Car insurance cover could be suspended by firms, which would see motorists forced to pay out for expensive repair bills if they fail to include a commute when applying for a contract. This is because those using their car to get to and from work must secure a special type of insurance policy.
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Charging friends or family for lifts could invalidate car insurance
Experts at CarParts4Less warn even if drivers commute just “a few times a month” they must upgrade to the social and commuting agreement.
Failure to do this means road users will only be covered under a social policy meaning their contract is not accurate and not paid up to date.
Car usage is a vital part of an application and must be filled out accurately to prevent drivers from being caught out.
Experts have warned motorists who use their vehicles for work purposes outside of just travelling to and from their jobs could be forced to secure even more cover.
A spokesperson for CarParts4Less said: “There are three types of car usage that insurance covers; social only, social and commuting, and business.
“Social only insurance covers driving for social or leisure use, going to the supermarket, etc.
“The commute to and from work, or even to and from the train station, are not covered by this policy, so upgrading to social and commuting is necessary, even if you only commute a few times a month.
“Insurance companies may dispute or refuse claims made during a commute if the policy is social use only, even if it is claimed to be only a one off.
“If you use your car for work purposes outside of commuting, for example using it to get to meetings, or carrying equipment, you will need to get business cover.”
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Insurance experts at CallWiser even warn motorists could be prosecuted for declaring the wrong level of cover to insurance providers.
Those who do not accurately reveal how they use their vehicle could save money in the form of cheaper premiums but could find they have broken rules under the Road Traffic Act.
This could see drivers issued with strict penalties such as fines and penalty points in a major blow to road users.
Invalidating an agreement can also have a range of long term consequences for road users which may include being blacklisted from traditional firms.
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This could mean motorists are forced to secure specialist cover which is often more expensive than some traditional providers.
Matt Oliver, spokesperson from GoCompare Car Insurance warned that how motorists use their vehicle would have a “substantial effect” on their agreements.
He urged drivers to be ”honest” about how they were going to use the vehicle when taking out an agreement or could risk having claims rejected.
He said: “If you’re only using the vehicle to visit family and friends or to go shopping, you’re deemed in a lower risk category.
“However, if you use your vehicle for both social and business use or commercial travelling, you will probably face a higher premium, as you’re considered at greater risk of making a claim due to the extra mileage or the goods you may carry.
“Remember to be honest about the vehicle’s use when taking out a policy, otherwise you could risk landing yourself in hot water and having any claim you make rejected.
However, rules around classes of use restrictions have been temporarily eased due to the coronavirus pandemic which could act as some relief to road users.
Guidelines from the ABI says any drivers whose work is critical to the national response to Covid-19 will not have their cover affected if they need to drive to different locations.
The ABI says customers do not need to contact their insurer to update their documents or extend cover.
This effectively means any drivers with a social policy who used to rely on public transport to get to work could now use their cars without risking being caught.
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