Car damaged... who should pay?

[coconuttella]

A colleague has a job hat involved driving on occasion to visit clients... Work provide car allowance for her journeys at 45p/mile.

Last week, her car was vandalised on the road outside premises of client. He believes work should pay the £250 excess. Work are saying it's his responsibility as the car allowance should cover all costs relating to the car as the actual cost of petrol is 15-20p/mile. Can see both sides... Any idea on who's in the right?

Maybe if his employer had actually damaged it in some way, they'd be responsible. But they didn't, so it's him who'll have to claim on his own insurance. That's what it's there for.

His argument boils down to the fact that his car wouldn't have been damaged had work not required to visit this client, so it's therefore work's responsibility

By the same token, when his car's brake pads need replacing does he expect work to pay out for that too, as if he didn't use the car for work, they wouldn't have worn out so quickly?

The 45p is the one used by HMRC. This covers the petrol but also any wear and tear, accidents etc... whilst using the car.

So yes I think he should pay.
But it would also probably have been nice for the company to make that clear BEFORE asking him to use his car.

He pays. As stated before, government mileage allows for fuel, insurance, breakdown cover etc etc not just the actual cost of those miles on that day. If the car belongs to him, is insured in his name and it was him who left it there then I'm afraid it's him who pays. He wouldn't be expecting a friend to pay his excess if it was a friend he was visiting rather than working surely?! This is why you have insurance!!