Understanding UK Truck Insurance

Like any kind of motor vehicle, in the UK trucks must be insured in order to be driven on public roads. Whether you are an owner-operator with one vehicle, or run a business with a fleet of trucks to take care of, Insurance is a legal requirement. Trucks are expensive vehicles and come with some increased risks compared to cars or vans – so insuring them can be expensive. However, the rules of shopping around to find the best deal still apply. Compare quotes from a number of providers to have the best chance of paying less.

What kinds of Vehicles can Truck Insurance cover?

There are more than just ‘trucks’! A whole range of specialist vehicles can be grouped into the Truck Insurance category and finding specialists for the type of vehicle you run is a great way to find relevant policies with the right level of cover and useful optional add-ons. Broadly speaking, Truck Insurance encompasses large vehicles, usually with a gross weight in excess of 3.5 tonnes – vehicles commonly referred to as HGVs, or Heavy Goods Vehicles. When you get insurance quotes, you will usually be asked for more details about the vehicle, at which point you can specific exactly what kind of truck or lorry you are driving – including whether it is articulated or rigid.

Some types of truck have unique considerations when it comes to insuring them. As is often the case, comparing quotes from specialists is a great way to find high quality insurance – and multiple quotes allows you to find a reasonable price that feels right.

Horsebox Insurance

One example of a specialist insurance area, Horseboxes can be large, valuable vehicles that require particular policies to protect. Whether you have a non-motorised trailer or a motorised horse lorry, you can get the right insurance by comparing quotes.

Get Horsebox Insurance Quotes

Recovery Vehicle Insurance

Specialist truck, insurance for breakdown or recovery vehicles is often available from Motor Trade Insurance specialists – for a competitive price, review a number of policies and providers.

Get Recovery Vehicle Insurance Quotes

Levels of Cover

As with most vehicle insurance in the UK, you will usually find three levels of cover available to insure a truck or HGV:

• Third Party Cover: Covers claims relating to damage or harm of other people or property, but does not cover damage to the insured truck.
• Third Party, Fire and Theft: As for Third Party insurance, but with the addition of cover for your truck if it is damaged through fire or stolen.
• Fully Comprehensive Cover: Includes all the features of Third Party, Fire and Theft but also covers your own vehicle – for expensive vehicles like trucks, fully comprehensive is often a wise choice, especially if your business or livelihood relies on the vehicle being operational.

Making sure your Truck Insurance is valid

For drivers and operators of large vehicles, any insurance policy you choose will only be effective – or valid – if you meet the conditions of the policy. As with any type of insurance, answering all questions accurately when you get quotes is the first step in making sure that your policy will be valid should you need it. In the case of HGV or Goods Vehicle insurance, however, there are some specific licences that drivers may need to hold in order to validate the insurance policy chosen.

To get a full view of the requirements, visit the GOV.UK website, where you can learn more about the requirements for HGV drivers. There is also a comprehensive section on being a Goods Vehicle Operator on the same site.

Not Quite Right?

If you haven’t found what you need, perhaps these insurance products would fit the bill? For all of them, you’ll find a quick and easy form will get you multiple quotes from leading UK insurance providers, so you can compare policies and prices, and save time and money too.

Van Insurance

Motor Fleet Insurance

Courier & Delivery Driver Insurance

Motor Trade Insurance