AHi

I'm new to the forum. I'm in need of some advice for my car insurance. What do you write as your occupation and business type. They currently have me down as a caterer and catering unlisenced. Is this what you put as I'm getting new quotes and put Baker and it came up cheaper even with the business use on the car.

Many Thanks

Hannah x

AHi Hanna As you know insurance in the uk is a nightmare with companies getting out of payouts at every opertunity for the slightest thing. As it is all about risk assessment you need to decide how much risk you need to accept and pay for cover accordingly. Only you can decide the balance against the risk to your business and family. If you had an accident in the line of your work what would you like to see happen. How much are you willing / able to loose before it affects your standard of living and your ability to provide for your family. It should be less about the cost and more about the cover you receive for that cost. My suggestion is to ask for a sample policy document from all the insurers and look in depth at the cover provided in the case of you having to make a claim. Make the decision on the cover you need rather than the cost.

AThank you for your reply. It's not really about the money, I'm just not sure what to write as occupation. Are we classed as bakers or catering. Even the companies don't know when I ring. I've out self employed, I just wondered what other people class themselves. Hannah x

AJust read this to my OH another thing to consider is if you damage a wedding cake doing an emergency stop and ruin a brides day would your insurance cover you for you being sued.

A

Sounds as if they classify their cover by putting the occupation so that they can assess the risk. The risk for a caterer is higher than that of a baker. Probably because transporting baked goods is less risky that transporting cooking equipment and all the associated tools. It sounds as if the insurer has an expectation of the use of the vehicle for each occupation. Perhaps you should be asking about the difference in the cover for each occupation and choose the best fit.

Although you seem to have asked a really simple question I doubt that it has a simple answer because the implications should you need to make a claim have the potential to leave you in a big hole. I still believe it is less about what you decide your occupation is and more about the cover that any particular occupation has under the policy you pay for. I Guess I am saying that perhaps you are asking the wrong question.

Although I have worked as self employed my occupation did not make a difference to the car insurance policy I needed. But I did have to take the same type of care over my liability cover.

Perhaps you should find an insurance broker whom you can talk to face to face to find you the sort of cover you need. And who can advise you. Ok you have to pay him but with the liability caver you also need for the business you may get a better deal.

AI think it might be that the insurers expect that a caterer will travel for business to and from the events they are catering, but that a baker works in a bakery and that your customers come to you so you will do very little travel off business.

On my insurance I am listed as a self employed baker, I chose that because to gain the skills I have I did a Bakery qualification and am qualified as a baker. I bake cake and decorate it, I carry individual cakes (which are baked goods) and deliver them and then leave. I don't cater, I am neither a caterer nor a chef.

 

Also bakeries produce decorated cakes in this country, not caterers.

If I end up in an argument about it with my insurers in the end I have back up in my training and my job description, I am less likely to win if I have to back up why I am a caterer. You are correct in that no one knows how to class us though. But I class myself as a baker.

And on the point of emergency breaking (I am yet to ruin a cake in an emergency stop but still) my product in transit is insured under my business insurance not my car insurance.