Agricultural fleet insurance for farms, estates and contractors
Tractors, telehandlers, pickups and trailers on one schedule, covered on the road between fields and while they work. Fill in one short form to be put in touch with specialist brokers who arrange farm vehicle insurance for UK businesses.
- Tractors, telehandlers and pickups
- Road risks and working risks
- Farm use or contracting
Agricultural fleet insurance in brief
Agricultural fleet insurance is one policy covering the tractors, self-propelled machines, farm pickups and trailers a farming business uses, both on public roads and while the machines are working. It is used by farms, estates, agricultural contractors and land based businesses that would otherwise insure each tractor and vehicle separately.
Farm vehicles move between very different risks in a single day: a tractor can pull a trailer through a village in the morning and work a field in the afternoon. A farm policy has to cover both, and the insurer needs to know whether the work is on the business's own land or done for others.
Who it is for
Who needs farm vehicle insurance on a fleet basis?
A fleet policy makes sense once a farm or contractor has a handful of machines and vehicles, all renewing at different times with different insurers.
The machines
Tractors, telehandlers and pickups: what goes on a tractor fleet policy
Agricultural fleets mix road vehicles with machines built mainly for fields and yards. Each one is listed with what it is and how it is used.
Tractors of every size
From compact tractors to large high horsepower models used for heavy cultivation and haulage.
- Front loaders and linkage equipment declared
- Age and value of each tractor listed
- Classic and vintage tractors may be rated differently
Telehandlers, loaders and harvesters
Machines that drive themselves and do lifting, loading or harvest work.
- Road use between fields is worth confirming
- Lifting work may need separate liability cover
- Combines and sprayers are often listed individually
Pickups, Land Rovers and ATVs
Farm pickups and four wheel drives used on and off the road, plus quad bikes and utility vehicles.
- Pickups towing livestock trailers declared
- ATVs on the road usually need to be registered
- Theft of pickups and quads is a common question
On the road and in the field
Is plant on the road covered the same as plant at work?
Not always. Insurers often separate the risk of a machine being driven on a public road from the risk of it working, and some policies only cover one of the two.
| What happens | Road risks only | Working risks | Combined farm policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accidents on public roads | Yes | Sometimes | Yes |
| Damage caused while working in a field | Sometimes | Yes | Yes |
| Fire and theft of the machine | Depends on cover | Depends on cover | Yes |
| Damage to attached implements | No | Sometimes | Usually |
| Liability while lifting or loading | No | Sometimes | Worth checking |
The split between road and working cover varies between insurers, so it is worth asking how each machine is covered in the yard, in the field and on the road.
Farm use or contracting
Working your own land or other people's
The biggest single question on an agricultural fleet is who the work is for. Farming your own land, helping a neighbour and running a contracting business are rated very differently.
Own farm use
Machines working land the business owns or rents, carrying its own crops, feed and livestock.
- Usually the simplest risk to insure
- Occasional help to neighbours is worth declaring
- Diversification such as a farm shop may need adding
Agricultural contracting
Machines and operators hired out to other farms and landowners for payment.
- Damage to a customer's land and crops is a key question
- Operators taken on for the season can be covered on open driving fleet policies
- Public liability is usually needed alongside
Carting for others
Hauling grain, bales or muck for other businesses for payment.
- Hire and reward use may be needed
- Some insurers treat it as road haulage
- Goods carried may need their own cover
Grain and livestock lorries over 3.5 tonnes are usually placed with insurers who write lorry fleet insurance for haulage, even when they belong to a farm.
Trailers and implements
Trailers, implements and what gets towed
On a farm, what is behind the tractor is often worth as much as the tractor. Insurers ask how trailers and implements are listed and when they are covered.
- Trailers on the schedule: Grain trailers, bale trailers, livestock trailers and low loaders listed with their values.
- Towed implements: Ploughs, drills, sprayers and balers can be covered while attached, while detached, or both.
- Width and length: Wide machines and long combinations on narrow lanes, and whether escorts or warning lights are used.
- Mud and debris on the road: Liability for mud or spilled loads left on a public road after field work.
- Livestock in transit: Animals carried in a trailer are usually covered separately from the trailer itself.
Pricing
What affects the price of agricultural fleet insurance?
An agricultural fleet is priced on how the machines are used and kept, not only on how many there are.
- The machinesType, age, value and how specialised each one is.
- Road useHow often machines travel on public roads, and how far.
- Who operates themFamily members, staff, seasonal workers and their experience.
- Farm use or contractingOwn land only, or work done for others for payment.
- SecurityLocked sheds, immobilisers, trackers and marked equipment.
- LocationRemote yards and fields left unattended overnight.
- Claims recordAccidents, thefts and fires across the farming business.
How it works
One quote form, specialist fleet brokers
Insure Fleet is an information site, not an insurer or a broker. We link you to MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives businesses a gateway to brokers who arrange fleet insurance every day.
Start your quote
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Describe the agricultural fleet
The form asks about the vehicles, the work they do and who drives, so you can be matched with a specialist fleet broker.
Compare and decide
A broker contacts you with options, subject to insurers' acceptance criteria. There is no obligation to buy.
Before you buy
Questions worth asking about an agricultural fleet policy
Farm vehicle policies can look similar until a machine is damaged in a field or stolen from a remote yard. These questions help separate them.
- Is each machine covered on the road and at work?Road risks and working risks are sometimes split.
- Is contracting work included?Work for other farms may need declaring as a separate use.
- Are trailers covered when detached?Some cover only applies while a trailer is hitched.
- Who can operate the machines?Seasonal workers and young family members may need naming.
- Are implements covered in the field?Ploughs and drills can fall between motor and farm property cover.
- What security is required?Immobilisers and trackers may be conditions for high value machines.
- Is mud on the road covered?Liability for debris left on a road is worth checking.
- How are new machines added?Bought or hired machines may need declaring before they are used.
FAQs
Agricultural fleet insurance questions
What is agricultural fleet insurance?
Agricultural fleet insurance is one policy covering the tractors, machines, pickups and trailers used by a farm or land based business. It covers them on public roads and, depending on the policy, while they are working, all on one schedule with one renewal date.
Do tractors need insurance if they only go on the road occasionally?
Yes. Any tractor or machine driven on a public road needs motor insurance, even for a short trip between fields. Machines that never leave private land are usually covered for working risks instead.
Does agricultural fleet insurance cover contracting work?
It can, if contracting is declared. Working for other farms for payment is a different risk from farming your own land, and insurers usually want to know the type of work and the main customers.
Can farm pickups and staff cars go on the same policy as the tractors?
Often, yes. Many farm policies include pickups and four wheel drives, and some insurers add cars and vans too. A business with a growing mix of farm and road vehicles can also look at van fleet insurance for trades and service vans for the road side of the business.
Are seasonal workers covered to drive the tractors?
Usually, subject to the insurer's age, licence and experience terms. Some policies cover anyone the business permits, while others need operators named before they start.
Is theft of quad bikes and tools covered?
Theft of quads, ATVs and pickups is usually covered when the vehicles are on the schedule and security conditions are met. Hand tools and workshop equipment normally sit under a separate farm property policy.
Can a small farm with two or three machines use a fleet policy?
Some insurers offer cover from a small number of vehicles, depending on the insurer. Moving separate policies onto one schedule is covered on small fleet insurance for businesses with a few vehicles.
Does Insure Fleet sell insurance?
No. Insure Fleet is an information site and an affiliate of MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives businesses a gateway to specialist brokers. When you start a quote you continue to MyMoneyComparison.com, and we may be paid a small commission if you are matched with and speak to a broker.
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