Getting Fleet Insurance

By Stanley Headley

Getting fleet insurance is the best option when you own several cars. In order to obtain fleet insurance, the procedure is the same as for getting a usual motor insurance. First of all you have to get a quote from a fleet insurance company. The most suitable way to get a quote is to consult a fleet insurance broker. Brokers have relationships with several insurance companies and they choose that policy from amongst these companies which is best for you.

After you have selected a company, you need to fill out your application form. When you have done that, you get a disclosure statement. This is an important legal document and it contains details of your fleet insurance. In order to consider the information given in this document, you are usually granted a period of 21 days, which is called as the cooling off period. If, after reading the document, you want to cancel your insurance, you can do so and your full premium would be refunded to you if you have not made a claim yet.

While reading the disclosure statement, you should make sure that you understand all the legal terms. If you don't, you can ask your insurance specialist for clarification. You should pay special attention to points such as additional benefits, limits to benefits, what is and what is not covered by the policy, when would the company pay the claim and when would it not. You should also study the covers carefully and choose the ones you want for different vehicles in the fleet. You should watch out if the policy covers travel to the EU, as good policies usually include this option.

It is your own responsibility to provide any updated or changed information to the company. After obtaining the insurance, it is also your responsibility to take precautionary measures for preventing any damages, losses or legal action against you that are within your power. You are obliged to keep the vehicle and all its parts in good condition. If you fail to fulfill any of these responsibilities or try to mislead the company, you may be denied the claim when you make it.

In case you suffer an accident and want to make a claim, then after the accident, you should follow the exact instructions mentioned in the disclosure. When you make the claim, you might be asked to pay an amount to the insurance company, that is called an excess. There are different kinds of excess and whichever is applicable to you depends on the descriptions on your insurance certificate, and other conditions on the disclosure. The amount that the company pays as a claim depends upon the cover you chose and the sum that has been insured. The company would pay the claim only if you suffered an accident that was not your fault, and the claim would not be paid if the accident is the result of any of the exclusions pointed out in the disclosure.

At the time you renew your insurance, your premium might be different from the prior one. The factors that affect the premiums are cost of the claims that the company has paid to other customers, government charges and taxes, cost of expected future claims and the company's cost of doing the business. You can also change your insurance company at the time of renewal for a better premium.

Staveley Head provides fleet insurance to those interested in purchasing coverage for several vehicles at a time. Fleet insurance is a good investment for personal use or as a business requirement.