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Barclays calls for insurers to end grey fleet confusion
Date: 27 July 2010 | Author: Rachel Burgess
Major fleet player Barclays is calling for the insurance industry to introduce standard text for business insurance on private policies to address the problem of grey fleet drivers having incorrect cover.
Barclays fleet manager Caroline Sandall said many grey fleet drivers do not have the correct insurance. Speaking to BusinessCar after addressing ACFO's Midlands meeting, Sandall said the firm's checks have found that around 500 of the bank's 10,000-strong grey fleet, 5%, didn't have the right cover.
"Clear and concise wording within insurance documentation would really help employees to understand their current cover - we see such variations across the documents that are reviewed that it is often difficult, even for the experienced reviewer, to be clear that business cover is included."
Sandall added: "Insurers should also ensure that employees understand the different sorts of business insurance available and can clearly describe that to policy holders, particularly those who may be answering queries over the phone. We have encountered misunderstandings and occasionally found that employees have been given incorrect advice, especially where an insurer may view the trip as commuting rather than business."
Jon Mackney, head of Arval Consultancy, speaking about Arval's fleet, said: "In our experience, even those people that have requested that their insurance policy covers business use may not have selected the correct level. This highlights the importance of being very specific about the use of the vehicle when arranging the insurance.
"Firms must insist on adequate business cover and should make regular checks to ensure it is maintained."
An Association of British Insurers spokesman said: "The reason there isn't any standard wording is because there are lots of different circumstances."
He said the ABI was unaware of widespread confusion, but if this was the case, it would be "discussed with its members".
