Courier Insurance

Insurance for Couriers

You will need courier insurance if you receive payment in exchange for carrying other people’s goods or materials. The range of activities covered by being a courier is vast, from light haulage work through to leaflet distributors, and lots in between. Normal business insurance will not be sufficient cover for you if you pick up and/or deliver goods which belong to someone else, regardless of whether it is to one destination or multiple destinations. 

Find the most competitive Couriers quotes

Instead, you will need ‘hire and reward’ insurance, which is what you will receive when taking out courier insurance. If you work in an occupation such as delivering parcels, mail order delivery or light haulage, this is the cover for you. 

How does courier insurance work?

Courier insurance works to protect you against the potential risks that you might face when either picking up or delivering goods, in exchange for payment. As with many types of business insurance, ‘courier insurance’ is an umbrella term that refers to the policies required to cover your vehicle whilst it is being used to deliver goods. 

The three main considerations when choosing courier insurance?

You want to make sure you cover yourself across all of the important bases. These are insurance cover for your vehicle, insurance for the goods being transported and public liability insurance.

Courier van insurance: Explained

This will cover you to use your vehicle for courier use, such as the picking up and delivering of packages, parcels, letters and newspapers. Courier van insurance typically costs more than a standard commercial van policy because of the extended periods of time that you will be on the road compared to other road users. If you are working as a courier and do not take out the adequate courier van insurance, the insurer is unlikely to pay out in the event of a claim. There are three levels of courier van insurance, these being third party only, third party fire and theft, and comprehensive cover.

What does Goods in Transit Insurance cover?

This covers the items that you are delivering, should they be lost, damaged or stolen. Typical cover for goods in transit extends up to £50,000 per load on any one claim, although other limits are available. Whilst goods in transit insurance is not a legal requirement to be a courier, many businesses will only work with couriers with goods in transit insurance, so many couriers opt to take out this cover.

What does public liability insurance cover?

This will provide cover against accidents that involve members of the public, enabling you to claim back the costs of a legal defence, and in certain circumstances, to cover the cost of compensation should a claim be successfully held against you. Often, public liability insurance can be included as part of your courier insurance package, or purchased separately with your employers’ liability insurance.

How much is courier van insurance in the UK?

There are many factors that will determine the costs of courier van insurance in the UK. These range from the age and courier experience of the driver, the number of claims and convictions, the age and type of vehicle, the level of excess and the type of insurance cover selected, among other factors. By using Price Point Compare, you can ensure that you receive quotes from across the market, helping you to find the best policy, most suitable for your requirements.