Drivers who give their friends a lift or deliver items they have sold to people's doors are being warned they could invalidate their insurance.
Drivers in the UK could unwittingly be invalidating their car insurance and face declined claims or even a criminal record just by running common errands or parking in the wrong place. Every year, tens of thousands of insurance claims are dismissed due to drivers accidentally invalidating policy.
According to the insurance industry reports, more than 43,000 claims are denied each year. Founder of ChooseMyCar.com, Nick Zapolski, said he was taken aback by how many simple acts could leave you with no claim.
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He said: "As someone who works in the motor industry, I thought I had a better knowledge than average on subjects such as these. But I was really surprised by several of the items on our list - many of these I am sure most UK drivers do on a regular basis.
“It’s definitely worth carefully reading your policy to check any loopholes, some of which are fair enough. But there are many on our list - and I am sure beyond that - which are really not obvious and are making it easier for insurance companies to dodge paying out.”
Here’s 10 unusual reasons you might be invalidating your insurance.
Accepting money to give someone a lift
So many of us have given friends or family a lift to the airport in exchange for some petrol money - but by doing so you could unwittingly not be insured. Technically, by accepting money for driving someone to a location, you are acting as a taxi, and this is not allowed under most policies.
Using a car to deliver something
In the world of Facebook Marketplace and local selling sites, who hasn’t offered to deliver an item someone has bought from you? But sadly, running this errand can also see your insurance being void, due to not being covered as a “delivery driver”.
Driving in extreme weather or a natural disaster
Many policies are invalidated if you choose to drive in storms or other unpredictable events. Though this may seem logical, it might be difficult to avoid if you are already en route.
Changing your job
Drivers must inform their insurance companies if they change job - even if it’s due to promotion and you are still with the same company. Different job titles can affect insurance premiums - so if you change title, you might need to change insurer.
Not reporting minor incidents
Scraped a bollard or had a minor bump on the road? For many drivers, the decision would be taken not to claim on insurance as it’s not worth it. However, if you don’t let your insurance company know about the incident - regardless of whether or not you plan to claim - you could find your policy is invalidated.
Not securing your pets before travel
While we love to see a dog’s head out a window on the road - it’s actually a criminal offence to have an unsecured pet in your car, which can see you receive a fine of £5,000. Not only this, but many policies will not pay out if you have an unsecured pet in your vehicle.
Not parking on drive or in garage if you have specified that’s where you park
If you’ve stated during your premium quote that you park on your drive or in a garage, then that’s where you must park. Failure to do so can see your insurance policy not paying out in the result of theft or damage to your car.
Valet parking
Heading to a swanky hotel or event and they offer valet parking? Most wouldn't think twice about accepting, but for many insurance policies, this will mean your car isn’t insured.
Driving in flip flops
Be cautious when driving in flip flops or sandals, as many are deemed “inappropriate footwear” and can see your policy rendered pointless.
Decorations on your rearview mirror
Novelty mirror decorations might not be as popular as they once were, but who doesn’t secretly love a funky air freshener or fluffy dice? Maybe best not to indulge though, as any “obstructions” such as these can give your insurance company an excuse not to honour your claim.
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