Extremely worried about my insurance claim

[Ryanjames]

Hello. First time poster, so be gentle!! I had an accident on Wednesday after leaving work. It was dark and wet and I misjudged a corner and wrote my car off on a post. I contacted my insurance company (1st central) straight away and explained to them what had happened. It was about an hour later and I got an email from them saying that as I was travelling from work, I need commuting on my policy, which I haven't got (I sorted my insurance out on a price comparison site and didn't understand properly what cover I needed) I also took the insurance out in a bit of a hurry as I was in desperate need for a car as my new born baby was due to come out of hospital the next day.
On the email it says "
I forgot to inform you that as you were travelling from work, you need commuting on your policy. I will inform customer services and they will be in contact." But I haven't heard anything back from them. The email goes on to say that they will notify their people they use to take the car away and will sort out valuation etc next week. I'm so worried my insurance will be null and void and it's making me sick. Is there any way I could pay the difference of what I'd have paid if I did have commuting on my policy? What advice do people have? I can't stop panicking and shaking. It was an honest mistake

 

[Ryanjames]

Often they will allow you to pay the difference on the policy (+ extra) before paying out.

How much was the car worth and what is your voluntary and compulsory excess?

When I bought the car (around 3 months ago!) It cost me £2995. The voluntary excess is £250
So I'm assuming the compulsory is the same. I don't know whether to contact them or not

 

[Ryanjames]

You don't have commute.. you took that as it was a little cheaper. You are screwed.

It was an honest mistake. As I said, my new born baby was coming out of neo natal intensive care and I was in such a rush I just clicked the wrong thing. I'd happily now pay the difference if it means my claim will go through. I didn't pick it because it was the cheapest option

 

[Ryanjames]

Can you get insurance without ti and from work cover? I understand business use as being something hugely different but basic to and from work?
Andi.

I've got social, domestic and leisure cover, but you can get social, domestic and leisure + commute, which I didn't put on mine. I'm so worried right now and don't know what to say to them on the phone

 

[Ryanjames]

I don't know if it's worth me ringing the insurers and explaining to them what's happened, explain that I made a silly mistake and would happily pay the extra amount now that I would have paid if I had commuting on my policy? Would that make any difference? I could even change my policy right now to include commuting?!

 

[Ryanjames]

Unfortunately I would say it's more likely to go against you than in your favour.

You said it's a write off, how much damage has been caused? Also, what damage was caused to the surrounding area? If the insurance company have to pay out for new fences or a new lamppost etc, then that may be less favourable towards you.

The post that I hit is constantly being hit, so it's unclear whether they will claim for it or not. The only damage is actually to the concrete holding the post in place, the post itself has been pushed back up by the people that work there.

 

[Ryanjames]

Incase anyone wanted to know what the whole email said that I received, this is it:
"Dear Mr #######
Thank you for reporting your incident to us.

I forgot to inform you that as you were travelling from work, you need commuting on your policy. I will inform customer services and they will be in contact.

Also, as you have had an incident involving a pole, a claim can potentially come in for the damage to that pole. So the third party team need to keep their claim open for 6 months to make sure.

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about what’s happened. We’ve got all the details we need to move things in the right direction, so don’t worry, you’re in safe hands.

We know that there’s a lot to take in when you make a claim and while we try to explain everything over the phone, sometimes it’s easier to digest things in your own time.

Unfortunately, your vehicle has been deemed a total loss. As your vehicle is not repairable we have arranged for our salvage agents at Copart to collect your vehicle. If you have any questions regarding the collection give them a call on ############. If you have any questions regarding the payment or valuation give the claims team a call on ###########. they’re open Monday-Friday 09:00-18:00."

 

[Ryanjames]

What I don't understand, is they said on the email that they will inform customer services who will be in touch with me, but then later on say that they have all the info needed to move everything forward and that I'm "in safe hands". Wouldn't they have told me straight away that my insurance was invalid as soon as they knew I didn't have commuting on my policy?

 

[Ryanjames]

Would anyone recommend I reply to the email?

 

[Ryanjames]

It's completely pointless going round and round on here, call them when they're open and get a proper answer instead of waiting on them and worrying.

Maybe I should just reply to the email and they can get back to me when they're open. I'm just worried that it'll make things worse!

 

[Ryanjames]

Having worked in motor insurance for 3.5 years I can happily state that the place I worked at didn't do everything they could to get out of claims, it was quite the opposite. Standard practice was to re-rate the policy correctly back to the inception date & take any increased premium out of the payout value.

Claims did get voided where the original risk was deemed unacceptable such as a 21 year old with undeclared mods as we couldn't cover mods on a car with anyone under 25 on the policy, practice in these cases was to refund the original premium & leave them with a wrecked car.

So if I was to give them a call, what would you recommend I say? Obviously I don't want to sound like I'm trying to contact them, but at the same time I don't want to be left hung out to dry by them!

 

[Ryanjames]

I've just spoken to them. He read the email that they sent and has added commuting onto my policy. He said for me to call the claims team on Monday to see the status of my claim but he thinks that I might be able to continue with the claim as it doesn't state on the email that my claim has been affected by not having commuting on my policy

 

[Ryanjames]

If you are driving from work (after a shift) and not going home, but instead going to a friend's house or whatever, is that still classed as commuting?

 

[Ryanjames]

I do wonder how some people, sniff, you know.....life.

So if you left work and were going on holiday straight after, and you drove to the airport 150 miles away and had an accident, you'd still be classed as commuting would you? Because you'd have left your place of work originally. Seems daft to me

 

[Ryanjames]

I wonder how some of you get by in the real world.

The fact that I had a newborn baby in intensive care taking up most of my thoughts might have something to do with me not concentrating fully 100%!

 

[Ryanjames]

It's such a great area. What if you were to leave work, get half way home and then realise you'd left your wallet at work so went back to pick it up, to then crash on your way back after getting your wallet? As then you aren't actually driving following your shift?!

 

[Ryanjames]

You're still leaving your permanent place of work, still commuting.

So a Tesco employee Has to have commuting on their policy every time they go shopping, just because it's their place of work?

 

[Ryanjames]

Ok so I'm back with an update. And guess what? I've been told my car is worth £2750 and given my excess is £250, I'll be receiving £2500 in my account soon!