Business Use Car Insurance
If you or your employees use a car for business then you need a proper business car policy.
Commuting is normally covered under a private car policy but this is simply driving to and from a single, fixed place of work. No other business use would be covered. But what counts as business use? Leaving your place of work and driving for any purpose related to your business. For example, posting a letter on behalf of the business, or even buying some milk for the office kitchen. In the event of a serious incident, everything will be scrutinised closely, including the insurance arrangements and exactly where and why the vehicle was being driven. This can have serious consequences for the driver if proper cover wasn’t in place.
Additionally, if an employee of yours is driving without proper business use car insurance and has an accident, there could be serious consequences for your company. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees at work or on work business, which extends to car travel. In certain circumstances, a company can also be held liable for the actions of its employees, so it makes sense to ensure you are covered properly in case your employee or a third party ends up being injured.
Business use car insurance comes in several different policy types, depending on what your business is, what cover you require, and how the car is used in relation to the business. The definitions below are general, as there are slight variations from insurer to insurer.
Business insurance for Cars – Class 1
When drivers own the vehicle they will be using for business, this is the cover required. It normally includes social, domestic and pleasure use, and can be extended to include a husband or wife too.
Business Car Insurance Class 2
Class 2 business insurance covers a car belong to the policyholder for business use. This class differs from class 1, in that the policy holder is generally a company or other corporate entity, so the cover is used for pool cars or other vehicles. It can be applied to an individual, but in this case, care must be taken to include social, domestic and pleasure, in case the vehicle is ever used for non business use, (such as posting a personal letter on the way home).
Class 3 business car insurance
Also known as “commercial travelling”, this class of insurance will cover driving when it is part of the driver’s job, for example, sales reps. It shouldn’t be confused with jobs where passengers or goods are transported, as this is hire and reward.
Hire and Reward
These policies are specifically for companies whose trades are transporting people or goods, such as taxi drivers or couriers, where transport is the main function of the job. The same goes for hauliers too, although it may also sometimes be called haulage insurance or courier insurance.
So for any business use apart from commuting, then a proper business car insurance policy is required by law.
M Withers is Commercial Manager at Coversure who offer all kinds of business car insurance quotes
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Matt Withers on April 13th 2011 in Car Insurance