For those of us unlucky enough to have racked up a few ‘incidents’ at work for whatever reason, just where do you get your insurance? I’ve now amassed 3 fault claims, 2 are from when I first started driving HGV’s 3 years ago, in two different vehicles. I clipped a sign above a shop doorway down a main highstreet (£800 claim) as I was pulling infront of the delivery point. Another one I backed into a car who parked directly behind me as I was waiting to get onto loading bay (£1400 claim) I’ve learnt to accept and chalk these down as inexperience, I never reverse without pulling forwards at least 1-2 car lengths and checking height as I approach buildings/telephone lines/canopies is just second nature now, at the time I worked for a bad company and on both occasions they’d also messed about with my pay and not paid any overtime for the month so my mind wasn’t focused on the task in hand.
The third, I unfortunately clipped the arse end of a badly parked van whilst manoeuvring around a badly parked car, I caught about the last 6 inches with my door hinge, which because the van was sign written and it affected 2 panels is also my most expensive claim to date £2500! In hindsight I should have just blocked the road and hunt down the drivers but I thought I could fit through and obviously I couldn’t.
I had insurance cancelled last year, reason why? because I failed to declare the first two incidents on my ‘new’ motorcycle policy (Bennetts who I will never use again in my life but that’s a long story!), I honestly didn’t think a work incident/HGV incident could affect my own car/motorcycle policy but it does and i’ve now paid the price! My car insurance went from £230 to £400 this year with full no claims, my motorcycle policy is now £400 and that’s without any modifications (they won’t even let me add an end can) I’ve checked several comparison sites soon as you go above 2 claims its a straight no and when you throw in the cancellation its impossible to actually get a quote.
I find it so stressful that I’ve decided driving isn’t for me, with every near miss it just feels like i’m waiting for the next ‘incident’ , there isn’t anyone in my current work place that hasn’t had an incident in the past year, due to the drops/places we deliver to its fairly common place, I know one guy had 3 in a year but to date i’m the only one who has had insurance cancelled whilst the others haven’t declared any of their incidents and seem to be getting away with it, only a matter of time I suppose.
For those who don’t know all incidents are shared on a central database called M.I.D and whether its in a car, bike, van or Hgv it will be on there, I don’t know whether the value of the incident makes any difference, from what I gather its just how many, rather than what actually happened.
When I told my car insurance company (Cornmarket) about an at-fault accident I’d had in my truck about five years ago they weren’t remotely interested, they said “it’s not on our policy so it doesn’t affect your premium”.
Harry Monk:
When I told my car insurance company (Cornmarket) about an at-fault accident I’d had in my truck about five years ago they weren’t remotely interested, they said “it’s not on our policy so it doesn’t affect your premium”.
I’ve had to speak and insure with the underwriters directly, to be fair they were understanding of the situation and said I wouldn’t lose my no claims because it wasn’t a claim on that policy but they did ‘load’ my policy with the fault claims which incurred a premium change, they didn’t implement this until renewal though, it really did sound like they didn’t have much choice.
Whilst I wouldn’t say they’ve been unfair about it, I just don’t like how it impacts me directly when I don’t actually have a choice when/where I get to deliver to, If I get given a drop that looks remotely crap i’m kicking and screaming about it because I don’t want another incident, it has earnt me a bit of a name as a whinger because I used to just get on with it and enjoy the challenge, now I just fill with dread. I’m not someone that just quits a job without having one to go to either so I’m riding a bit of a rocky wave at the moment.
Thankfully I’ve got no points and no convictions, I dread to think how they would effect my policy!
sunsetdriving:
Whilst I wouldn’t say they’ve been unfair about it, I just don’t like how it impacts me directly when I don’t actually have a choice when/where I get to deliver to
But you do have a choice as to whether you hit something or not when you’re there. If you hit something that’s a static object it is because of an error in judgement you’ve made as a driver. If you get to somewhere and you don’t think you can get in without hitting something but decide to have a go anyway that’s on you.
Also, make sure you put down the correct dates for any claims you have when doing an online quote, I also had problems with bennetts motorcycle insurance cancelling a policy because I had put the wrong date, only have 1 claim to declare not truck related, but by putting wrong date in, the insurance data base counted it as having 2 claims with 1 not declared to bennetts, to be fare on bennetts they reinstated the policy and got the 2nd “claim” removed.
sunsetdriving:
Whilst I wouldn’t say they’ve been unfair about it, I just don’t like how it impacts me directly when I don’t actually have a choice when/where I get to deliver to
But you do have a choice as to whether you hit something or not when you’re there. If you hit something that’s a static object it is because of an error in judgement you’ve made as a driver. If you get to somewhere and you don’t think you can get in without hitting something but decide to have a go anyway that’s on you.
Some jobs just require you to go to places where access is difficult. I’m sure the average refuse collection vehicle has regular damage claims made against its operator. The point is, should these claims impact on an employee’s out-of-work expenses?
How do they know who was driving and link them up as I’m pretty sure we don’t make any special effort of informing the insurers who was driving generally we just email and say vehicle reg whatever has been involved in an accident.
Own Account Driver:
How do they know who was driving and link them up as I’m pretty sure we don’t make any special effort of informing the insurers who was driving generally we just email and say vehicle reg whatever has been involved in an accident.
Most people fill out an accident form and put the driver details on there which is passed to the company insurers. This gets put on the database, which is when your phone starts ringing from cold callers claiming you’ve been in a non fault accident, but seem to have no details…
sunsetdriving:
Whilst I wouldn’t say they’ve been unfair about it, I just don’t like how it impacts me directly when I don’t actually have a choice when/where I get to deliver to
But you do have a choice as to whether you hit something or not when you’re there. If you hit something that’s a static object it is because of an error in judgement you’ve made as a driver. If you get to somewhere and you don’t think you can get in without hitting something but decide to have a go anyway that’s on you.
Some jobs just require you to go to places where access is difficult. I’m sure the average refuse collection vehicle has regular damage claims made against its operator. The point is, should these claims impact on an employee’s out-of-work expenses?
It shouldn’t impact them but with some companies it probably will. Really it should be a two way street. Example: if you had just bought your first car and got your first policy after driving trucks for 20years for a company accident free would the insurance company take this into account when calculating your premium. I doubt it.
The biggest problem, is when person’s fill out a claim form at work they use there HOME address, don’t, use the company address, using your home address leaves you open to 3rd party claims, and claims for excess.
I was told never put your home address on any insurance forms connected with work, by a solicitor who specialises in insurance work.
biggriffin:
The biggest problem, is when person’s fill out a claim form at work they use there HOME address, don’t, use the company address, using your home address leaves you open to 3rd party claims, and claims for excess.
I was told never put your home address on any insurance forms connected with work, by a solicitor who specialises in insurance work.
This ^^^^^^ I was involved in a non fault (well, non fault for me that is) a few weeks ago. We carry “bump cards” in our vehicles which also list the (premium rate) number of our insurers whom we are to contact immediately. Needless to say I waited until I got back to the yard before using their phone instead. The young lady I spoke to was most put out when I refused to give her my home address and my personal phone number. As I told her she had been given my employee number, my site and department, my VRN and my line managers name, she didn’t need anything else.
im sure i was on a “mugs list” for my insurance for many years. Every quote or renewal i was paying what i considered top whack. then one year at renewal time i did the ringing round all high prices as per usual but stumbled on a really cheap quote and went with it. from then on and subsequent years iv got low prices quoted by 2 or 3 diffrent companies ,and if i do go online to compare the market [all high prices] i get a phone call soon after saying its wrong sir youv been quoted too high. Somehow im now on the bargain basement list and it feels good!
biggriffin:
The biggest problem, is when person’s fill out a claim form at work they use there HOME address, don’t, use the company address, using your home address leaves you open to 3rd party claims, and claims for excess.
I was told never put your home address on any insurance forms connected with work, by a solicitor who specialises in insurance work.
I’ve put my home address on each and every incident form, perhaps you’re onto something there.
sunsetdriving:
Whilst I wouldn’t say they’ve been unfair about it, I just don’t like how it impacts me directly when I don’t actually have a choice when/where I get to deliver to
But you do have a choice as to whether you hit something or not when you’re there. If you hit something that’s a static object it is because of an error in judgement you’ve made as a driver. If you get to somewhere and you don’t think you can get in without hitting something but decide to have a go anyway that’s on you.
Some jobs just require you to go to places where access is difficult. I’m sure the average refuse collection vehicle has regular damage claims made against its operator. The point is, should these claims impact on an employee’s out-of-work expenses?
As said by Harry really, if I never went for a gap I wouldn’t actually have a job, people who say they’d just sit there all day because their paid by the hour either haven’t done the job or are lying, when doing multidrop around towns/villages there is never any guarantees, even what should be an easy drop can be problematic due to bad parking, road works and street furniture.
sunsetdriving:
As said by Harry really, if I never went for a gap I wouldn’t actually have a job, people who say they’d just sit there all day because their paid by the hour either haven’t done the job or are lying, when doing multidrop around towns/villages there is never any guarantees, even what should be an easy drop can be problematic due to bad parking, road works and street furniture.
I’m struggling…
With that statement. If you went for a job and at the interview you said you’d rather hit something than turn around or find another way, I wouldn’t hire you.
I am paid by the hour and if I can’t get through, I find another way or try and get what ever is blocking my route moved. To drive into stuff because it’s in your way is daft and you deserve to have your premiums rasied.
I never have, nor would I ever cause damage intentionally, if I did have that attitude do you think anyone would actually employ me?
I’ll do everything I can to avoid damage but the only way to ensure this happens 100% is to hang up my keys which is exactly what I’ll be doing soon enough, do you actually think I’d want to cause damage to property given my opening post was how it affects my insurance?
You’ve made me feel confused, what on earth gave the impression I was driving around smashing into stuff for the sheer hell of it?
sunsetdriving:
if I never went for a gap I wouldn’t actually have a job, people who say they’d just sit there all day because their paid by the hour either haven’t done the job or are lying
I didn’t say…
For the sheer hell of it, I said I’m struggling with that statement. You appear to go for gaps regardless of whether or not you can get through. That seems a little reckless.
I also take umbrage at being called a liar because according to you I haven’t done the job.
I had a minor scrape at work about 2 years ago, mentioned to insurance and told them the firm I work for self insure, they haven’t added it to my private policy nor has it affected the cost