Car Insurance Claim and Business Use

S

StephenA

Guest
My wife was unfortunately involved in a nasty car accident recently. In part, she was on her way from a work meeting (she was also planning to visit some relatives on the way home). She would normally use the train to get to her infrequent long distance work meetings but because of the recent train strike she took her car.

She accepts blame for the accident but I have a concern that the claim will not be paid as it may be argued she was travelling from a business meeting. When I rang the insurance company they have me the third degree on the purpose of her trip. Needless to say she doesn't have business use on her policy just regular private and domestic use. Can anyone advise? There was considerable damage (her car is a write-off and the other vehicle was considerably damaged also).
 
Sorry to hear about your wife's accident.

Normal motor insurance policies usually cover use of a vehicle for "social, domestic and leisure" purposes, including travel to and from a fixed place of work.

Business use is covered by Class 1 and Class 2 business use policy endorsements on non-commercial vehicles which include the carriage of goods and samples and the use of the vehicle to travel to business appointments away from "base" where the employer pays business-travel mileage.

IMHO, if your wife was not being paid a car allowance by her employer and was en route to a social event (family visit) it would be hard to argue that she was not adequately covered at the time of the accident.
 
Many thanks for your reply.

Your reply suggests that it is at least arguable by the insurer that she was on business travel even though there was an element of "social, domestic or personal" usage. Her petrol costs were certainly expensible.

Furthermore, the car is not 'normally' used for business purposes.

What about the mitigating circumstances surrounding the train strike? I know this probably makes no odds from a 'contract terms and conditions' perspective but from a reasonableness perspective how is this likely to be viewed?

I am sure such a scenario must have happened before so I would welcome some other people's experiences.

Cheers.
 
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