Shropshire insurance broker offers advise for businesses to keep company car costs down

Anthony Hughes, from Henshalls Insurance Brokers in Newport and Shrewsbury, said: “In such difficult economic times, businesses need to continually review their costs.

“Reducing fleet motor claims may help to keep insurance premiums down and help save money on excesses, so it’s wise to do all that you can.”

He said businesses should make sure every member of staff eligible to drive company vehicles was fully briefed on what to do if they should ever have an accident.

“Keep an accident pack in each vehicle including details of what to do, a claim form, a notepad and pen.

“And if they are involved in an accident, ask drivers to take photos on their phones of any damage to all the vehicles (not just your company vehicle), the position of each vehicle, details of road markings and any signage.

“They must remember that they need to collect as much information as possible at the scene including the location and circumstances, and details of everyone involved including name, address, telephone number, and registration number.

“Don’t just record the drivers’ details – record details of all the passengers in the vehicles too, as this is often an area which is exploited by fraudsters. It has even been known for non-existent ‘passengers’ to claim for whiplash.”

Anthony said company bosses may also want to consider fitting trackers to their vehicles.

“This is obviously an added expense, but it could protect you from potentially fraudulent claims, it will help if any of your vehicles are stolen, and it could reduce your fuel costs.

“It’s also sensible to ensure any loads your vehicles carry are secure before they take to the road to avoid any potential accidents.

“In particular, if your company runs open container units, make sure you cover any load being carried to avoid losing valuable goods and to prevent any serious incident caused by a spillage.”