Tricky. It is occasional and infrequent. But I guess you’re right. So social and domestic means the weekend, or a weekday but not when I’m “at work”.
Nothing tricky, if it doesn’t mention ‘commuting’ you’re not insured to ride to work or commute. If it says ‘commuting’ that means to one place and that place is your normal place of employment, it doesn’t include commuting to occasional, infrequent or other places of employment. For that you need ‘business cover’ (usually refereed to as B1) which will cover you to commute to work places in connection with your employment or business other than your normal place of employment. Note the lower level of business cover (B1) will not cover you to carry goods or for commercial travelling such as field sales or for hire and reward such as taxi or courier work, for those you need higher levels of cover or specialist cover.
Thanks, that clarifies!
It’s not worth getting “creative” with insurance forms as if something is out of place they won’t pay you, simple as that. I know a chap who didn’t get paid out because his bike was taken while parked overnight outside his girlfriends. He got the bike back because it was recovered but that was down to luck.
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It is also worth noting that HMRC might take an interest if you are claiming for your motoring expenses against self-employed income and you only have a Social Domestic & Pleasure policy.
Any idea how it would work for something like Jury Service? I have SDP on both car and bike as my commute is approx 5 seconds from my kitchen (home office). I do have Jury Service later in the year and haven’t figured out what will be the best way to get there yet. It’s not work, but does it fit into the commuting bracket?
I would argue it’s not work, so not commuting, so is acceptable use.
But, as seems to be the default advice, check with your insurer… because they may be bastards and have specific clauses for that
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TBH I think I’ll walk to the station and take the train. It’ll take about as long as driving / riding and I won’t have to deal with all the roadworks.
I would have put it in the not work bracket too, as it’s a civil duty and you don’t choose to do it.
Is driving/riding to Jury Service classed as commuting? MAYBE ask your insurer.
Commuting is travelling between your home and your place of work. Insurers specifically define this as ‘your normal place of work’ and if any part of that journey involves driving/riding such as driving/riding to the station to catch a train or bus that is also classed as commuting. Some insurers also class dropping a friend or neighbour off at a station or airport as commuting, these will most likely also class the journey to Court for jury service as commuting! You need to be very careful with SDP only insurance cover.
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I wonder how commuting is defined? I am a contractor, with contracts ranging between a month to 6 months at a time. So for a month Commute from A-B, then a month from A-C, then 6 months A-D.
I probably should chase up with my insurers on that, it’s always a single place of work for that period, but I do change jobs very often.
Commuting is to and from a single place of work.
They will tell you that you don’t change jobs you just change your place of work. That’s what they told me when I did agency work, similar to you I’d commute from A-B for 3 months then A-C for 2 months and so on, for this I needed the B1 business cover.
Insurers define commuting as ‘commuting from your home to your normal place of work’ if you commute to other places of work or don’t have a normal place of work you need B1 business cover. Note B1 business cover does not cover couriers, hire & reward, field sales staff, field engineers etc they need to fork out a whole load more hard earned for commercial cover.
Of interest with insurers now asking questions like where do you normally park up or leave the bike overnight and during the day they know where your home is and its not to difficult for them to determine where your normal place of work is.
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Where are you doing your jury service?
Leicester
Kevsta might see you there 
Nah. My service was in St Alban’s. Leicester is a bloody long way to go, but if you any questions call the number on the summons letter. They are helpful.
It’s the closest to where I live now.
If you do ride, there’s secure bike parking with kit lockers, 5 mins walk away on Bowling Green street, just behind the town hall.
Thanks for the info, I had no idea. 
Where are you based?