Motorists who made significant changes to their daily driving routines during Covid lockdown are being warned that they might need to make changes to their car insurance policies.
While the majority of the UK workforce actually drove less during the government enforced lockdowns, there was a small minority who actually had to drive more often to work to avoid travelling on public transport. Those drivers were covered by temporary changes which were introduced by the Association of British Insurers, ensuring that they didn’t have the hassle of altering their motor insurance policy and being penalised financially.
But those measures will expire at the end of April, meaning that those who are continuing to drive more often than their insurance policy allows, will have to contact their insurer to notify them of the changes. Failure to make those alterations could invalidate their insurance in the event of an incident.
“It's been just over a year since the first national Covid lockdown and, as the latest restrictions begin to be lifted, we are all finding our new normal. For many people, this means getting back to the office or other workplace,” said Ryan Fulthorpe, motoring insurance expert at GoCompare.
“To reflect changes in driving behaviour as commuting and driving between different workplaces starts to pick-up, insurers have reviewed their position. From May, drivers who insured their car only for social, domestic or pleasure purposes, but following the pandemic now use their car to travel to work, will have to upgrade their cover.
“If a motorist fails to declare that they drive to work, or drive as part of their work, this could invalidate their insurance and, driving without insurance carries severe penalties.”
Fewer cars on the roads during lockdown in 2020 inevitably lead to a reduction in road traffic accidents in 2020, and this allowed the insurance industry to cover the additional risk posed by those who were driving more often than normal.