CAR ARTICLE

Doing a boot fair at the weekend? beware - it could cost you thousands of pounds

The Car Boot Sale season never really ends, with literally hundreds of thousands of people spending Sunday mornings selling off unwanted household and personal items in a bid to make a few extra pounds.

However, most 'booters' will be unaware that this seemingly harmless activity could actually cost them more than just the £8 pitch fee - it could cost them thousands of pounds if their car is involved in an accident on the way to, from, or at a Boot Fair.

Technically, under the terms of any car insurance policy, unless you quote your occupation (either full or part-time) as a Market Trader, then your vehicle will not be insured if you are selling items at one of the millions of Boot Fairs across the country every week.

The majority of 'booters' will be unaware of this fact unless they need to claim - and by then it will be too late.

Sarah Kirby, from insurance specialist website www.protection-insurance.com says: "Boot Fairs are more popular now than ever, becoming a traditional weekend British pastime. It is ludicrous that there are hundreds of thousands of people every week selling unwanted items at Car Boot Sales to make a few pounds, completely unaware that their vehicle is not insured.

"It's an impossible situation for someone who wants to sell things at a Boot Fair - disclose your intentions to your insurer and you could run the risk of your car insurance premium doubling. Don't disclose it, and if you have an accident you may have to pay the damages from your own pocket, which could run into thousands of pounds.

"Whatever option you choose, the money you do make at the Boot Fair will certainly not even make a dent in the costs you will have to pay".

When questioned by The Times newspaper, a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: "This is a grey area. If you go to boot fairs occasionally and sell only your own household goods you could be covered under your normal car insurance. But if you go regularly or buy additional goods to sell, you might not be covered. It is worth checking the position with your insurer."

CASE STUDY - "They doubled my premiums to £1,200 a year on a vehicle worth less than £2k"...Stella Hulott, 37, Kent

In July last year, it was time to renew the annual insurance on my Ford Escort Van. As a freelance PR who also runs a small animal shelter from home, my van is a godsend for picking up hutches and animal food supplies etc.

I also do the odd Boot Fair to help fund my shelter as well as raise money for another local animal charity.

When chatting to my broker he laughingly asked what I used the van for - with an extremely low annual mileage of 2,000, he didn't see the point in me owning two vehicles.I mentioned the animal shelter and also the half a dozen boot fairs I do a year. The tone of the conversation immediately changed, with my broker saying he'd need to talk to my insurer - Provident.

Three 'phone calls later, via my broker, the insurer demanded I pay an extra £600 premium as I had admitted that I had done several boot sales in the last year. If I didn't pay the extra money, they would cancel my insurance immediately, losing me my no claims bonus.

I refused and took the matter up with the insurer direct - the van is worth £2,000, and despite my assurances that I was not a Market Trader, just a normal person who did the odd Boot Fair for charity, they insisted I pay an annual premium of £1,200.

The van has now been sold, and, for me, boot fairs are a thing of the past.