Insurance on a commercial Focus

buzz

I am looking at buying a commercial ford focus but called my insurance company and they will not even quote me because the car has commercial tax.
I wanted to buy this myself and put in my own name and insure / tax myself but it is proving difficult.

Other option is to buy it through the company I work for, register it to the company, tax and insure it through the company however then I would not have insurance in my own name and would loose my no claims bonus for when I buy another car in years to come.

Any advice?

Thanks

barrier86

What's your occupation?

buzz

Im general manager for a chain of retail stores.

barrier86

It seems like you want to avail of the cheaper rate of tax?

I think most companies will only offer commercial policies to those the deem in commercial occupational's. Self employed buidlers and the likes.

Vehicles taxed commercially usually have to be converted for commercial use - removal of back sets etc...
A company wont put a commercial vehicle onto a non commercial product.

That's where the problem is, I think.

bazz26

The Focus that the OP wants to buy is already a car derived van which already would have the rear converted to a commercial vehicle. You can buy these car vans from new like that so nothing unusual here.

I think the problem here is that the OP's insurance company think that the OP might use the Focus van for business use in conjunction with his job and they don't like that. Their logic here is that if the OP is using the van in conjunction with his employer's business and has a claim made against him, then it's the OP's insurance that is paying out instead of his employer's insurance company as they don't own the vehicle.

buzz

bazz26 wrote: »

The Focus that the OP wants to buy is already a car derived van which already would have the rear converted to a commercial vehicle. You can buy these car vans from new like that so nothing unusual here.

I think the problem here is that the OP's insurance company think that the OP might use the Focus van for business use in conjunction with his job and they don't like that. Their logic here is that if the OP is using the van in conjunction with his employer's business and has a claim made against him, then it's the OP's insurance that is paying out instead of his employer's insurance company as they don't own the vehicle.

Correct.

I want to buy this simply to house my golf clubs and tools etc
Nothing to do with work. I have no kids or any need for back seats etc.

bazz26

buzz wrote: »

Correct.

I want to buy this simply to house my golf clubs and tools etc
Nothing to do with work. I have no kids or any need for back seats etc.

Unfortunately in your line of work the insurance company are seeing the risk of you using it for work purposes as higher than someone in another occupation. Not saying it's right but just that's the way I understand how they see it.