Business use?

[herald_400rl]

Say I drive from my house in my own time to a campsite near one of our offices, the van stays at the campsite for 2 nights (with me in it overnight) but I cycle/taxi to the office.

Is my travel commercial/business use?

I'm trying to reduce my travel expenses for the charity I work for, and only have to visit the offices 4/5 times a year.

 

[Rapido666F]

Things might have changed but Business Use cost me £10pa more when I had it 15y ago

 

[herald_400rl]

Things might have changed but Business Use cost me £10pa more when I had it 15y ago

On the car it barely made a difference. On the van Allianz won't cover it at all and quotes coming in £200 more.

 

[herald_400rl]

Spoke to my insurer, they said its the intention of the trip that signified its use. So if I travelled to near an office knowing I was going to need to visit it during my stay it would be classed as business use. But if I went down on say a Friday night to visit the delights of the city and then on Sunday got a call to say can I head to the office for Monday then it would be leisure... So long as I didn't drive the van to the office itself!

So basically I'm going in the car.

 

[BikerGraham]

To be fair the whole purpose of the overall trip is business so on that basis the use of the van is for business. Also as you say you are using it to try to reduce costs for the business.

Get business use insurance or don’t take the risk without it and use the car and hotel.

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[Tombola]

You worded your post all wrong, it maybe should have said.
3 times this past bloody year, I have gone to a lovely campsite near to where I work, for a nice break, and sods law 3 times they asked me in to work so had to cycle over and ruin my break but i love em so did it anyway..

 

[herald_400rl]

You worded your post all wrong, it maybe should have said.
3 times this past bloody year, I have gone to a lovely campsite near to where I work, for a nice break, and sods law 3 times they asked me in to work so had to cycle over and ruin my break but i love em so did it anyway..

Hahah! It do be like that. I think this is a con-element of insurance to be honest, it costs a few pounds on the car for a year, not a penny more on my motorbike but £300 more on a £260 annual policy for the MH.

So instead of £25 for a campsite and maybe £10 in expenses for food, its £177 in a hotel

 

[JimmE]

Just in case it helps - Comfort include business use as standard it seems.

I didn’t intend to use it for work, but next week will be doing pretty much what you’ve said - travelling to see family over the weekend, need to be at a remote office nearby on Tuesday, so rather than driving back home, switching to the car and driving back I can now stay an extra night at the campsite on Sunday, ‘work from van’ on Monday, go to the office Tuesday then home Tuesday night.

Whilst ‘intent’ can be difficult to (dis)prove, if you’re claiming mileage then it pretty much shows that it’s intended to be a business trip.

Not sure how Comfort stacks up against your existing insurer otherwise, but may be worth a check at renewal!

 

[herald_400rl]

Just in case it helps - Comfort include business use as standard it seems.

I didn’t intend to use it for work, but next week will be doing pretty much what you’ve said - travelling to see family over the weekend, need to be at a remote office nearby on Tuesday, so rather than driving back home, switching to the car and driving back I can now stay an extra night at the campsite on Sunday, ‘work from van’ on Monday, go to the office Tuesday then home Tuesday night.

Whilst ‘intent’ can be difficult to (dis)prove, if you’re claiming mileage then it pretty much shows that it’s intended to be a business trip.

Not sure how Comfort stacks up against your existing insurer otherwise, but may be worth a check at renewal!

Thanks, will keep that in mind at renewal.

 

[Tombola]

I work from my van all the time, never even crossed my mind.
and as they say if you enjoy your work, you never work a day in your life

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[Oldmanwood]

That is not 'business use'.