Can my company pay my car insurance?
Q. My company pays me the regular mileage rate of 45p per mile for business journeys I make in my own car. However, to reach certain customers I need to drive on mainland Europe which requires extra car insurance which is quite expensive. Can my company reimburse me for the cost of that extra insurance without any extra tax?
A. The regular mileage rate is supposed to cover all the marginal costs of using your personal car for business, including insurance. So if the company reimburses you for the extra cost of this insurance in addition to the mileage payment, that would be a taxable benefit in kind.
We need to look at the distances you are driving in Europe, and for what periods. If the time spent abroad is relatively short, it may be more economical for the company to hire a car for you while you are abroad. However, there is no substitute for crunching the numbers.
