Car Insurance in Pakistan
Can I Use My Insured Car For Commercial Use
Posted by Admin on 20 Jan 2023
With a hike in inflation, it has become a norm for people to use their vehicles as a way of earning. Consumer needs to be safe while driving has pushed them to use services like Uber, Careem, and InDriver. These allow you to share your ride details along with the details of your rider, even allowing you an option to call the police on the spot in case of any inconvenience. And similar options are available for the driver in case the customer compromises their well-being. This makes the experience safe and pleasant for both the customer and the driver.
Now the question arises if you can use your insured vehicle for commercial use. Let’s take a look at if you can and why you can’t or how you can get covered for your vehicle when using it for commercial purposes!
What Is A Commercial Use Of Vehicle?
Commercial use requires you to get paid for offering your services. Say, you own a car and you use it for making some extra cash. This will fall under commercial use. Maybe you are giving pick-and-drop service on your way back from your work or when you go out to catch some fresh air and decide that it is a good time to pick up a ride or two and make some quick money. All of these are an example of commercial use of your vehicle.
However, if you randomly decide to give a friend or a stranger a ride where you don’t actually make any cash then that’s not commercial use. Commercial use requires you to use your vehicle deliberately in order to make money.
Can I Use My Insured Vehicle For Commercial Use?
This is a common question and misconception when it comes to having an insured car. It states on most policies that the insurance for your vehicle will not be implied if it is used for commercial use and is caught in an accident.
So, you cannot use your regular vehicle insurance policy to cover it commercially. This is due to the increased risk. Commercial drivers are at a greater risk of running into an accident or being a part of a robbery. This is because they have a lot more interaction with public and general vehicles than regular cars. A regular use car may only be used to travel to and from work every day making circumstances a lot more familiar and you also have a choice to take the chosen route. However, in commercial use, you don’t have a lot of choices to make yourself safe.
How Do I Get My Vehicle Insured Both Ways?
In order to get your vehicle insured for personal use and commercial use, you will need to buy a separate policy that may cover your vehicle commercially. Sometimes, some insurers offer additional cover for the drivers if they want to use their vehicle for commercial use. The premium is higher than the regular cover and provides added protection for hybrid use. You should always try to discuss this with your insurer beforehand and they will recommend you a bunch of different policies that either cover your car in one policy with a higher premium or you can purchase an additional policy. Either way, it will cost you almost the same whether you buy a single policy with added cover or two separate policies.
Good luck with having your car insured by hitting this link!