Car insurance for nannies

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I am trying to insure our nanny on our car so she and DS can do a few day trips and she can use the car in the evening if she needs it. We are in London so she's been totally fine with public transport & bike till now but it would be nice to have other options now that winter is coming.

My car insurance won't let me add an employee as a named driver.

So before I randomly start phoning other insurance companies, can anyone recommend the company they use?

Many thanks

As a nanny my policy is with QBE who you use an insurance brooker to arrange.

Tesco value (via phone, not online) I think has been mentioned on here befor with regard to aupairs so would work for nannies.

Oh thank you, that is a great place to start. I will call Tesco & see what they say.

Nope. Tesco don't cover employees.

Any other thoughts?

My employers added me through Admiral and had no problems at all.

Is it perhaps the way you are talking to the insurance brookers? You are saying employee, which whilst being true is perhaps making them think you need special business cover. Have you told them it's for an aupair/nanny?

MortonMichel.com can arrange insurance for nannies, they are a childcare insurance brooker.

Any other reasons being given for not providibg insurance, such as age?

like nannynick says, we insured our nanny through Morton Michel (I had no luck with a couple of the usual Insurers I tried - most didn't even really know what I was asking).

With Morton Michel, it's straightforward because they are geared up for it.. we had to switch our car policy to them, and then our nanny was insured as a 'childcare' employee (I think).

There is an extra premium, it was around £40 per month more expensive than our previous policy.

Its quite a hidden expense insuring your nanny on your car - we had a multi-car policy with an Insurer at a good rate; switching the 'nanny' car to Morton Michel meant no multi car discount, and a less good rate because they are specialist insurer.

No problem with Morton Michel's operating model - they obv charge more via their Underwriters for being specialist, lower market etc., more admin, but it does add to the nanny cost!

Another option is for your nanny to obtain business insurance on her own car (which you could pay for).

PPS - if I remember correctly, Morton Michel do not insure nannies under the age of 25.. goodness knows where you go next if that applies to you

With car insurance you can add a 'named' driver ie your nanny for personal, domestic, pleasure and driving to/from her place of work (your home). As long as you don't employ her as an employee of your business then she is considered a domestic employee and can use the above policy cover. A named driver doesn't need to live at your address. We have managed to get our nanny added on with our existing policy.

that's interesting 2plus1 - we were expressly told by at least two insurers that we couldn't, because the nanny was our employee, driving our children around and about in the course of her work - as our employee...

I would have been more than happy with your outcome - seems sensible.. which insurer are you with?

Lots of replies, thank you.

Morton Michel were fantastic until they realized I have a central London postcode, then backed right off claiming their underwriters don't cover London.

I shall try admiral.

I am asking them openly if I can either add a nanny to a policy as a named driver (no because she's an employee) or take out a separate policy for her (no as she's not the owner of the car).

She doesn't have a car so can't go down that route.

blimey - what a pain.. . It must be possible - how ridiculous that Morton Michel won't even quote you.. mind you, like I said, they wouldn't even quote for under 25, so they must have a very narrow criteria.

Good luck - it can't be impossible..seems like 2plus1 has managed to find an ordinary insurer who will let them put their nanny as a named driver - that would be an ideal solution.

Maybe a bicycle with a child seat as a back up !

I wonder if the insurance industry is tightening up on this and if that will then also impact childminders.

I second Admiral. Also Diamond were fine!

Previously with Admiral, Sheilas wheels (though not competitive for our car) and LV. Is a minefield and I usually end up reading through small-print etc when getting quotes with several being unsuitable. I cannot see how it is business use when you don't have a business! What is the difference in me carting my children around in my car or the nanny doing the same thing? Madness!

This may be why insurers are getting more picky about what they cover, though it's not a case to do with a childcare provider... it was a parent who put their 3 year old child on a booster cushion, when there was a seat with a 5 point harness available in the vehicle. (For those more legally minded, here is the Decision on BAILII]])

Something we should all think about is our use of carseats. It is important to use the appropriate seat for the individual child, based on their Height, Weight and Age. Maybe insurers are becoming more concerned about that sort of thing... what if a childcare provider (be they a nanny, childminder, nursery) puts a child in the wrong sort of seat - who is liable?

So having no luck insuring my 28 year old polish nanny with a 10 year clean license.. she has a UK license.

Esure - said no .. Michel Morton said not possible.. where next?

Hurrah... since my last post -have managed to add my nanny using Admiral.. brilliant service..

added about £250 to the cost..