Car insurance and friends houses

**littlemiss60561** · 09-04-2013, 09:50 AM

Hi ,
I don't drive , so use public transport . However there are plenty of places I would love to take the children ( farms / zoos etc) that I can't get too. I have permission from parents to travel in other minders cars but wondered if I was allowed to take them in my OHs car? He has business insurance for his work . He is not my assistant but I could make him one if that made a difference to the insurance rules? I'm insured with pacey .
It would be lovely to take my mindies and my son further afield and not be reliant on nearby train stations etc .esp in the holidays when he and my other children are off exploring and I can't get there.
Does anyone do this?

Also is there a problem with taking mindies to friends houses? I remember learning somewhere a long time ago that there was , so I don't unless they are minders themselves, with own insurance. i know mine covers me when out so cant see why it would be a problem. but somewhere in the back of my head ive been told its not allowed. However 2 of mine have been invited to a party on days they are with me and I wanted to take them. I know the mum and her house is child friendly. So so long as I risk assess and am with the children at all times is this ok?? We often meet up at play parks etcand mums invited us back ( my mindies have become good friends with hers) but I'm always saying I can't. is it true?!
Ta muchly for any help on this!
H x

**rickysmiths** · 09-04-2013, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by littlemiss60561

Hi ,
I don't drive , so use public transport . However there are plenty of places I would love to take the children ( farms / zoos etc) that I can't get too. I have permission from parents to travel in other minders cars but wondered if I was allowed to take them in my OHs car? He has business insurance for his work . He is not my assistant but I could make him one if that made a difference to the insurance rules? I'm insured with pacey .
It would be lovely to take my mindies and my son further afield and not be reliant on nearby train stations etc .esp in the holidays when he and my other children are off exploring and I can't get there.
Does anyone do this?

Also is there a problem with taking mindies to friends houses? I remember learning somewhere a long time ago that there was , so I don't unless they are minders themselves, with own insurance. i know mine covers me when out so cant see why it would be a problem. but somewhere in the back of my head ive been told its not allowed. However 2 of mine have been invited to a party on days they are with me and I wanted to take them. I know the mum and her house is child friendly. So so long as I risk assess and am with the children at all times is this ok?? We often meet up at play parks etcand mums invited us back ( my mindies have become good friends with hers) but I'm always saying I can't. is it true?!
Ta muchly for any help on this!
H x

Right several points.

One thing at a time.

Your Public Liability Insurance is with Pacey.

If you registered your husband as an assistant then you would contact pacey and ask for an Employers Insurance Certificate to cover Employees it costs £5-10 and you would need this even if you don't pay your husband because technically as your assistant he is your employee. My husband has been registered for nine years and I have never paid him a penny!! All you have to do is ring Ofsted and say you want to Register him, he is already a checked adult on their system because of you and ask them to send you an EY2 for to complete and return. It doesn't cost anything and they will then write to you and tell you when he has been registered. He will then be able to go on outings with you and he will be covered by your PL insurance. If you thin k it might be useful having registered him for him to be able to be with mindees on his own for short times, maybe for you to go to the toilet, or take one mindee and leave another with him etc. he would need to do the full 12 hour First Aid Course and you would need to add into your permissions about leaving the children alone with him because you do have to have the parents permission to do this with assistants.

Right car insurance. If your husbands car is a car provided by and insured for his work he would need to check with work and/or with the insurance company if he can use his car for your work making it clear that you are a childminder and would be carrying other people's children. This may not be possible.

If it is his own car and he insures it himself for his work then it is a question of asking his own insurance company if they can cover him for childminding and his work, they may both be covered by the same class. Many car insurance companies cover childminders, I am currently with Tesco, I have been with Churchill, I know others use many other regular insurers. If you are having a problem then you might need to speak to Morton Michel or Blu Fin who both offer insurance for childminders.

Visiting other people's houses yes of course you can and they don't have to be a childminder. I have often gone to a friends house or a relatives house with minded children especially when my own children were young. You just need to RA and make sure the home is safe for the children you have with you. Of course you can go to the party's as long as the mindees parents are happy. Bear in mind that this is one of the reasons you are a childminder to go out and about and this is one of the ways you are not the same as a Day Nursery.

**littlemiss60561** · 09-04-2013, 12:08 PM

Thankyou :0)
Ill get him to ring and check.hastings direct I think. If I don't register him as my assistant would that make a difference to me being able to go in his car? Or does is solely depend on his insurance covering my mindies? Sorry...
If i did then Ill be paying him in clean clothes and dinner lol! Could I then claim expenses for that? Hmmm lol
Thanks for the help.
And I'm sure I was told that about visiting houses on the icp course.. Maybe not then! I'm always out and about. I'd go insane back in the nursery environment I think!

**littlemiss60561** · 09-04-2013, 12:09 PM

And he only insures it to claim petrol back for meetings so not a company car... Sadly....;0)

**rickysmiths** · 09-04-2013, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by littlemiss60561

Thankyou :0)
Ill get him to ring and check.hastings direct I think. If I don't register him as my assistant would that make a difference to me being able to go in his car? Or does is solely depend on his insurance covering my mindies? Sorry...
If i did then Ill be paying him in clean clothes and dinner lol! Could I then claim expenses for that? Hmmm lol
Thanks for the help.
And I'm sure I was told that about visiting houses on the icp course.. Maybe not then! I'm always out and about. I'd go insane back in the nursery environment I think!

No he does not have to be registered to be in the car with you, but the car does have to have the correct business use for a childminder. If you do this and you go out don't forget to record your mileage for your expenses. 45p a mile.

Some people get funny about visiting friends etc but it is fine as long as you have the parents permission to go on local outings and you do the RA. Remember you are offering a home from home environment. Enjoy.