Norfolk Police are urging volunteers using their vehicles to offer their services, to ensure they are covered by the correct vehicle insurance policy.
Volunteers who are using their vehicles to offer their services are being warned that they may not automatically be covered by their regular vehicle insurance policy. Although some insurers cover volunteer driving within their regular insurance policies, others may charge an extra premium or impose a higher excess for volunteers who are travelling in their own vehicle.
As part of the Road Traffic Act every person who uses, causes, or permits another person to use a motor vehicle on a road or other public place must have a policy of insurance in respect of third-party risks.
Officers are issuing the following advice to volunteers who are using their vehicles to carry out their services:
- Contact your insurer to find out if you are covered by your regular motor insurance policy.
- Always include your volunteer driving miles when declaring your annual mileage to your insurer If you use a voluntary organisation’s vehicle for volunteer driving.
- You should be covered by the voluntary organisation’s insurance, but you MUST always check with each organisation to be sure.
Kris Barnard head of the Joint Roads and Armed Policing Team said: “If you do not have the correct insurance policy for your specific use of a vehicle, you are committing an offence and could be subject to a fine. Officers have the power to stop road users and are likely to question their necessity for travelling, advising accordingly. We may also undertake basic checks to see if you hold a valid license to drive and also that you have the correct insurance cover in place.”