Do I need Business Insurance?

instigator · Super Spammer Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Karma :

Hi

I am based in an office in London but being an engineer, I have to go to site every now and then which I usually do on the bike. To accomodate this, I chose to "include commuting" on my insurance policy.

I do not use the vehicle to go from site-site. Or office-site. Just home-office-home or home-site-home.

Do I need business insurance for this? Is it entirely dependent on the insurer or is there guidelines out there that I don't know about that class this type of use as 'on business'?

If I have to upgrade to business, I can imagine the insurance for a 23 year old on a gsxr-1000 fucking sky rocketing... Rolling Eyes

Cheers all.

lukey · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Karma :

No it doesnt sound like you should, if you were going from site to site then that would be different, you can always state that you have more than one place of business, do you get any extra mileage if you travel to different places on your bike as that might be a different matter.
____________________
Honda X11 (CB1100sf)

instigator · Super Spammer Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Karma :

dainesefreak · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Karma :

I've always assumed that commuting was to a place of work, not necessarily the same site every day and that as long as it was to site then home, rather than office to office, site to site, etc, then you are ok.

It may state in your policy that it needs to be to a regular place of work. Meaning the same place for the larger percentage of the year. You also can't really carry kit around like in a car either, which is another thing they could stitch you up for. At the end of the day it's probably best calling and asking as insurers vary on what they cover/expect and their policy wording.

bs16 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Karma :

Speak to your insurance company, explain the situation to them and see what they say.

If they say that you are OK then ensure that you get the full name of the person you spoke with. Then follow up the call with a recorded letter stating what was agreed on the phone, and include the name of the rep and the date and time of the call.

strag · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Karma :

I have to have Business class 1. I travel to the office and sometimes go to meetings at other offices. If it was one permanent place of work I would not need it.

Sounds similar to your situation, I'd check with insurers.
____________________
carbon bling

iooi · Super Spammer Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Karma :

You need to add used for business purposes. Commuting covers only to and from work, not any travel in works time.
____________________
Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

st3v3 · Super Spammer Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

Pizza boys are similar, being "site to site", they need business use. When I re-insure my bike I may use it for work to go on errands and such, thus including business use. I'd get it if poss just in case.
____________________
Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

My better half has business use so she can drive to meetings. It was about a tenner to add

nick606 · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Nov 2006 Karma :

I'm in a similar boat to you but i have to go college once a week and switch between sites every 6 months

so home-college-home
home-site 1/2-home

Tbh the way i understand it is if you on the clock (in works time) you shouldn't use your own bike/car unless you have business insurance. Personally i would think you are covered, but its best just to check.

AC · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Karma :

My understanding of commuting on insurance is that it is to ONE place of work. not a choice of places, if you need to attend different office/site/college locations then it needs to be class one business use.
My understanding does come from a time when I was working and at college and wanted to use my car for both, when i asked my insurer about it the above is what i was told. Was also told that if (worse case) I had a claim then if asked I would just have to say i was going to see friends, rather than going to college.
This was a few years ago and it may be company dependent, but i wouldn't ask your current insurer as a "what is the situation" as it could come back to haunt you if you ever needed to claim, but you could ask the question as a "new" customer on the other end of a phone maybe....

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

How many of you, when making a claim on insurance, had someone query what type of usage you were involved in when you had the accident ?

I cant see it ever being an issue.
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

If you go to exactly the same place of work, every day of the year, you need social, domestic & pleasure & commuting to a permanent place of work (normal insurance).

If you go to any different addresses at all to work you need Business Use 1/ Class 1 Business Use. This is what I have and the insurance increase is negligible, one quote I got was exactly the same for both. Call your insurance company and ask. Paying a bit more is better than not being covered.
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good Very Happy