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Mon 17 Aug 2020 20:14

Any - Question about insurance ? - Topdude

Hi, just looking to put my mind at rest regarding car insurance. (sorry for the long post)

I have a part time job (zero hours contract) delivering medication to patients for a local Pharmacy. I drive a van owned and insured by the Pharmacy and i am a named driver on their policy. When not being used the van is parked in their private car park. I do not use it after hours or at the weekend and the keys are left at the Pharmacy.

This weekend the van was broken into, nothing was taken as nothing is ever left in the van but there is substantial damage to the rear door. It is going to be repaired locally and an insurance claim has been submitted. I was the last person to drive it on Friday and the damage was done overnight Friday / Saturday.

My question is, is my own personal car insurance likely to be affected in any way by this claim.?

Will i have to inform my own insurance company ?

Is there any way i could lose my no claims bonus ?

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

Edited by Topdude on 17/08/2020 at 20:17

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Mon 17 Aug 2020 20:27

Any - Question about insurance ? - badbusdriver

My question is, is my own personal car insurance likely to be affected in any way by this claim.?

Will i have to inform my own insurance company ?

Is there any way i could lose my no claims bonus ?

In a word, no (to all three questions).

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Mon 17 Aug 2020 21:01

Any - Question about insurance ? - gordonbennet

Agreed, you were not involved in any loss accident or damage in any way, nothing for you to report to your own insurer or worry about as far as i can see.

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Tue 18 Aug 2020 16:32

Any - Question about insurance ? - concrete

I agree with the advice given too. If the rear of the van is isolated from the driving cab, i.e. with a metal barrier so you cannot access the van from the cab then it may be an idea to leave the rear doors unlocked. that way any scumbag can see there is nothing to steal and no damage is done. Obviously a chancer looking for drugs, all that effort for sweet FA, resulting in a claim, how ridiculous. There is never a night sniper around when you need one!!!

Cheers Concrete

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Tue 18 Aug 2020 20:26

Any - Question about insurance ? - Topdude

Thanks to all for your replies, very unsettling when this sort of thing happens and it's not even my vehicle. Lots of vans being broken in to in my area at the moment.

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Tue 18 Aug 2020 23:26

Any - Question about insurance ? - glidermania

Im not so sure the answer is no, you dont need to tell your insurance co. Why? Because ins cos love to get out of paying any claim you make if you havent disclosed some incident to them and they find out.

There was a case last year or so where a council driver was involved in an accident while driving a council vehicle on council's business and insurance. He wasnt at fault and made his own personal ins co aware. They whacked up his car premium.

I guess it depends on how confident you are you own car insurers do not find out about this incident. Make sure you read all the question on any new car insurance you take out very carefully especially about 'no fault' accidents or claims.

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Wed 19 Aug 2020 00:15

Any - Question about insurance ? - nick62

There was a case last year or so where a council driver was involved in an accident while driving a council vehicle on council's business and insurance.

But the OP wasn't involved in any way, shape or form. He wasn't driving, the vehicle in question was parked-up overnight on the business owners premises and was broken into.

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Wed 19 Aug 2020 00:28

Any - Question about insurance ? - Avant

I agree Nick. Also, the van isn't his and it's not insured under his own policy. He can truthfully say No to any questions about past accidents, claims etc.

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Wed 19 Aug 2020 05:53

Any - Question about insurance ? - FiestaOwner

Im not so sure the answer is no, you dont need to tell your insurance co. Why? Because ins cos love to get out of paying any claim you make if you havent disclosed some incident to them and they find out.

There was a case last year or so where a council driver was involved in an accident while driving a council vehicle on council's business and insurance. He wasnt at fault and made his own personal ins co aware. They whacked up his car premium.

I guess it depends on how confident you are you own car insurers do not find out about this incident. Make sure you read all the question on any new car insurance you take out very carefully especially about 'no fault' accidents or claims.

I Agree with Avant and Nick for the following reasons:

The OP wasn't driving the vehicle at the time of the incident. The OP was not in charge of the vehicle (his employer had the keys). The vehicle was at his employers premises, presumably where his employer told him to park it. The insurance policy is not in the OP's name.

The only person who needs to declare this claim/ incident is the policy holder.

If the incident had taken place while the vehicle was unattended (while the OP was in charge of it, say during a delivery), then he may well have to declare it

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Wed 19 Aug 2020 07:58

Any - Question about insurance ? - Bromptonaut

I think the key point here is that this is a theft incident. Presumably the perp hoped there'd be either cash or controlled drugs (eg opiates) in the van.

If it was a traffic incident then, even if no fault, I think it would need to be disclosed to the OP's personal insurer.

If it were me though I might still disclose it and argue the toss or seek alternative quotes if the insurer decided it DID affect premium.

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Wed 19 Aug 2020 16:22

Any - Question about insurance ? - concrete

If it were me though I might still disclose it and argue the toss or seek alternative quotes if the insurer decided it DID affect premium.

I see your point Bromptonaut but can you imagine trying to explain that situation to a call centre operative who has no idea about insurance and needs to consult the 'oracle'? The question of how were you involved in this incident, elicits the answer, 'I wasn't", therefore why report it? The OP is the van driver and he was tucked up in bed at home when the van was burglarised. I can't see any involvement whatsoever. I know the law, the lord and insurance companies work in mysterious ways but this one baffles me. If he raises a flag unnecessarily is he considered a worse risk by his own insurance company? The 'Jonah' effect. Unfair in the extreme if that is the case.

Cheers Concrete

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Wed 19 Aug 2020 18:15

Any - Question about insurance ? - gordonbennet

What if the depot our OP works at have 300 vehicles, he's an employed driver so insured to drive any or all of them, if one gets broken into or damaged or catches fire (a fleet of 300 vans there'll be at least 1 incident a week) are all the named drivers supposed to ring their own insurers.

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Thu 20 Aug 2020 09:28

Any - Question about insurance ? - Archie35

Not your vehicle. Not your insurance policy. Not present when vehicle damanged. Not in any way involved or responsible. Nothing to report.

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