A frugal life is an easy life!

An urgent warning for all people insured to drive a van - check your insurance covers you to drive any other vehicle!

A friend of frugal ways came unstuck, when they discovered the fully comprehensive van insurance they had, did not cover them for driving any other vehicle, even though it had in the past.
It has happened to myself as well, though luckily I discovered it by accident during the renewal process.
In my case, my yearly van insurance went up from £380 per year - fully comprehensive/driving any vehicle - to a staggering £780 per year. More than double!
I asked several times why it had increased by more than 50% (with direct line) not a single one of their advisors could tell me, even their customer retention department knew.

I cancelled the renewal, then looked around (without using price comparison websites) individually.
AA insurance quoted just over £400 so I opted to go with them. I called them up and was going through the motions to get a years cover, when first of all they told me that a different company was insuring me (in which case why do they not state they are brokers who make a profit and don't actually do insurance themselves?) and then answered a question that I thought was obvious... With my fully comprehensive van insurance, am I insured to drive any other vehicle?

The line went quiet and the answer came back... "No you are not insured to drive any other vehicle!"

Van or car insurance is insurance on the individual, the excuse that AA insurance gave me was that I wouldn't be covered to drive any other vehicle as the policy was designed to stop parents insuring their children to drive a mini metro, so they could drive around in subarus and other expensive cars!
I pointed out that if I take out car insurance I would be able to drive any other vehicle, including a van, the advisor went silent.
They tried to get me to take out insurance with them by saying that no other van insurance policies would cover me on any other vehicle and all others would be like theirs, in that it would only insure me for the van.
The AA advisor was telling me lies!

Now back to our friend of frugal ways, who was using a family car, thinking he was insured to drive it because of his "fully comprehensive" van insurance.
After a bump in the car he rang his insurance company only to find he was not covered!!!

The result was a £60 fine and SIX penalty points on his license!

This will now increase his insurance premium in the future.

It is easy to say, "Read your policy" as most car/van insurance companies do, but when you have been with your insurer for a number of years, being previously covered on any vehicle, then without notice your yearly premium goes through the roof and the advisors there have no idea why, when it is in effect taking out two policies to cover first your van, then another policy for any other vehicle, it really is not good enough!

Major changes to insurance policies by law have to be issued to the individual, in writing, giving 28 days notice. I myself and our friend, received no notice, either verbally or written, whatsoever!
There is also a good case, I believe, for the insurance companies to be reported to trading standards.
After 4 years (in my case) of insuring my van fully comprehensive, where I have been able to drive any other vehicle as well, qualifies under "Implied terms and conditions" - changing these without notification, even at the time of renewal, could be in breach of trading standard's law.

There are some van insurance companies that do cover you on any other vehicle on the same fully comprehensive policy, I went with Churchill insurance, although wether they still do this, you would have to check.

The lesson here is clear, write down a list of things you need from your policy - Insured on any vehicle? Etc.
Then ALWAYS ASK the advisor who you take out insurance with, BEFORE you pay a penny or sign anything (Calls are almost always recorded).

Ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of the law, as our friend found out with penalty points and a fine!