Does your motor insurance cover your changing needs?

With current traffic levels on the roads now estimated as being higher than pre-pandemic levels, circumstances are changing again and we are in an evolving situation. We simply don’t know how long this situation will carry on for and whether new behavioural trends will represent permanent change. One thing is certain: it’s important to check that your motor insurance provides the right cover for current driving habits, whether you are a commercial or private client.

For example, if your workforce is not visiting clients due to a change in working practices, you may need to look at reducing your levels of cover. Likewise, if you have had to increase your presence on the road to keep up with increased online deliveries, you may need a higher level of insurance.
 
At the start of the pandemic, insurers were sympathetic to circumstances during the unprecedented times and responded proactively to immediate concerns. For example, you didn’t need to tell your insurer that you’d switched to working from home or were still driving to commute, or if you were a frontline worker needing to use a vehicle for business purposes or borrowing a car to get to work in the event of an emergency.
 
This has now changed, and you need to advise your insurer if there are ongoing changes to your working and driving activities since taking out the policy. For example, those who work remotely may now choose more flexible arrangements permanently, such as car sharing or using public transport, which will directly impact what is required from an insurance product.
 
Changing driving habits

Typical situations can include:

• you’re no longer driving into your workplace and are not using your car for commuting
• you’re driving less frequently or not at all
• you’ve swapped public transport for your car for your work journey
• you or your workforce is driving to different places for work purposes
• mileage has gone substantially up or down
• your financial or employment situation has changed.

There have been a lot of changes in behaviour and driving habits over the past eighteen months. With covid restrictions lifted and new driving habits established, this could affect your policy and it’s essential to ensure the correct level of cover is in place.
 
Whether you are a commercial or private client, it’s important to let us know if there have been any changes, such as those listed above. As your brokers, we are here to help and advise you. Please talk to us in the first instance about any changes to your motoring habits, so that we can ensure you are adequately insured.
 
Either call us on 01992 703 000 or email insurance@mcdonaghs.co.uk