DRIVING TO A WORK MEETING OR A COMPANY AWAY DAY? YOU MIGHT NOT BE INSURED
Drivers have been warned using their personal vehicles for work meetings or business trips could lead to their insurance policy being voided or even cancelled.
Motoring insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk have issued the warning to help drivers ensure they have the right level of cover to avoid costly mistakes.
Anyone using their car for work related travel beyond commuting should check their policy and, if needed, upgrade to business car insurance to stay covered – even nipping to the post office for work or driving to a company away day could be considered business use.
In the UK, standard car insurance typically does not include cover for business trips or meetings unless business use has been added to the policy. This means that if you drive for work without the correct cover, your insurer could refuse a claim or even cancel your policy entirely.
Research suggests around 51% of employees use their personal vehicles for business trips,* meaning many rely on their own cars for work-related travel. But without the right insurance, being involved in an accident while travelling to or from a business event could void your policy – potentially leaving you to cover the costs yourself.
The most common type of motor insurance, Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SDP), applies to everyday personal driving, such as visiting friends, shopping, or doing the school run. Social, Domestic, Pleasure and Commuting (SDP+C) policies cover travel to a single place of work.
However, if you use your vehicle for any other work-related travel, including client meetings, visiting different office locations, attending training or conferences, or making deliveries, you may need business car insurance. Without the correct cover, your policy could be invalidated, leaving you unprotected in the event of an accident.
It’s also important to note that if you get a bus or train to work but you initially drive and leave your car at the station car park, then it’s considered part of your commute and won’t likely be covered unless you have Social, Domestic, Pleasure and Commuting indicated on your policy.
According to research from Quotezone,** adding commuting to a social, domestic and pleasure policy costs around 42% more, and insuring drivers for business use typically costs 15% more than a standard policy for social and commuting use, on average.
| Average premiums per insurance type | |
| Vehicle usage: | Annual premium: |
| Business use for all drivers | £1,298.86 |
| Social, domestic and pleasure (SDP) | £796.09 |
| Social, domestic, pleasure and commuting (SDP+C) | £1,126.57
|
Business owners also have a responsibility to ensure that employees using their personal vehicles for work have the correct insurance in place.
In the event of an accident, businesses could be held liable for costs or even face legal action if they are found to have failed in taking reasonable steps to ensure their staff were properly insured.
To prevent this, employers should clearly communicate insurance requirements to their teams and, where necessary, provide guidance on upgrading policies.
For companies that frequently require staff to use their own vehicles for work, offering a company car or reimbursing mileage for insured business use can help ensure compliance and protect both the business and its employees from potential complications.
Greg Wilson, CEO and car insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk, said: “A surprising number of drivers are unaware that using their personal vehicle for work related travel beyond commuting could invalidate their insurance.
“This means that if you’re involved in an accident while travelling for a business meeting or event without the right cover, your insurer could refuse to pay out – leaving you with costly repairs.
“This is why it’s crucial to check your policy and upgrade to business car insurance if you need it for a range of work purposes, even if it’s just running errands or heading away for the day on training. Failing to do so could not only result in a rejected claim but, in some cases, even lead to your policy being cancelled altogether.
“With so many employees now in a hybrid or flexible working environment, they may have forgotten to update their insurance policy to reflect these changes. But if staff are relying on their own cars for any aspect of business, other than commuting to and from work, then they need to speak to their insurer and check they are properly protected.”
Quotezone helps drivers compare and find savings on all sorts of car insurance products, such as fleet, business and courier insurance.