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Original poster

Car insurance invalid for non essential journeys

48 replies

Papergirl1968 · 14/04/2020 14:26

Just heard “loophole lawyer” Nick Freeman being interviewed on local radio and he said some car insurers may not pay out in the event of a crash on a non essential journey.
I’ve googled and this has also been in some of the papers, again quoting Freeman (sorry, I can’t do links) but I thought I’d just let people know as I wasn’t aware.

OP posts:

YeOldeTrout · 14/04/2020 18:22

I thought the legislation didn't even use the word 'essential'.
Legislation used the phrase 'reasonable excuse'.
Reasonable excuses are many.

HoldMyLobster · 14/04/2020 18:29

Unless they decrease my premiums to reflect the lowered risk of my car sitting idle on my driveway, they can fuck off that.

They are decreasing premiums and issuing refunds here in the US. I'm waiting with interest to see if mine changes.

feellikeanalien · 14/04/2020 18:31

I remember my ex mother in law telling me that she had to use Harrods as her nearest shop during the war.

Shitsgettingcrazy · 14/04/2020 18:32

No you're not. I wouldn't be able to justify travelling the 15 miles to the nearest Waitrose when there's a Sainsbury's a few streets away.

Where is this stated?

Abreadsandwich · 14/04/2020 18:34

I drive to a big out of town tescos when there are 4 supermarkets within a mile of my house. They are all smaller, more expensive, (and you pay to park ) and regularly (before cv19) didnt have everything I needed. I would rather go once and get everything for at least a week than chance going to the expensive ones, spending more money (when our income is reduced) and have to top up throughout the week.

mumwon · 14/04/2020 18:36

being me (when in doubt check & research) AA having absolutely zilch on this - & they do state various things about coronavirus & contact. Let me point out - very sore point - I have to travel 12 miles to the nearest click & collect so how would I prove that? (if ops info was true which it isn't!)

mumwon · 14/04/2020 18:37

& the reason we do click & collect is vulnerability & its the nearest expletive deleted supermarket that does this

Original poster

Papergirl1968 · 14/04/2020 18:45

I don’t know whether it’s true or not, it’s just what Freeman is saying.
I haven’t worked for a while so I don’t insure my car for commuting. When I did work and needed to use it for work purposes a couple of times a week I had to add that on too.
I often wondered how the insurance company would know if I had a crash going to work or on a work-related journey but preferred not to risk it.

OP posts:

Shitsgettingcrazy · 14/04/2020 18:48

Unless someone actually defines 'essential', it's not happening.

Zaphodsotherhead · 14/04/2020 18:54

I was wondering...

I have my car insured for 10,000 miles a year. This year I'm going to be lucky to do 1,000. Does this mean I'll get an insurance rebate?

Bet they'll think up a way to make sure I don't.

Funguy · 14/04/2020 18:55

Does it say this on your car insurance policy? No.
So it is bollocks

perniciousdot · 14/04/2020 19:14

I don’t know whether it’s true or not, it’s just what Freeman is saying.

Of course it's not true

perniciousdot · 14/04/2020 19:16

I have my car insured for 10,000 miles a year. This year I'm going to be lucky to do 1,000. Does this mean I'll get an insurance rebate?

This isn't a new question raised by Coronavirus. People regularly both under and over estimate their annual mileage. If you check your policy it will clearly stay up to 10,000 miles, which of course includes 1000.

Seriouslyastounded · 14/04/2020 19:17

Complete bollocks

Ineedtobecalm · 14/04/2020 19:38

I live in an area with a police force that has been accused of over reaching its authority over the bank holidays. Tomorrow I have to drive to work. I have a letter on company headed notepaper to produce to the police to say I should be allowed to pass as my work is essential. Would it be enough to convince them, or an insurance company if I had an accident? Who knows?

perniciousdot · 14/04/2020 19:41

The police and what they deem essential is nothing to do with your insurance though. Nobody has a policy that states essential journeys only. So if the police don't think you should be out then that's up to them, it's got nothing to do with your insurance policy though.

Makeitgoaway · 14/04/2020 19:44

Car Insurers must be quids in for this already with so few cars on the road. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose from doing this.

Makeitgoaway · 14/04/2020 19:46

OP, they would know if you were using the car for work because that's the first(ish) question on the claim form, so unless you're prepared to commit insurance fraud, you'd have to tell them.

MrsJoshNavidi · 14/04/2020 19:51

It's nothing to do with the law. But morally, when asked to keep travel to a minimum I like to try to comply.
When I say justify, I mean to myself.
It's more hassle for everyone if you have an accident further from home than close to home / hence t he not driving too far to take a walk guidance.

BubblyBarbara · 14/04/2020 19:58

Just make something up if it really gets that far like when you have social only on the insurance. If I had a crash on the way to work I’d just say I was off to the shops, they have no idea anyway

lovelydream · 14/04/2020 20:00

Sounds like a load of 💩 OP

1 - how would the insurer know what you were doing out in the car.

2- who is to judge what is essential?

3 - there are no such specific exclusions in our current car policies so would be unenforceable

FOJN · 14/04/2020 21:15

He's grifting, his income must have taken a hit with all the celebrities in lockdown so he wants to increase his profile by publishing something that generates conversation.

excitedmumtobe87 · 14/04/2020 21:44

Car insurers have been very fair and loosened a lot of rules - especially for key workers. They wouldn’t refuse to pay out for this. Not unless they notified you the rules of your insurance had changed first,

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