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Pick-up truck insurance

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What’s pick-up truck insurance? 

Pick-ups are classed as commercial vehicles so they're usually covered by van insurance.

The type of van insurance you need for your pick-up depends on whether you use it for social or business purposes. 

When you compare quotes with us, you can choose between third party only, third party fire and theft, or comprehensive cover for your pick up. 

If you’re a commercial driver, you’ll need hire and reward, carriage of own goods or haulage cover. 

woman looks at plants in van

How to choose the right pick-up insurance    

The right policy for you will depend on your vehicle and what you use it for. When you get quotes you’ll need to specify whether it’s a modified pick-up, if there’s a tipping unit, if it has a refrigeration unit, if it carries hazardous goods, whether it’s a single or double cab and how many seats it has.

A standard single cab has one row of seats at the front while an extended or double cab has space behind the front seats, often including a bench seat. 

If you’ve got an HGV or lorry, you’ll need truck insurance instead.  

Types of pick up insurance

There are two main types of pick up insurance - you’ll need to choose the one that suits you best.

Private pick-up insurance

Private pick-up insurance covers you to drive solely for social reasons, such as seeing friends and doing activities and hobbies. 

If you have private van insurance, you won’t be covered to drive to and from work, as van policies differ from car ones and there's no equivalent to social, domestic, pleasure and commuting.  

You’ll need to choose what level of cover you want:

  • Comprehensive - cover for damage to your own vehicle and damage to others
  • Third party, fire and theft - covers damage to others, as well as fire and theft of your own vehicle
  • Third party only - pays for damage or injury you cause to others, with no cover for your own vehicle

Commercial pick-up insurance

You’ll need commercial pick up insurance if you rely on your van to carry out a trade or profession, or even just to commute to a single place of work. 

If your pick-up is modified with special equipment that you use in your work, or if you carry deliveries on board, you must tell your insurer as it might affect the classification of your policy. 

You’ll either need cover for carriage of own goods, carriage of goods for hire or reward, or haulage cover.  

You’ll also need to decide whether you need:

  • Comprehensive
  • Third party, fire and theft
  • Or third party only

How much is pick-up insurance?

Bigger, more powerful vehicles are usually more expensive to insure than smaller ones and you’ll pay more if you’ve made any insurance claims in the last few years.

If you want to reduce the cost of your insurance, keep your truck in a secure garage and don’t take out optional extras like breakdown cover or legal cover if you don’t need them.

Find more ways to reduce your pick-up premiums with our top tips

Pick-up insurance for young drivers

You can get pick-up insurance if you’re a young driver as long as your vehicle doesn’t exceed the weight category that your driving licence says you’re allowed to drive. 

For example, a standard Category B driving licence allows anyone over the age of 17 and who’s passed their test to drive a van weighing up to 3,500kg. 

But if the van you want to drive weighs more than 3,500kg (up to 7,500kg), you’ll need to sit a separate test to gain your Cat C1 licence, and you can’t apply to do that until you’re 18. 

Unfortunately, you’re likely to find that as a young driver you have a more limited choice of insurers and you’ll be facing higher premiums than older motorists - but it’ll get cheaper as you gain driving experience.  

Get the right van insurance for your pick-up today

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