Home Home, Law & Money
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

Car Insurance Question

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Right, when you get car insurance, they ask you for your address and job and base your claim in part on those factors. Now if you take out the insurance, and either of these things change, do you have to inform the insurance company? Will they then charge you extra to upgrade it, or give you a refund to downgrade it (well I know that second one is a bit of a stupd question)? Or does it not matter until you have to renew the insurance? And the other thing they ask you is what you intend to use the car for. So if you tell them you're just using it to commute to and from work and for general use, and then you get a job that requires you to use your car as part of the job, would that affect your insurance at all? And if you have multiple jobs, do you just tell them your main one, or all of them?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You should tell them about convictions/accidents but it should only affect your premium at the time of renewal.

    If you want to change your cover (i.e. from SDP to communting/business use) then this will affect your premium instantly.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Not address then? So I could register my car as I buy it at my parents house, where I currently live, and I won't have to pay more when I move to manchester until I renew it?

    Oh and what counts as business use? If you're working for expenses only (i.e. petrol money on an independent film) does that count? Or is that recreation?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, that is a change in cover... more so if it's now parked on the street instead of on a drive (for example).

    Anytime you use your car as part of your job - and not just to a fro your main place of work) then it's business use. Not cheap I'm afraid (as I well know)... Not only will you do extra miles but you may be carrying something which could get stolen...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, that is a change in cover... more so if it's now parked on the street instead of on a drive (for example).
    Oh, so do they give you money back if you do it the other way round then? Bet they don't.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah, but pro-rata and not on 1/12 per month basis either. So you're almost right.

    Besides, if you are moving to Manchester it will go up unless you are already in a high crime area...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Your policy documents usually specify what you have to inform them about, and mine states something like 'any changes to the schedule', so the address, my job, the other drivers jobs, type of license and what you use it for all fall under this category and you're obliged to tell them if any of it changes.

    My insurance company then gives you a pro rata refund/charge depending on whats changed, so when our licenses went to full from provisionals we got refunds.

    If you don't tell them and you make a claim they can say your cover is invalid because it was based on incorrect information. The claim form has a whole pile of questions on it that basically double check that what you told them when they gave you the insurance still stands.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You should probably tell them. Some things won't affect the premium, others could make it go up or down. It does go both ways.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They can give you the basic business cover which is cheap (well it is for chris with tesco) as he is classed as on the job as soon as he leaves to drive there.
    You should tell them all your changed as if you don't and claim you insurance could be void.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Simple answer - if anything at all changes, you need to tell the insurance company. Whether you move, change job, exceed your estimated mileage, get points - anything.
Sign In or Register to comment.