Offshore Workers Beware Car Insurance!!

[cullpacket]

Went to add an other driver to my policy and noticed that if you are not in the country for 270 days or more you are not insured, Yes I did not read it properly when purchased this was with Swiftcover.

[pat]

If you do the standard 2 on 2 off or 3 on 3 off you will be fine.
270 days is roughly 9 months so unless you are on a long overseas contract you should be fine.

[mi16]

According to the OP it states you need ot be in the country for a minimum of 270 days tp be covered. A 2 on 2 off rota means you will be offshore for half the year or 182.5 days and onshore for 182.5 days. A 2 on 3 off rota means you will be offshore for 2/5ths of the year approximately 146 days and onshore for 219 days.
Question is that if you are offshore UKCS is that classed as being out of the country or not?

[pat]

sorry - read OP post incorrectly.
So it seems strange folk going on holiday abroad for more than 3 months are also not covered, so if you go on an extended holiday to USA/Aust/NZ or spend the winter in Spain you have no cover! Oh dear.
If you are not out of UK waters how can this 270 days apply - you are still in UK!
If you are in Norwegian sector or elsewhere you are stumped or find an insurer with no such clauses.

[upolian]

Insurance shooting themselves in the foot,they rob you for a policy but if your not in the country long enough your not insured,or is this a small print for people to miss and get charge for no insurance resulting in insurance being higher? Either way what is the point,you have paid your policy you may not drive your car everyday win win for insurance companies as there is less chance of a claim!

[mi16]

of course the obvious answer to all the palava is to read your policy.

[theone]

Working in the UK sector, you are considered to be in the UK.

Try telling the taxman otherwise!

[mi16]

Yep HMRC class UKCS installations as UK so I dont see the problem.
A quick call to your insurance company will set your mind at rest I am sure.

[cullpacket]

My work is mainly on ships abroad and outside of UK waters as Upolian said another excuse not to pay out, Sorting the policy at the moment will pay more attention reading the small print next time!!

[upolian]

They are just making things complicated where it dosn't need to be!!

[mi16]

They are just making things complicated where it dosn't need to be!!

Not really, if you are out the country for extended periods of the year a couple of assumptions can be made:
A) You are not driving regular and hence may be a bit rusty when you do drive.
B) You are driving in foreign countries i.e driving on the right and as such are a higher risk back in Blighty.

but they do miss obvious one C) If you are not in the country you are not driving your car and hence not likely to crash.

[upolian]

The system is ridiculous,if those are the assumptions they are crazy people!!

[theone]

Has anyone ever seen an insurance claim form asking how many days you spend in the country?

I'm really not going to worry too much about it.

[mi16]

I use Direct line and havent claimed for a while (touch wood) perhaps swiftcover ask these questions though

[Don Quixote]

Nothing new, they were doing this 20 years ago. When I was home for only a few months then that is all I insured the car for. When I went away I put the policy to fire and theft only while car was in garage.

They also do this for home insurance, if you are out of the country for more than 30 days or so you have to state that house is being lived in or being checked regularly.

So be careful and read what your insurer is providing, do not assume you are OK, CHECK!!!!

There is always the upside, that nice tax man does not charge you anything if you have more than 6 months out of the country:)