Driving for work: what home care workers need to know about vehicle and insurance requirements

Most home care roles require you to drive your own vehicle between client visits, which is easy to skim past in a job ad but has real implications for your car insurance, your licence, and what you're actually covered for on the road.

Comprehensive insurance isn't optional here

Using your personal vehicle for work purposes — even just driving between clients, not carrying equipment — typically needs to be disclosed to your insurer. A basic third-party policy may not cover you adequately if an incident happens while you're working, and some insurers specifically exclude "business use" unless you've declared it. It's worth calling your insurer directly and confirming, rather than assuming your current policy covers it.

What most employers require before you start

• A current, unrestricted driver's licence — provisional licences are accepted by some providers but not all, so check before applying
• Proof of comprehensive insurance, sometimes requested annually
• Vehicle registration current for the length of your employment
• In some cases, a roadworthy or safety inspection if your vehicle is older

How travel reimbursement actually works

Most providers pay a per-kilometre allowance for driving between clients, separate from your hourly rate — but the rate and what counts (travel between clients vs. your commute to the first client) varies significantly between employers. It's a reasonable, specific question to ask at interview stage rather than after you start, since it directly affects your take-home pay if you're doing a high-travel round.

If you don't have reliable access to a vehicle

Some home care roles are structured around public transport in dense urban areas, and a smaller number of providers offer pool vehicles for specific rounds. If driving isn't an option for you, it's worth asking directly whether a non-driving round exists rather than assuming home care isn't accessible to you.