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What Kind of Car Insurance are there?

What Kind of Car Insurance Do I Need?

What types of car insurance are there? You automatically think of the two main kinds - but it's much more complicated than that!

Fully comprehensive
Third party fire and theft

You need to make sure you have the cover you need. If you use your can only for personal use rather than business then you need to check that's what you're paying for. If you use your car for driving about at work in then you will probably pay more for your insurance.

As with all car insurance read the policy wording carefully. If in doubt clarify before you buy. If your circumstances chance you should notify and alter your policy.

What levels of car insurance are there?

Social, domestic and pleasure - this is the lowest level. It means that the car may be used by the named drivers for social, domestic and pleasure use only, excluding commuting. This covers you for all your normal driving - shopping and visiting family.

Commuting
Provides the same cover for social, domestic and pleasure, BUT also insures you to drive back and forth to a permanent place of work.

Travelling to a railway station en route, where the car is parked, is classed as commuting.

Some policies specify that dropping someone else off at their place of work may also be classed as commuting – as always check the policy!

More than commuting - there are different levels

Business use: Class 1
Travel in connection with your job
- driving to different sites away from your place of work.
It will exclude commercial use (such as delivery of light goods) and selling (such as door-to-door).
Check what other drivers are covered for - your spouse may only be covered for social and domestic driving as standard.

Business use: Class 2
This is varied according to the insurance company you pick so read the policy carefully.
Usually they cover both the policyholder and a named driver for the business use, although they may have to be the same business type.
Class 2 will still exclude commercial use and selling.

Business use: Class 3
Insurance for transportation of light goods (e.g. meal or flower delivery), and some selling purposes (such as door-to-door sales).

Additional cover will be needed for everything else- such as taxi drivers, garages etc

Does the car insurance policy allow you to drive someone else's car?

If you need on occaision to drive other cars and if you are over 25 and had held a full licence for at least 12 months, then in most cases the answer should be yes.

This will be in your motor insurance certificate - if it doesn't specicially state you can drive other cars then YOU ARE NOT INSURED TO DRIVE OTHER CARS.

Check this carefully. There are many people who assume it will cover them but it doesn't.

If it does cover you for driving other cars then check what you will be covered for as you may be covered ONLY for third party damage or injury and NOT fire, theft or accidental damage.

Am I insured to drive my car abroad?

You need to verify this in your policy. It may work out that for short trips of less than 3 days you would be covered but for longer trips you would need to specifically add this to your policy.

Am I insured for business use?

You might be - check! You can select business use when you get your quotes.

Business use is normally restricted to driving for your business or the business of your spouse, civil partner or partner. You should verify what your own policy covers you for.