Corporate entities such as companies, local councils and services often own and need to insure many vehicles at the same time, and this is what a fleet policy is for.
A company fleet policy is usually very flexible, as it can cover many different drivers, all with different roles, and driving different types of vehicles.
For Example: A large building firm may have a couple of cars for sales people, and various vans and trucks for the construction workers and their equipment. A fleet policy is flexible enough to cover all of these vehicles on one policy. Some private cars may also be added, provided they are owned by the directors or owners of the company itself.
Previous Claims
No claims discount is worked out in a different manner on a fleet policy compared with your private car policy. With so many cars being insured under the one policy, having a claim free year is much less likely than it would be on a single car policy, and if the fleet is big enough, nigh on impossible. Instead, there is the claims history or experience as it is sometimes known, for the whole fleet, and this is what the insurer will look at.
Fleet Policy Drivers
As mentioned above, fleet policies are designed to be flexible. Most insurers will offer the following options:
* Any driver, any age * Any driver over 25 * Any driver over 30 * Named drivers only
Care is needed when specifying an "any age, any driver" policy, as this does not mean anyone you like can drive the vehicles. It means any driver who meets the insurer's criteria, so drivers with claims or a poor driving record will still have to be named on such a policy.
Fleet Management Policies
One of the major differences between running a fleet and a personal car is the issue of management, which ties in with insurance.
Some drivers may not wish to fully disclose details of their driving history, due to claims or points, as this could affect their employment. However, a policy for fleet drivers needs to be enforced, with driver's details checked regularly by taking copies of licences and keeping records, as an insurer may request information of this nature, especially in the event of a serious claim.
However, this is only half the story. Employees are covered under Employers' Liability Law, which is there to protect them if they are hurt during the course of carrying out company business. This includes time spent behind the wheel, so if an employee is involved in a road accident which results in injury, the company they work for can be held liable if the company has not correctly carried out it's duty of care towards the employee. The duty of care extends to checking a vehicle is safe and legal to drive on the public road, so it is good practice to keep records of this. Strangely, this even applies if the vehicle in question is the employee's own.
A company fleet policy is usually very flexible, as it can cover many different drivers, all with different roles, and driving different types of vehicles.
For Example: A large building firm may have a couple of cars for sales people, and various vans and trucks for the construction workers and their equipment. A fleet policy is flexible enough to cover all of these vehicles on one policy. Some private cars may also be added, provided they are owned by the directors or owners of the company itself.
Previous Claims
No claims discount is worked out in a different manner on a fleet policy compared with your private car policy. With so many cars being insured under the one policy, having a claim free year is much less likely than it would be on a single car policy, and if the fleet is big enough, nigh on impossible. Instead, there is the claims history or experience as it is sometimes known, for the whole fleet, and this is what the insurer will look at.
Fleet Policy Drivers
As mentioned above, fleet policies are designed to be flexible. Most insurers will offer the following options:
* Any driver, any age * Any driver over 25 * Any driver over 30 * Named drivers only
Care is needed when specifying an "any age, any driver" policy, as this does not mean anyone you like can drive the vehicles. It means any driver who meets the insurer's criteria, so drivers with claims or a poor driving record will still have to be named on such a policy.
Fleet Management Policies
One of the major differences between running a fleet and a personal car is the issue of management, which ties in with insurance.
Some drivers may not wish to fully disclose details of their driving history, due to claims or points, as this could affect their employment. However, a policy for fleet drivers needs to be enforced, with driver's details checked regularly by taking copies of licences and keeping records, as an insurer may request information of this nature, especially in the event of a serious claim.
However, this is only half the story. Employees are covered under Employers' Liability Law, which is there to protect them if they are hurt during the course of carrying out company business. This includes time spent behind the wheel, so if an employee is involved in a road accident which results in injury, the company they work for can be held liable if the company has not correctly carried out it's duty of care towards the employee. The duty of care extends to checking a vehicle is safe and legal to drive on the public road, so it is good practice to keep records of this. Strangely, this even applies if the vehicle in question is the employee's own.
About the Author:
M Withers works as Marketing Manager for Coversure Insurance. For help or advice about commercial vehicle insurance, or fleet insurance visit Coversure's site where there is a comprehensive FAQ section.
No comments:
Post a Comment