Insurance changes.

Swordfish · 8 Mar 2014 at 17:31

My insurance on my Mondeo is up for renewal at the end of April and I was wondering what sort of impact it would have on my premium if I removed the commute part.

At the moment it is Full Comp with SDP & Commute.

Would the premium go down because I no longer use the car to commute or go up because the car is left at the house more?

Anyone any experience of this?

Cheers.

Hades · 8 Mar 2014 at 17:33

Try comparing a meerkat and seeing what difference it makes. It will be different for everyone. Likely to go down a little though.

FinglisHobbit · 8 Mar 2014 at 18:28

How do they chase up if you commute or not? You could just say you usually lift share with someone if you crash on route to work.

Hades · 8 Mar 2014 at 18:31

FinglisHobbit said:
How do they chase up if you commute or not? You could just say you usually lift share with someone if you crash on route to work.

So if you crash at a location between home and work at a time that could reasonably be expected to be a commute to work then how would you explain the coincidence?

What happens if the car is stolen while parked at work?

[TW]Fox · 8 Mar 2014 at 18:33

The difference in price is so slight there is no reason to lie about whether you commute or not.s

FinglisHobbit · 8 Mar 2014 at 18:36

Hades said:
So if you crash at a location between home and work at a time that could reasonably be expected to be a commute to work then how would you explain the coincidence?

What happens if the car is stolen while parked at work?

Guess you just say you had no other option but to drive into work that day, as you usually get a bus or something lol.

Hades · 8 Mar 2014 at 18:38

FinglisHobbit said:
Guess you just say you had no other option but to drive into work that day, as you usually get a bus or something lol.

And I guess the insurance company will say they have no other option but to decline the claim as they didn't insure the policy holder for commuting.

Swordfish · 8 Mar 2014 at 18:47

[TW]Fox;25973608 said:
The difference in price is so slight there is no reason to lie about whether you commute or not.s

Not lying at all.

I'm trying to balance whether or not to use car to go to work and the finances of it.

Perhaps I should have made things a bit clearer.

Since Feb 1 new land owners have taken over the property where I work and are imposing a monthly fee of £50 to park there whereas before it did not cost me anything as the company I work for got permits to park via their lease agreements.

Normally I would not have a problem but the car park is a disgrace and they have no plans to repair/upgrade for "quite a few years until it can pay for itself" as I was quoted when I discussed the new charges.

I am also not guaranteed a parking space either as they have rented out EVERY space yet on a daily basis there can be up to 20 or so cars there that do not have permits but park and bin the "invoice charge". The car park is also directly opposite a large mosque and on Friday lunchtime you dare not move your car as a large percentage of people attending the mosque park in the car park instead of paying the £2.30 charge to park in the mosque car park. It also backs on to a large Student halls.

My commute (if you can call it that) is 2.06 miles!

So I can either:

Leave car a home and walk - (health benefits).
Bus (which is right outside my property and VERY punctual and is practically door to door).
Pay for permit and take car.

I have been doing a combination of 1 & 2 since Feb 1. I was just wondering if anyone had experience of removing the Commute and did it make a difference?

Hades · 8 Mar 2014 at 19:12

I seem to recall my recent quotes being something in the region of £20 cheaper when commuting wasn't on there. But it will be different for every person. I left it on.

easyrider · 9 Mar 2014 at 11:15

Swordfish said:
My commute (if you can call it that) is 2.06 miles!

So I can either:

Leave car a home and walk - (health benefits).

Bus (which is right outside my property and VERY punctual and is practically door to door).

Pay for permit and take car.

Ride a bike when its not raining and get the bus when it is. You live so close.

FinglisHobbit · 9 Mar 2014 at 11:28

2 miles on a bike is nothing, you would probably enjoy it and wonder why you ever drove such a distance.

m4rkw7 · 9 Mar 2014 at 11:30

Generally it's a bit cheaper.

rodenal · 9 Mar 2014 at 11:49

Made about £5 of a difference over the year last time I checked so about 1.25%. Even if you'll rarely use it I don't really see the value in removing it (unless in your case it's adding more than say 5% to the premium)

xs2man · 9 Mar 2014 at 11:55

Depends on how high a risk part of Dundee you live. Is it more likely to be stolen sitting at home?

In general it'll be cheaper to leave it at home though. But wouldn't really count it into finances as it will only be a couple quid a month. It's the parking charge, fuel used and depreciation due to miles will make the biggest financial differences.

I would just walk / bike to work.

Swordfish · 9 Mar 2014 at 12:22

rodenal said:
Made about £5 of a difference over the year last time I checked so about 1.25%. Even if you'll rarely use it I don't really see the value in removing it (unless in your case it's adding more than say 5% to the premium)

FinglisHobbit said:
2 miles on a bike is nothing, you would probably enjoy it and wonder why you ever drove such a distance.

Cheers for replies.

Decisions made.

Leave insurances as it is - you never fully know!
Purchase bike.
Get new and bigger shed - existing too small to store bike in.
Combination of walk/cycle - greater health benefits.

Buying the bike and the new shed will cost me for dosh, but the long term it will work out better I reckon.

xs2man · 9 Mar 2014 at 12:35

Will your work do a cycle to work scheme? You can offset your tax burden using such a scheme.

Scythe · 9 Mar 2014 at 12:36

Swordfish said:
Cheers for replies.

Decisions made.

Leave insurances as it is - you never fully know!

Purchase bike.

Get new and bigger shed - existing too small to store bike in.

Combination of walk/cycle - greater health benefits.

Buying the bike and the new shed will cost me for dosh, but the long term it will work out better I reckon.

You could buy a folding bike? It's only two miles so not really a problem with the smaller wheels.

~Divine~Wind~ · 9 Mar 2014 at 14:07

Just walk *shrug*

Or see if the workplace has a cycle scheme.

Swordfish · 9 Mar 2014 at 18:21

~Divine~Wind~ said:
Just walk *shrug*

Or see if the workplace has a cycle scheme.

xs2man said:
Will your work do a cycle to work scheme? You can offset your tax burden using such a scheme.

Small company, only about 14 full time and about 4 part time, so doubt the cycle scheme.

Need to start looking at bikes I guess, but will walk in and bus home for now as it has been years since I last did any physical exercise so will ease into it !

Craig321 · 9 Mar 2014 at 18:23

Swordfish said:
My insurance on my Mondeo is up for renewal at the end of April and I was wondering what sort of impact it would have on my premium if I removed the commute part.

At the moment it is Full Comp with SDP & Commute.

Would the premium go down because I no longer use the car to commute or go up because the car is left at the house more?

Anyone any experience of this?

Cheers.

I went from SDP to SDP+Commute recently and it didn't cost me any extra so doubt you'll see much of a difference. It'll be slightly with SDP only cheaper if anything.

Swordfish said:
Small company, only about 14 full time and about 4 part time, so doubt the cycle scheme.

Need to start looking at bikes I guess, but will walk in and bus home for now as it has been years since I last did any physical exercise so will ease into it !

I'm in a company of about 6 and we have the cycle to work scheme. It's pretty easy to get signed up.

Insurance changes.

Can't type for toffee