Employer asking to be indemnified on motor insurance

[Ceist Beag]

Mrs B works in the public sector and uses her car for business use (and her insurance covers using her own car for business use). This year her employer is asking for her car insurance policy to include that they are indemnified. I might be missing something here but why would Mrs B agree to this? From my understanding of it, this would mean that if her car were damaged in any way while she is working, her employer is protected from any responsibility, so she would have to claim it against her own name.
Is this standard policy when employees use their own car when travel is required as part of their work?
Note to Mods: I wasn't sure if this belongs in here or under the insurance forum so let me know if you want it moved.

 

[Slim]

Mrs B works in the public sector and uses her car for business use (and her insurance covers using her own car for business use). This year her employer is asking for her car insurance policy to include that they are indemnified. I might be missing something here but why would Mrs B agree to this? From my understanding of it, this would mean that if her car were damaged in any way while she is working, her employer is protected from any responsibility, so she would have to claim it against her own name.
Is this standard policy when employees use their own car when travel is required as part of their work?
Note to Mods: I wasn't sure if this belongs in here or under the insurance forum so let me know if you want it moved.

Yes, it is standard practice and has been for a few years now. some insurance cos. charge for the letter, about 20-40€, some do it for free (AIG).

 

[Purple]

AFAIK the Gardai are being asked to do the same thing.

 

[mathepac]

... Is this standard policy when employees use their own car when travel is required as part of their work? ...

Standard practice IME in the public sector.

On the assumption that Mrs B has Class 1 insurance (for business travel, no goods, tools, equipment, colleagues or clients being transported) apart from issuing the letter for free, some companies will add the cover for free.

 

[peteb]

From my understanding of it, this would mean that if her car were damaged in any way while she is working, her employer is protected from any responsibility, so she would have to claim it against her own name.

It's more so that if she injured or damaged third party property whilst on business that if any party were to sue the HSE or whatever PS body it is that the policy would also defend their interest. Not so much about protecting them from her car being damaged, because she would to claim off her own policy anyway.

 

[Ceist Beag]

Thanks all. She did ring her insurance company and they have changed it and posted out the updated certificate for free. Thanks for the clarification too peteb.
Just out of curiousity then, what would happen in the case where her car was damaged (through no fault of her own) when she was visiting a client for work? If the other party involved was either uninsured or left the scene would it mean she would have to claim off her own policy and be out of pocket as a result? Do employers normally cover the cost in these scenarios?

 

[peteb]

If they were uninsured she could claim off the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland. Given that she is probably paid mileage I would expect that the employer considers this their contribution towards the insurance.
However as to whether employers cover the cost of damage I would expect that is down to each employer. But would expect that the answer is no.

 

[gipimann]

When I worked in the HSE, they didn't pay mileage unless they were indemnified on the staff member's insurance policy.

I recall a colleague's car was damaged while on a business call (car window broken). Employer did not cover the cost of damage, it was up to the colleague to sort it out.

 

[peteb]

That's still the way it is now.