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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Advice for those with car insurance!

79 replies

Calmasacloud · 12/01/2013 17:22

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.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 12/01/2013 17:48

Am I covered for commuting?

Direct Line's Social, Domestic and Pleasure policy cover includes commuting. This allows you to drive to and from a permanent place of work.
By 'permanent' place of work, we mean a single office, site, location or place of work that you intend to travel to for the duration of your contract of employment.
If you are employed, for example, on a 3 month contract and will only be travelling to one location/site/office during the term of your contract, then Social Domestic & Pleasure is sufficient.
Please check your policy documents to confirm your level of cover.

^This is from the Direct Line Website if that's any help?

hugoagogo · 12/01/2013 17:49

When I saw this thread I thought this might be about 'work use' lots of people seem to be unaware of it.

Call your insurers and be honest about what happened, no point asking us, insurance policies vary too much.

Glad he was ok.

DamnBamboo · 12/01/2013 17:51

Insurance fraud costs everybody money

5madthings · 12/01/2013 17:55

Oh nightmare!

You have to be really careful, dp uses our car for work purposes and has to get a specific kind of policy especially as he transports looked after children in the car. He has to be really careful what policy he gets.

Original poster
Calmasacloud · 12/01/2013 17:55

Bunchamunchy - I was thinking this but because the police were there as it was a dangerous road they made a report. Will the report go to the insurers and will it say where he was travelling to?

OP posts:
bunchamunchycrunchycarrots · 12/01/2013 18:04

No it costs money to get a report and you only need to apply for one if there is a dispute over who is at fault. If you report this and admit fault then the insurer won't ever need to get the report. If they pick this up from what you say, be honest but if they don't notice just let it lie.

cumfy · 12/01/2013 18:07

booksandchoc
and I'm still paying the £5000 for the other car too
ShockShockShockShock

How on earth did liability ever lie with you ?

CoolaSchmoola · 12/01/2013 18:13

I don't drive to a place of work - so I have Social, Domestic and Pleasure insurance.

DH does drive to a place of work - so he has Social, Domestic and Pleasure and Commuting on his policy.

When I did drive to work I had SDP and Commuting.

When I had to use my vehicle as part of my job - ie to and from work, and for travel on work purposes I had SDP and Business Use.

We've just changed insurance on both our cars, and checked Compare the Market, Admiral and Aviva - and they all specifically asked if the car was used for commuting to and from a place of work.

cumfy · 12/01/2013 18:14

Are the police making any careless driving charges ?

TBH, I think the insurers will sort everything out and they may get suspicious if one party suddenly wants to drop everything.

Are you hoping that by withdrawing the claim premium increases will be avoided ?

booksandchoc · 12/01/2013 18:16

Cumfy - because it was my car he was driving, and it was my insurance that paid the third party claim. His insurance wouldn't touch it at all. Ill be paying it for the rest of my life... I only repay £10 a month. No interest.

Piemistress · 12/01/2013 18:17

Does anyone know if Priviledge include commuting as part of their SDP? Can't see mention of it anywhere!

twoyearsandcounting · 12/01/2013 18:19

A similar thing happened to me but it was with house insurance. I went to renew over the phone and they were going through the usual questions. The guy then said "so you own your house". I said "no I rent". He said "but we don't insure rented properties". So not only had I been paying for an insurance policy which was invalid, I should never have been sold it in the first place. When I bought it, I never said I owned it and I bought it over the phone. My policy was cancelled instantly.

I know I should have read the policy more closely and I do take responsibility for that so it has taught me a lesson.

OP, I really feel for you and your husband and I hope you can somehow sort this out. Insurance companies just seem to make it so hard to claim with all the small print.

bunchamunchycrunchycarrots · 12/01/2013 18:21

two year, did they refund you your premium?

OwlCatMouse · 12/01/2013 18:29

I'm trying to check mine, and it says "Class 1 (S.D.P. + Insured In Person For Business)"

But I can't find information on exactly what this covers/

Original poster
Calmasacloud · 12/01/2013 18:42

Comfy - no withdrawing claim because we are not covered and can see that so no point pursuing. The longer it goes on the more charges there will be eg for cars being stored at garage and third party courtesy van etc.

Not dangerous driving. The broken down car was on the road, not on lay by and another car coming in opposite direction had full beam on making road dangerous.

He bought a policy not covering work and he was traveling to work and told the police who were present at the scene that. Not sure he can get out just want to know what other costs he will have to pay.

OP posts:
FryOneFatManic · 12/01/2013 18:45

I know I have travel to and from work, and some business travel in mine because I specifically set this up for my policies.

But then, I set it up after advice from someone else on this very subject a long time ago, as I hadn't realised the implications either until it had been pointed out to me.

TwllBach · 12/01/2013 18:49

What a horrible situation OP.

ShellyBoobs · 12/01/2013 19:01

OwlCatMouse - Class 1 is cover for driving to various locations as part of your job. For example, you might work in one location usually but also travel to other places for meetings, etc.

It doesn't cover delivering goods or for doing door-to-door selling.

bunchamunchycrunchycarrots · 12/01/2013 19:08

OP in some situations the insurer can simply charge additional premium for mistakes over cover. Don't automatically think you have committed some hideous deception if its been a genuine oversight. You have a valid policy, and you have not invalidated that by having this accident. This claim could cost you a substantial amount of money so don't be hasty in withdrawing the claim. Your insurer will make the judgement call on what you report and if they don't pick up the purpose for the journey then it's no big deal. If they do, you can be entirely honest and say that you thought the policy covered this, and leave them to decide how to deal with this. You will still be covered for the third party damage at the very least, no matter what they decide on your own car.

bunchamunchycrunchycarrots · 12/01/2013 19:18

I should say normal process is that if something is picked up they'll comeback and ask some questions and then refer it to the underwriters who make the call on whether they refuse to indemnify your DH i.e. not pay for the damage to your car or if they'll just calculate how much they would have charged for the commute to work aspect. I do think its more likely to be the latter but each company is different. You will still be covered for the TP claim no matter what.

ilovepowerhoop · 12/01/2013 19:24

my Elephant policy distinctly says on it that Social Domestic and Pleasure cover does not cover 'Use for travel between home and permanent place of business'. I would have to have specific Business cover to cover travel to/from work

cumfy · 12/01/2013 19:36

booksandchoc
it was my insurance that paid the third party claim

But how did your insurers sue you ?
Your ex is liable, not you.

RedHelenB · 12/01/2013 19:43

Just checked mine with Sheila's wheels & it covers me for business use in person.

BikeRunSki · 12/01/2013 19:46

I no longer own a car, but my previous policies with Direct Line and Frizzell, were specifically for "Social, Domestic, Pleasure and Commuting".

CabbageLeaves · 12/01/2013 19:52

Good post OP. I have business added to mine for this reason. You can also get 3 levels of business with some insurance (one place of work, multiple places or used for work e.g. single office, several offices or plumber with tools in van)

I employ staff who drive to multiple places of work and to cover me for corporate manslaughter all staff have their docs checked yearly to show their level of insurance, MoT and also undergo an independant driving test. (bureaucracy gone mad I tell ye)