Some issues i need to know about

[Phantom]

People that use cars on delivery have to have "business use" on their car insurance - what does this actually cover?

1. Is it the use of cars to travel to your walk while in duty time.
2. Does it cover mail left in the boot of a car.
3. Will it cover theft and pay compensation to customers who have had they mail stolen.

If not would it be wise to inform the police that mail left in a car is not insured? do the insurance companies know that large quantities of mail are being left in cars? or do they think the insured are just using it travel to their walks?

I was thinking about taking the registration plates of everyone using cars to work from and finding out whether the police could fine Royal Mail for allowing them to do this because they check all insurance documents once a year and agree on their use so where does that leave the customers who's mail is stolen from a car that might not be covered?

[madelin4]

Good point. But lets says ones just use the car to get them to start of delivery and back to the office and use all the drop boxes so therefore no mail is left in the car?

[andy2007]

People that use cars on delivery have to have "business use" on their car insurance - what does this actually cover?

1. Is it the use of cars to travel to your walk while in duty time.
2. Does it cover mail left in the boot of a car.
3. Will it cover theft and pay compensation to customers who have had they mail stolen.

If not would it be wise to inform the police that mail left in a car is not insured? do the insurance companies know that large quantities of mail are being left in cars? or do they think the insured are just using it travel to their walks?

I was thinking about taking the registration plates of everyone using cars to work from and finding out whether the police could fine Royal Mail for allowing them to do this because they check all insurance documents once a year and agree on their use so where does that leave the customers who's mail is stolen from a car that might not be covered?

Business use, simply means that your Car Inusrance is still valid while you are using the Car for Work. If you have 3rd Party Fire and Theft, or Fully Comprehensive Insurance, the contents of your Car (either Business or Private) will be covered up to a certain value. This is shown on your Insurance Certificate. You can increase that amount if you choose to, but it will push your Premiums even higher!

It won't however provide Compensation to Customers. That's RM's responsibility, regardless of how you transport it.

I used to have Business Insurance for a previous job (also Deliveries), and it added about £100 to my Premium. It makes me wonder, just how many of the Posties actually HAVE got Business Use on their Insurance. If not, then their Insurance is COMPLETELY INVALID from the point when they leave the DO, to the point when they return.

The 6 Points and a fine, would be the least of their worries if they have an accident without Insurance!

[DGP1]

People that use cars on delivery have to have "business use" on their car insurance - what does this actually cover?

1. Is it the use of cars to travel to your walk while in duty time.
2. Does it cover mail left in the boot of a car.
3. Will it cover theft and pay compensation to customers who have had they mail stolen.

If not would it be wise to inform the police that mail left in a car is not insured? do the insurance companies know that large quantities of mail are being left in cars? or do they think the insured are just using it travel to their walks?

I was thinking about taking the registration plates of everyone using cars to work from and finding out whether the police could fine Royal Mail for allowing them to do this because they check all insurance documents once a year and agree on their use so where does that leave the customers who's mail is stolen from a car that might not be covered?

Business use, simply means that your Car Inusrance is still valid while you are using the Car for Work. If you have 3rd Party Fire and Theft, or Fully Comprehensive Insurance, the contents of your Car (either Business or Private) will be covered up to a certain value. This is shown on your Insurance Certificate. You can increase that amount if you choose to, but it will push your Premiums even higher!

It won't however provide Compensation to Customers. That's RM's responsibility, regardless of how you transport it.

I used to have Business Insurance for a previous job (also Deliveries), and it added about £100 to my Premium. It makes me wonder, just how many of the Posties actually HAVE got Business Use on their Insurance. If not, then their Insurance is COMPLETELY INVALID from the point when they leave the DO, to the point when they return.

The 6 Points and a fine, would be the least of their worries if they have an accident without Insurance!

If the police stop you don't you also lose your car until you can provide valid insurance

[POSTMAN]

The insurance and the process you go through with RM (When they can be bothered to get it done) covers you from the office to your 1st drop point.
In no way does it cover you for hording mail in your car.
You are not allowed to have extra bags in your car,just your 1st pouch.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I just visited a few insurance sites and in the Q&A parts this from Norwich Union seems to be the standard advice:

No, under our insurance policy you can drive your vehicle back and forth to the same place of work using social, domestic and commuting purposes. We can however increase your cover if you need to use your vehicle to visit any other sites of business during the working day; we will not however cover any goods or samples carried in connection with business use.

I am guessing this would mean letters and parcels if your a postie.

[borderscot]

The simple solution is do not use your car make it royal mail's duty to accelerate you to first delivery point

[andy2007]

I just visited a few insurance sites and in the Q&A parts this from Norwich Union seems to be the standard advice:

No, under our insurance policy you can drive your vehicle back and forth to the same place of work using social, domestic and commuting purposes. We can however increase your cover if you need to use your vehicle to visit any other sites of business during the working day; we will not however cover any goods or samples carried in connection with business use.

I am guessing this would mean letters and parcels if your a postie.

When I had Business Insurance with Eagle Star, they told me that the contents would also be covered, but only up to about £200 (if I remember rightly). Although that was back in the 90's. However, my Insurance specifically covered me for delivering goods. The £100 increase in my Premium worked out at about a 20% increase, and Insurance is dearer nowadays.

[Phantom]

It won't however provide Compensation to Customers. That's RM's responsibility, regardless of how you transport it.

I've never known RM payout any compensation when items are stolen from a bag drop except for specials, but if items were stolen from a car that wasn't correctly covered by insurance, then the car shouldn't have been used in the first place making it illegal to use the car and the fact that RM have allowed use of it to transport their items of mail.

I think there is a legal case here somewhere!

[andy2007]

It won't however provide Compensation to Customers. That's RM's responsibility, regardless of how you transport it.

I've never known RM payout any compensation when items are stolen from a bag drop except for specials, but if items were stolen from a car that wasn't correctly covered by insurance, then the car shouldn't have been used in the first place making it illegal to use the car and the fact that RM have allowed use of it to transport their items of mail.

I think there is a legal case here somewhere!

It depends on what you mean by correctly covered. If the Postie has got documentary evidence that his/her Car is covered by RM's Insurance, and they only go to and from the first Drop Point, with one bag. Then they are correctly covered. Likewise, if they have the correct Business Insurance, they are covered.

One thing that does concern me though, is wether it is sufficient to ask for cover to more than one site of Business, when on Deliveries. That's something you would have to check with your Insurance Company. Make sure you're specific about what you are doing in your Car however. I suspect that you would have to get cover for doing Deliveries in your Car, which is more expensive. Like I said earlier, it worked out at about 20% extra for me, back in the mid 90's. I assume that the percentage will be similar for this type of use.

Having said that: If you're over 25, it's not a huge amount of money. But for younger Drivers, I dread to think what their Premiums would be!

[axeman]

Is it not illegal to have two insurance policys on one vehicle ? and i'm pretty sure r.m 'cover' is for one bag and getting you to your first delivery point , after which your driver should convey the other 'ten' bags to your boxes or drop them to you when needed. if you consult your insurance company then i guess your premiums would then go skywards.. best idea is to STOP using cars on delivery i have never used mine and have no intention of using it in the future as it's my only transport and i want it to be as free of whatever crawls around in the unwashed drop bags............................and last a while and keep it residual value as high as posible

[andy2007]

Is it not illegal to have two insurance policys on one vehicle ? and i'm pretty sure r.m 'cover' is for one bag and getting you to your first delivery point , after which your driver should convey the other 'ten' bags to your boxes or drop them to you when needed. if you consult your insurance company then i guess your premiums would then go skywards.. best idea is to STOP using cars on delivery i have never used mine and have no intention of using it in the future as it's my only transport and i want it to be as free of whatever crawls around in the unwashed drop bags............................and last a while and keep it residual value as high as posible

Whenever you take your Car to the Garage, and they need to move, or Test Drive it. They use their own Insurance Policy, while your own is also in force. That's 2 Policies, and they have no trouble. The same goes for when you borrow a Friend or Relative's car, and drive it on your Insurance.

As for the increase in your Premiums: In my case (working for a Dental Lab at the time), it worked out as a 20% increase (£100 at the time). But for young drivers, that could work out as a LOT of money!

[axeman]

A garage policy is a completly different animal thats for garages only and is usualy the only form of insurance they will have for the employees it is not a policy for that 'vehicle' only for the employee to drive it either to test it or carry out remidial work required. thats a totalydifrent thing if you use your car and take onboard r.m 'policy' then you and you alone are posibily breaking the law by having two policys covering your car. On the driving of others vehicles better take a good look at your policy as a lot of things have changed in relation to you 'borrowing or using a vehicle loaned to you' recently

[Phantom]

Just to make it clear, I don't use my car to make deliveries, this is about RM breaking the law and certain staff.

I will collect registration numbers of cars and submit this to the police and dvla about the insurance situation, i'll make it annoymous too. Because i wouldn't like mail being put at risk by someone storing it in their car when they should be using official bag drops.