!]

What do you meant don't allow your husband to do these things without checking?

Really!

PS should add I commute by bike / on foot

Policy documents specifically says "excluding travel to any place of work". That's why I don't think he can claim anything, not even for the third party. He was going to work.

He bought it online through a website like money supermarket. There was probably a box or a drop down menu he missed.

I always thought that to and from work was a separate option

It is damn bamboo

He would have been forced thru several summaries, and it would be specifically listed as an exclusion and most importantly.. . . .its a bit cheaper :(

Was he even on his way to work though? ;)

Damn bamboo- I just meant these mistakes are so easily made and that if you can double check these things ( he does the insurance as it is his car) then it is worthwhile. Want to prevent others going through this.

The police took record of his being on the way to work and then they took him to his place of work.

If he lies and is found out his career is on the line. We have to be honest as possible. Sorry I am drip feeding through worry!

Word- what happens now? Should he just call the insurers and stop the claim ASAP?

Argh, not word I meant to ask QOD

He could have just been going to the office to pick something up rather than going to work??

Just checked my policy and it only says SDP, no mention of commuting?

Just report the claim and let your insurer figure it out. There is no real need for a police report to be applied for if he admits fault. It would then be up to the claims handler to pick up the journey purpose and then question you further. If they do, be honest but if they don't? I'd not be daft enough to 'fess up in your shoes.

His insurance will pay the third party claim but more than likely pursue him to reclaim the money. My ex crashed my car, we thought he was insured to drive other cars on his insurance, he wasn't. I had to pay to fix my car and I'm still paying the £5000 for the other car too, this happened 6 or 7 years ago.

Just looked at my policy, it came through just today and it says SDP (includign travel to and from permanent a place of work).

I distinctly remember choosing this option as one of many and the webiste I used was compare the market.

I guess is may be an expensive mistake but not one you're likely to make again.

Is there any way he could have been going elsewhere for the purposes of insurance?

OP what has happened here is easily rectified and not the major issue you think it is. If your husband was to stop off at a shop for a paper before he heads to work, technically he wasn't 'commuting' to work but to the shop