Courier van insurance

Compare van insurance quotes and cover your van for courier, delivery or haulage use

What’s courier van insurance?

Courier van insurance is a type of commercial van insurance, commonly referred to as ‘carriage of goods for hire or reward’.

It covers your van if you make multiple deliveries within a local area, like parcel or food delivery. It won’t cover you if you transport high-risk items, hazardous goods, or furniture for people who are moving to a new house.

Courier insurance is different to haulage insurance – haulage cover is mostly suitable for van drivers who make long distance deliveries, with just one destination per job.

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Do I need courier van insurance?

Courier insurance is a legal requirement if you use a van to carry goods that don’t belong to you in return for payment.

The level of commercial van insurance you need depends on how you use your van and the type of goods it's carrying.

What level of van insurance do I need for courier work?

There are three levels of van insurance available – comprehensive, third party, fire and theft and third party only.

Comprehensive

This is the highest level of cover. It insures your van against theft and fire, as well as covering you, your van and third parties for incidents where you’re found to be at fault.

Third party, fire and theft (TPFT)

TPFT covers injury to other people and damage to their things (third parties), as well as fire damage, or theft of your own van.

Third party only (TPO)

This is the lowest level of cover you legally need. It only covers injuries or damages to third parties. Don’t assume it’ll be the cheapest option just because it’s the most basic.

How much does courier insurance cost?

Courier insurance will be more expensive than social only, or carriage of own goods cover. This is because the insurer must consider that the goods you carry don’t belong to you, and you’ll usually be doing multiple deliveries in a small and built-up area.

The type of cover you need is 'carriage of goods for hire and reward', so the average cost of a comprehensive courier policy is £1,137.

Haulage cover is surprisingly less expensive, at £916 on average. This could be due to the increase in popularity for courier work recently, which has raised the average cost.

^*Based on average price paid for van insurance policies purchased through GoCompare in December 2020, split by type of use.

What does courier van insurance cover?

The level of cover you have with your courier insurance will depend on whether you choose a comprehensive, TPFT or TPO policy.

It might also include:

Public liability

This covers the cost of claims made by members of the public who have been injured by an accident involving your van.

Employer’s liability

Employer’s liability insurance will cover the cost of a claim if one of your employees is injured while making courier deliveries.

Courtesy van cover

You’ll be offered a replacement van if yours needs repairs following an accident.

Windscreen cover

Some policies include windscreen cover as standard, but it might be an optional extra at additional cost. It'll cover any claims you make to get your van’s windscreen repaired or replaced.

Add-ons and optional extras

Some policies give you the option of paying more to add extra cover:

Goods in transit cover

Whatever van insurance you choose, you might want to consider adding cover for the goods and tools you’re transporting.

Companies will probably have insurance for any equipment or goods they own, but if they belong to you, you’ll need to make sure that your policy covers everything you're carrying.

There are usually exclusions on transporting valuable goods, like fine art or jewellery, so check this before you buy.

Breakdown assistance

If your van breaks down while it's more than a certain distance (usually a quarter of a mile) away from your home your breakdown provider will offer roadside assistance.

If it can’t be fixed there, it’ll be towed either to your home or a garage – whichever’s nearest. This recovery part of your policy can either be local or national, depending on your policy.

You can also get assistance for breakdowns at home, European cover and onward travel, which will provide you with a replacement van, overnight accommodation, or reasonable onward travel expenses if your van breaks down.

Legal expenses cover

This can help you claim from the person responsible if you’re involved in an accident that's not your fault. It’ll also help to pay to defend a claim brought against you.

Trailer cover

Some policies might offer this as standard, but it’s best to check before your buy. Trailer cover can cover third party claims and damage to your trailer and its contents, but this depends on the policy.

No-claims discount protection

Your no-claims discount reflects how many years you’ve not claimed on your van insurance, so it’s quite valuable. That’s why some insurers offer an add-on which allows you to keep your full no-claims history, even if you do claim.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between courier and haulage?

Each insurer will have its own definition, but generally couriers do multiple drop-offs and haulers drive a long way for a single delivery.

Haulage and courier insurance aren’t interchangeable, as the risks are different.

While haulers' trips are usually pre-planned and long, couriers will make lots of trips to built-up areas that aren’t pre-planned.

It’s important to get the right cover, or your insurer could reject a claim if you need to make one.

Can I insure more than one van?

Commercial van insurance covers one vehicle per policy, but you can get specialist multi-vehicle or fleet policies.

Can I get courier insurance for my car?

Yes, you can get hire and reward car insurance. It’ll cover you while you make multiple deliveries in an area.

Can I get short term van insurance?

Yes. Short term or temporary van insurance works the same way as an annual policy, but it only lasts for a few days, weeks or months.

Can I get cover if I’m under 25 years old?

You can compare van insurance quotes from 17 years old, but some insurers will have higher minimum age limits, like age 21 or 25, which could limit your choices.

Can I use courier insurance to make deliveries abroad?

That depends on the wording of your policy. If you have European cover, it’s likely that it's only for driving your van abroad, and not using it for work purposes. Make sure you check your courier insurance before you travel so you know what, if anything, is covered while you’re abroad.