Private insurance in a commercial vehicle

Hunter101

Hi all, I have asked this question to a few people and I get mixed answers. I'm thinking of getting a 2 seater commercial jeep or small van (e.g. Focus or Astra diesel). I work in a factory so have no VAT number. I do a lot of fishing and outdoor persuits so I was wondering can I LEGALLY insure a van as a private person?

Liam McPoyle

Hunter101 wrote: »

Hi all, I have asked this question to a few people and I get mixed answers. I'm thinking of getting a 2 seater commercial jeep or small van (e.g. Focus or Astra diesel). I work in a factory so have no VAT number. I do a lot of fishing and outdoor persuits so I was wondering can I LEGALLY insure a van as a private person?

The law doesn't come into it.

If an insurer is happy to insure a commercial vehicle privately there is no issue.

There aren't many that are willing to do that though.

TrailerBob

Most insurers insist on a commercial policy. These policies usually include Social, Domestic and Pleasure use anyway, so it's not a major problem. Not always that expensive either

K.Flyer

You will have to tax it on the private rate, so watch your engine size if its pre -08.

Cheensbo

K.Flyer wrote: »

You will have to tax it on the private rate, so watch your engine size if its pre -08.

Probably won't - will just have to convince the insurer to give a private policy.

I used to have a commercial hilux insured privately but axa wouldn't go for it the next time I went back..

K.Flyer

K.Flyer wrote: »

You will have to tax it on the private rate, so watch your engine size if its pre -08.

Cheensbo wrote: »

Probably won't - will just have to convince the insurer to give a private policy.

I used to have a commercial hilux insured privately but axa wouldn't go for it the next time I went back..

If he has a private insurance policy he will be paying road tax as a private user which would be based on engine size.

Cheensbo

K.Flyer wrote: »

If he has a private insurance policy he will be paying road tax as a private user which would be based on engine size.

Insurance and tax are different entities.



Would, could, should.. etc..

Gumbo

Cheensbo wrote: »

Insurance and tax are different entities.



Would, could, should.. etc..

Not anymore.
The first thing insurance companies ask now is if it is taxed privately or commercially. Then they ask if it has an nct or a doe. They do this to try catch people out.

You have to now have all 3 ticket items the same, so if you go commercial with insurance, then you need CVRT'd and commercial tax. If you go private insurance then you need nct and private tax.

Then you have the complications n whether you will be able to actually get an nct as its a commercial vehicle.

I have a commercial policy myself and I look after my dads and uncles commercial policies for their company. The insurance companies have really tightened up on this in the last 2-3 years.

Cheensbo

kceire wrote: »

Not anymore.

Well that sucks.

CiniO

K.Flyer wrote: »

You will have to tax it on the private rate, so watch your engine size if its pre -08.

If you tax it privately, it doesn't matter if it's pre-08 or post-08. Tax will be calculated based on engine size regardless.

CiniO

kceire wrote: »

Not anymore.
The first thing insurance companies ask now is if it is taxed privately or commercially. Then they ask if it has an nct or a doe. They do this to try catch people out.

That's quite nonsense.
Goods vehicles (because that's a correct name for what people seem to call commercial vehicles) can not be NCTed.
They have to be cvrt'ed no matter if they are used for business or private use, and no matter if they are taxed as goods vehicle for commercial use or private.
Type of test (cvrt vs nct) only depends on vehicle type, not taxation class.

You have to now have all 3 ticket items the same, so if you go commercial with insurance, then you need CVRT'd and commercial tax.

Another nonsense.
Why would you need commercial tax to obtain commercial insurance.
I have first hand experience that you don't.
We have a commercial insurance policy on a bus, which is taxed privately.

If you go private insurance then you need nct and private tax.

As per above - you can't NCT goods vehicle (like van or truck).

K.Flyer

You are correct, commercial goods vehicles do not go through the NCT test regardless of their classification of private or commercial.
However, while changing insurance companies last year the insurance company asked me if the van had a current CVRT cert and was it taxed. As both were in order I never thought of asking them "... what if they weren't? " I presume it would have made a difference, otherwise they wouldn't have asked.

veetwin

kceire wrote: »

Not anymore.
The first thing insurance companies ask now is if it is taxed privately or commercially. Then they ask if it has an nct or a doe. They do this to try catch people out.

You have to now have all 3 ticket items the same, so if you go commercial with insurance, then you need CVRT'd and commercial tax. If you go private insurance then you need nct and private tax.

Then you have the complications n whether you will be able to actually get an nct as its a commercial vehicle.

I have a commercial policy myself and I look after my dads and uncles commercial policies for their company. The insurance companies have really tightened up on this in the last 2-3 years.

Have to disagree with this. Earlier this year I bought my first (5 seat) commercial vehicle. I sought several quotes and not one company asked about the tax situation or nct/doe. Why would they care about how it's taxed anyway?

Gumbo

veetwin wrote: »

Have to disagree with this. Earlier this year I bought my first (5 seat) commercial vehicle. I sought several quotes and not one company asked about the tax situation or nct/doe. Why would they care about how it's taxed anyway?

Maybe it's just Axa?
They specifically asked me how it was taxed.

9935452

veetwin wrote: »

Have to disagree with this. Earlier this year I bought my first (5 seat) commercial vehicle. I sought several quotes and not one company asked about the tax situation or nct/doe. Why would they care about how it's taxed anyway?

Think about it.
You tell them its for private use say social , domestic and pleasure use.
You are then declaring to the tax man that its for commercial use , business use, .
In my eyes you have made a false declaration to one of the two.

veetwin

9935452 wrote: »

Think about it.
You tell them its for private use say social , domestic and pleasure use.
You are then declaring to the tax man that its for commercial use , business use, .
In my eyes you have made a false declaration to one of the two.

Read my post again. Where does it say anything about making a false declaration to anyone?

9935452

veetwin wrote: »

Read my post again. Where does it say anything about making a false declaration to anyone?

Apologies, What i meant to say was if you insure private and tax commercial you would in my eyes be making a false declaration to eithre the the insurance company or taxman.
But can you see why an insurance company might want to know whether a van is taxed privately or commercially

loopymum

We have a five seater commercial vehicle and when taxing it we had to get the Garda to sign that it was for a legit business

R.O.R

loopymum wrote: »

We have a five seater commercial vehicle and when taxing it we had to get the Garda to sign that it was for a legit business

What you signed was a declaration that it would be used ONLY for commercial purposes.