HGV agency insisting on insurance payment

[harleymlb]

Hi,
I am hoping someone can offer some advice to a problem affecting a group of HGV drivers.
To keep it short, i work as a freelance (ltd company ) Class 1 HGV driver for a transport company via an Employment Agency.
We received notification today that all drivers working via the Agency will be required to pay £10 per week to the Agency to cover insurance agaist damage caused to the cutomer vehicles or trailers. This is to cover items like mirrors and other minor damage that can occur through the drivers own fault, albeit not necessarily deliberate!
Alternatively we can sign a document stating the indivdual will cover any damage up to £500.00.
I assume it is to cover the transport companies insurance excess!
Is this legal, how can they prove that the individual caused the damage?
A lot of Agency Drivers are Eastern European and don't understand fully why this is required so i am hoping someone will advise us please!

Most of the vehicles have scrapes and scratches here and there already. Both full time employed staff and us Agency drivers check the vehicles and trailers prior to taking them out of the depot to ensure roadworthiness etc. This and any defects or damage are recorded on a tick box sheet and also using pictogram of the vehicle and trailer, however the sheet remains with the driver until they return from the deliveries where they handed in with the delivery notes et .

[Openlaw15]

Re: HGV agency insisting on insurance payment

Hi,
I am hoping someone can offer some advice to a problem affecting a group of HGV drivers.
To keep it short, i work as a freelance (ltd company ) Class 1 HGV driver for a transport company via an Employment Agency.
We received notification today that all drivers working via the Agency will be required to pay £10 per week to the Agency to cover insurance agaist damage caused to the cutomer vehicles or trailers. This is to cover items like mirrors and other minor damage that can occur through the drivers own fault, albeit not necessarily deliberate!
Alternatively we can sign a document stating the indivdual will cover any damage up to £500.00.
I assume it is to cover the transport companies insurance excess!
Is this legal, how can they prove that the individual caused the damage?
A lot of Agency Drivers are Eastern European and don't understand fully why this is required so i am hoping someone will advise us please!

Most of the vehicles have scrapes and scratches here and there already. Both full time employed staff and us Agency drivers check the vehicles and trailers prior to taking them out of the depot to ensure roadworthiness etc. This and any defects or damage are recorded on a tick box sheet and also using pictogram of the vehicle and trailer, however the sheet remains with the driver until they return from the deliveries where they handed in with the delivery notes et .

Is it legal you ask, yes it is legal as it's reasonable for a company to have in place adequate insurance against damage to company and third party vehicles. It's £10 a week which is a small sum for the risks involved insofar as the average LGV driver drives several thousand miles each year and the prospect of there being damage to aforesaid vehicles therefore has a high probability. Alternatively, if you were to sign the document relating to up to £500 liability, it likely means per incident and not all together. Think how much damage a wing mirror would cost if damaged, or the unit, or trailer. Listen professionals have to pay a lot more for liability insurance, the agency is clearly not going to be liable for bad drivers (put yourself in their shoes) whether you're a good driver is not the point. The last driver to use the company vehicle which can be traced from tachographs, driver sheet etc, will be the one responsible. Let's say you're getting at least £400 per week, £10 from that is about 2%, it's nothing just pay it. If you don't they will find others who will!