Do You Need Hire And Reward Insurance As A Carer?

[BigEv]

My friend is a full time paid carer for a 40 year old disabled man, according to her supervisor; she is required by the contract between the NHS and her company to take him out if he asks and occasionally for pre-arranged things like his college courses and appointments, when she started all transport arrangements were paid for by the local authority using a cab voucher scheme or by relatives driving them where they needed to go. She has a car to for which she uses to travel to and from work, but she need so to know if she requires Hire and Reward cover or some business use cover to carry him in her own vehicle, her own insurance provider says she doesn't, but her company and supervisor say she does, especially as the occasionally does house call for them on her way home. bear in mind her company refuse to pay for it and only pay petrol costs at 6p per mile and she lives 11 miles from her work so this is costing her big time...many thanks, any help appreciated in advance.

[Buenchico]

It's definitely not 'hire or reward' but I would have expected the insurer to class such use of the vehicle as 'business use'. I'd recommend going back to the insurer and asking again.

[woofgang]

I agree with Chris. I used to work in the NHS taking people out on home assessment and other visits in my own car for which i was paid mileage. The insurance used to be called "full Class A" or business use, not hire and reward. When you check with your insurer, ask for written conformation (say your employer is being difficult!) and then show it to your employer. If it was me I would also be pushing to set some kind of limit on how often and how far she takes the bloke, not being horrible but otherwise she might end up paying to go to work if her mileage is only 6p a mile.

[BigEv]

Sorry perhaps I should have pointed out that the disabled man she cares for is also my cousin, I believe she is just being treated unfairly by her employer and require clarification as to whether she needs extra insurance or not.