Minibus Club Article Archive

Cutting motoring costs is one way of saving money during this difficult financial time. The falling price of petrol is helping but insurance premiums continue to rise, largely due to the rise in claims by younger motorists.

There are ways a minibus driver can lower their premiums and here are ten suggestions that may help:

1. Reduce the number of people who can drive.
Money will be saved by reducing the number of named drivers on your policy. It is simple and more cost effective to arrange temporary cover for an extra driver as and when you need it, rather than insuring them the whole year.

Younger named drivers may prove more expensive to insure, even though the minimum age to drive a minibus is 21.

2. Drive safely.
By keeping the minibus in good condition and driving carefully, the risk of an accident is significantly reduced. This in turn will build your no claims bonus and could save up to 70% on your insurance premium over 5 years.

3. Park off the road at night.
Park the minibus in a garage or on a private drive at night. If neither of these are available find a secure, well lit area to leave the vehicle.

4. Avoid distractions when driving.
Don’t talk to passengers, be tempted to use a mobile phone or communicate using an onboard microphone while driving. These are all distractions that will increase the risk of an accident.

5. Pay annually.
Paying monthly will often incur interest charges. Avoid these charges by paying for the minibus insurance upfront.

6. Avoid making small claims.
If the cost of repair after an accident is only a little more than the insurance’s excess it may not be worth making a claim as you will lose the no claims discount.

7. Don’t speed.
A minibus driver with two or more convictions for speeding can see their insurance premium rise by over 25%.

8. Don’t pay for cover you don’t need
Avoid paying for extra insurance that you don’t need. If your minibus is valued a less than £2,000 Third Party Fire and Theft may be more suitable than the more expensive Comprehensive insurance.

9. Take a driving course
A minibus driver may be entitled to a discount on their minibus insurance if they have successfully completed a driving course. A recognised course is the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme (MIDAS).

10. Use a specialist insurance provider
A specialist minibus insurance provider will tailor the policy to your specific requirements, ensuring you have the right amount of cover at the right price. Find a provider than has no admin charges and can offer assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Article Resource
If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance, look no further than The Minibus Club. Request a FREE quote now by calling our hotline on 0845 609 0323 or visit our website at www.minibusclub.co.uk.

Many charities rely on the versatility a minibus can provide in allowing them to take large numbers of passengers on journeys that may not have been easily achieved by using public transport.

Good minibus insurance providers offer charity minibus insurance for non-profit making organisations to keep their vehicle running costs to a minimum.

A Section 19 or Section 22 permit will be required to prove to the insurance provider that the minibus is being used for charitable and non-profit activities.

Section 19 permits can be applied for by charities and volunteer groups whose activities are seen to be beneficial to a community. Profit making minibus operators will need a PCV/PSV licence.

Minibus drivers with a Section 19 permit can either be a volunteer or be paid. The permit also allows a small charge to be made to cover the vehicles operating costs.

A Section 22 permit can be applied for if the minibus is being used as a non-profit bus service. For this permit the driver must be an unpaid volunteer.

There are three types of minibus insurance available: Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft, and Third Party Only.

Third Party is the minimum level of insurance cover as required by law. It will cover liability for death or injury to third parties, liability for damage to other people’s property and legal costs in connection to claims against your policy.

With Fire and Theft the minibus is covered for damage when stolen or by fire.

Comprehensive is the highest level of minibus insurance and will cover most of the possible risks. These may include providing medical expenses after an accident, replacing personal effects lost after a theft or accident, and insuring against damage to the minibus’s windows and windscreen.

Although it is the most expensive, Comprehensive is often the popular choice for charity minibus insurance. It is always better to be ‘safe than sorry’, especially as there is the extra responsibility of transporting passengers. Comprehensive insurance covers most risks and a specialist insurance provider will tailor the policy to your organisation’s specific needs.

Other benefits that the charity minibus insurance should include are:

1) 24 hour/365 days freephone helpline.

2) Accident recovery facilities.

3) UK administration / call centres.

4) Optional breakdown and recovery assistance.

5) Optional uninsured loss recovery which includes cover for an appointed lawyer, legal costs up to £100,000 and vehicle hire costs if part of the claim agreed.

6) Instalment facilities.

7) Prompt documentation turnaround.

A charity minibus insurance policy is normally valid for 12 months unless a shorter or longer period is negotiated with the provider. If for any reason you change your mind the policy can be cancelled 14 days after the documentation is received.

The benefit of using specialist insurance providers is that they will understand your specific needs. In most cases alterations can be made to your policy while it’s in operation as long as you inform the provider of the change in circumstance at the earliest possible date.

If a claim does have to be made the minibus insurance provider will have an incident manager on hand to offer help and advice. As the minibus is liable to be used by a number of different drivers keep a copy of the policy in the vehicle in case it is required.

A minibus operator must have insurance by law. But with charity minibus insurance your organisation will benefit from lowest price available without leaving it vulnerable to the risk of an unexpected cost after an accident.

Article Resource
The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website to get a free quote for charity minibus insurance or call their hotline on 0845 609 0323. See how much you could save on your minibus insurance.

Many taxi operators use a minibus or MPV as a taxi because of the adaptability of the vehicle to carry more passengers and extra luggage.

There are two types of taxi use: public or private hire. Public hire allows the taxi to be hailed by customers, who can then be picked up on the roadside. Private hire operators require the customer’s journey to be arranged before they are picked up.

Insurance cover is compulsory by law. The minimum requirement is to cover a driver against injuries they might cause to other people and damage to their property. A taxi operator will require additional insurance for the “carriage of persons for hire or reward”, irrespective of whether they are private or public hire.

The three types of insurance available are:

Third Party
This is the minimum cover required by law. It covers injury to third parties and their property, and some legal costs.

Third Party Fire and Theft
The additional cover with this policy is for damage or loss of the taxi operator’s minibus by fire and theft.

Comprehensive
The highest level of minibus insurance, covering damage to the vehicle after an accident irrespective of whether it was the policy holder’s fault or not. Other cover may include new vehicle replacement, windscreen/window breakages, replacement locks, medical expenses and loss of personal effects.

Public liability can be included with the taxi minibus insurance policy. Public liability is required to satisfy local government requirements. A minibus taxi operator will need an indemnity limit of at least £5 million.

Another useful addition to a taxi minibus insurance policy is uninsured loss recovery. This will cover the cost of an appointed lawyer, legal costs up to £100,000 and vehicle hire costs if part of the claim is agreed.

Other benefits that a taxi operator should consider before choosing minibus insurance include:

a) A freephone helpline available 24 hours all year round.
b) Accident recovery facilities such as the AA.
c) A protected no claims bonus.
d) Option to pay by instalments
e) Prompt document turnaround

Taxi minibus insurance usually provides cover only for the licenced operator. Be aware that if the minibus is also used as a family vehicle, a spouse or partner may not be insured to drive unless they possess a valid taxi driver’s badge.

It is likely the insurance provider will want to know if two way communications are used in the provision of the taxi service and if regular contracts feature in the taxi operators work schedule. These typically include regular school transport or hospital visits.

Every taxi operator provides a different level of service. A specialist minibus insurance provider will be aware of the factors required in providing a taxi service and can give advice about the best level of cover required. The insurance advisor will tailor a policy to suit the operator’s particular requirements at the right price.

Another benefit of using a specialist insurance provider is the availability of an advisor 24 hour a day, to help if you have had an accident or breakdown. This minimises the time the minibus is off the road and reduces the potential financial loss to a taxi business.

Article Resource
The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website to get a free quote for taxi minibus insurance or call their hotline on 0845 609 0323. See how much you could save on your minibus insurance.

Every year insurance providers receive a variety of unusual claims, whether it’s car, motorcycle or minibus insurance. Many involve animals, trees, or inanimate objects.

This article reveals the ten most bizarre and obscure claims, all from genuine sources:

1. One motorist was in such a panic when a wasp flew into his car and up his trouser leg that he hit the accelerator; unfortunately, also hitting the car in front.

2. Cows can be a problem. In one particular instance, a driver claimed that the cow jumped onto his quad bike, presumably by accident rather than with the intention of driving away.

3. In another incident involving a cow the driver described his experience, “As I came over a hill, I hit a cow in the middle of the road, which then hit the bonnet and shattered the windscreen with its rear end”. Thankfully, the cow survived.

4. When driving close to a herd of cattle try to avoid their tongues. In a particularly bizarre insurance claim a motorist stated that the cows caused damage to his car’s paintwork by licking it.

5. Cows aren’t the only animal causing problems. A driver claimed that a reindeer fell onto the bonnet of his car. Thankfully it wasn’t at Christmas and the reindeer did not have a red nose.

6. When driving in Africa zebras can be difficult, especially if they intentionally collide with your car, as was the case with one claim.

7. Always secure your shopping bags when driving. One driver had the misfortune to find that a potato had fallen out of the bag and had become lodged under his brakes, rending them useless.

8. Bizarrely flying kebabs can be a hazard on the road. Apparently, a driver was rounding a bend when a frozen kebab flew out of his car, hitting a passing car and causing damage.

9. That’s not the only frozen item causing damage. Another motorist claimed, “A frozen squirrel fell out of a tree and crashed through the windscreen onto the passenger seat”.

10. If flashed at by a speed camera try to contain your anger. One motorist, fed up of being snapped by a speed camera, decided to take his revenge by driving into the post that it was attached to. Unfortunately, the post was stronger than expected, causing him to write off his motor.

Each of these incidents illustrates the importance of having adequate car, motorcycle or minibus insurance. After all, you can never predict when a reindeer might fall from the sky or an unhappy cow exacts her revenge.

Whether it is your own minibus or a hire vehicle it is useful to know what to do in the event of an accident. A claim on your minibus insurance is the usual outcome after an accident. This article outlines the information that needs to be gathered at the scene to prevent any dispute.

As a minibus driver the first consideration after an accident is to make the scene as safe as possible.

1. Switch your minibus hazard lights on. Use a warning triangle if available. Take great care when placing the triangle at least 50 metres away from the vehicle. Warning triangles should never be used on the motorway.

2. Assess your passengers. If any are injured do not move them unless there is an immediate risk from other vehicles or fire. If the minibus must be vacated move the passengers to a safe location as far from the vehicle as possible. Be aware of approaching traffic when exiting the minibus.

3. If needed call the emergency services immediately. Provide them with as much information as possible about the accident scene and any injured passengers. As the minibus driver you will be required to stay at the scene until they arrive.

4. Any injuries should be reported to the Police. Try to keep details of all vehicles and people involved in the accident.

5. If the accident is minor or does not involve other people, check there are no injuries to your passengers and your minibus is roadworthy before continuing with your journey.

When an accident is serious enough that an insurance claim may follow do not admit liability at the scene. As rude as it may seem, do not apologise. This can be interpreted as admitting liability. And do not offer any payment.

The law requires you to give any person who is affected by the accident your details. These should include your name, contact number and the name of you insurance provider. A specialist minibus insurance provider such as The Minibus Club will be able to advise you about this.

It is very important to record all details of an accident. Information should include:

1. Vehicles involved
Record the types of vehicles and their registration number. Obtain the details of the other people involved in the accident including their name, address, contact number, insurance details and policy number.

2. Accident scene
Include details about the weather, visibility and road condition. Estimate the speed of the vehicles prior to the accident. Record the location of the accident, the date and the time. If the police attend the scene then ask for an incident number.

3. Details of Witness
Ask for the name and contact details of any people who witnessed the accident.

The best advice if involved in an accident is to stay calm. Losing your temper, however angry you may feel, will not help an already difficult situation. As a minibus driver your first responsibility is to your passengers and their safety. By taking a controlled approach to the situation will prevent putting others at further risk. The details gathered at the scene of the accident will be valuable information for resolving any legal or minibus insurance issues that may follow.

Any vehicle that has between 9 to 16 passenger seats is classed as a minibus.

Insurance for a minibus, as with any motor vehicle, is required by the law. The minimum level is Third Party cover but this is a very basic policy. The minibus owner is risking a large bill if something were to happen that required a claim.

Uses for a minibus can include transport for nursing homes, schools, local authorities and charities. Popular commercial uses include taxis, hotel transport and employee transport. Each use has different potential risks that need to be covered by the minibus insurance and often a policy will be tailored to these specific requirements.

The three main types of policy cover are Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft, and Third Party Only.

As mentioned earlier, Third Party is the minimum level of insurance cover as required by law. It will cover liability for death or injury to third parties, liability for damage to other people’s property and legal costs in connection to claims against your policy.

By adding Fire and Theft the minibus is covered if damaged when stolen or being involved in a fire.

Comprehensive is the highest level of minibus insurance and will cover most risks. These may include providing medical expenses after an accident, replacing personal effects lost after a theft or accident, and insuring against damage to the minibus’s windows and windscreen.

There are certain ‘add ons’ that can be applied to each policy, depending on the minibus’s use. Additional public liability may be needed if the vehicle is carrying fee paying passengers or European breakdown cover for minibuses that travel regularly to the continent.

If travelling to Europe the insurance policy will require a green card. Many insurance providers now include this as standard. It will enable the minibus to be driven abroad with the same level of cover, for a maximum period of 90 days.

Whatever policy is chosen it is better to be ‘safe than sorry’, especially if there is the extra responsibility of transporting passengers. If the minibus is used by many different drivers then leave a copy of the policy in the vehicle in case it is required after an accident.

To avoid paying too much for minibus insurance, seek advice from a specialist insurance provider such as the Minibusclub.co.uk. They will tailor a policy to the vehicle’s specific requirements and ensure there are no unexpected surprises when making a claim.