Catering fleet insurance for food trucks, catering vans and trailers
Food trucks, converted catering vans and the vans that tow your trailers to pitches, insured together on one schedule. Fill in one short form to be put in touch with specialist brokers who arrange cover for mobile caterers across the UK.
- Converted vans and food trucks
- Towed catering trailers
- Festival and event pitches
Catering fleet insurance in brief
Catering fleet insurance is one motor policy for a mobile catering business that runs several food trucks, catering vans or towing vehicles, in place of a separate policy for each one. It is part of the wider range of fleet insurance for trades, and the questions centre on the kitchen: what was built into each vehicle, the gas and cooking equipment on board, and where the vehicles trade.
The motor policy covers the vehicles on the road and, depending on the insurer, while parked at a pitch. Stock, the serving hatch and the customers queueing at it are usually covered by separate business policies.
The vehicles
What does a mobile catering fleet usually include?
Few catering businesses run identical vehicles. A typical fleet mixes a converted truck or two with towing vans and a car, which suits a mixed fleet policy covering different vehicle types on one schedule.
Conversions
Why every kitchen conversion has to be declared
Insurers price a vehicle on what it is now, not what left the showroom. A cooker, extraction hood and gas locker change the value, weight and fire risk of the vehicle.
The kitchen build
The work done to turn a van or trailer into a kitchen, and who carried it out.
- Cookers, fryers, griddles and extraction
- Serving hatches, awnings and counters
- Whether the fit-out value is added to the vehicle value
Gas and cooking fuel
Bottled gas carried on board for cooking, and how it is stored while driving.
- Where the cylinders sit and how they are secured
- Whether the gas installation has been checked
- Fire suppression or extinguishers fitted
Generators and fridges
Equipment that keeps the kitchen running when there is no mains supply at the pitch.
- Generators carried or towed
- Built-in fridges and freezers
- Batteries and inverters fitted for lighting
On the road and at the pitch
How do insurers look at pitches, festivals and towing?
A catering vehicle earns its money standing still. That makes the time parked at a pitch, and the trips to and from it, as important to the quote as the driving itself.
- Driving to and from pitches: The core journeys: depot to festival, market or event and back again, often with early starts and late finishes.
- Parked and trading: Time spent at a pitch with the engine off and the hatch open. Some motor policies cover the vehicle while static; others treat trading damage differently.
- Towing: A van or pickup pulling a catering trailer. The towing vehicle needs towing on its cover, and the trailer may need its own cover for theft and damage.
- Staying on site overnight: Vehicles left on festival grounds or showground fields for several nights, sometimes with staff sleeping on site.
Most catering vans and food trucks weigh under 3.5 tonnes. A larger truck or a heavy towing combination may need a different licence category, which is worth checking for each driver.
Which policy covers what
Vehicle, kitchen, stock and customers: where each risk is insured
A food truck is a vehicle, a kitchen and a shop counter at once. The motor fleet policy only handles part of that, and gaps tend to appear between the policies.
| What needs cover | Where it usually sits | Worth checking |
|---|---|---|
| The truck or van on the road | The motor fleet policy | That each vehicle is listed with its conversion |
| The fitted kitchen | Often the motor policy, if declared | Whether fit-out is included in the vehicle value |
| Food and drink stock | Usually a separate stock or contents policy | Cover for fridge breakdown and spoiled food |
| Customers at the hatch | Public liability | The limit event organisers ask for |
| Staff in the kitchen | Employers' liability | Whether casual event staff are included |
| A towed trailer | Trailer cover or the motor policy | Theft cover when the trailer is unhitched |
Event organisers usually ask to see proof of public liability before a pitch is confirmed. MyMoneyComparison.com has a page on public liability insurance for businesses.
What insurers ask
What do insurers want to know about a catering business?
Expect questions about the kitchen as much as the driving. Having these details ready makes the quote form quicker to complete.
- Conversion detailsWho built the kitchen, what was fitted and its value.
- Gas and fire safetyHow cylinders are stored and what fire equipment is on board.
- Event calendarFestivals, markets, private events or a regular street pitch.
- Overnight storageA locked unit, a home driveway or a festival field.
- TowingWhich vehicles tow, what they tow and the trailer values.
- DriversOwners, chefs and seasonal staff, with their ages and licence history.
- Past claimsMotor claims, fires and thefts involving the business's vehicles.
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
Get my fleet quote takes you to our partner, MyMoneyComparison.com.
Describe the catering 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 for the broker about a catering fleet
Catering cover is easy to get almost right. These are the points that tend to matter when something goes wrong at a pitch.
- Is the vehicle covered while trading?Some policies treat a parked, trading vehicle differently from one on the move.
- Is the fit-out value included?A total loss may only pay the base van value if the kitchen was not declared.
- Does the cover include fire from cooking?Fire is a core risk in a vehicle with a working kitchen.
- Is a trailer covered when unhitched?Theft of a trailer left on a pitch or in a yard is worth asking about.
- What happens if a truck is off the road?A cancelled pitch can mean lost bookings, so replacement options matter.
FAQs
Catering fleet insurance questions
What is catering fleet insurance?
Catering fleet insurance is one motor policy covering several vehicles used by a mobile catering business, such as food trucks, converted catering vans and the vans that tow catering trailers. It lists each vehicle with its conversion, sets who may drive and gives the fleet one renewal date.
Is food truck insurance different from ordinary van insurance?
Yes. A food truck carries a working kitchen, bottled gas and cooking equipment, so insurers ask about fire risk, the fit-out and where it trades. A standard van fleet policy for trades and service vans is written for plain vans carrying tools and stock.
Do I need to tell the insurer about a catering conversion?
Yes. Any kitchen fit-out, gas installation, generator or serving hatch is a change to the vehicle and is usually expected to be declared. Leaving it off can affect how a claim is settled, especially after a fire or theft.
Does the policy cover food in the fridges?
Usually not. The motor policy covers the vehicle. Food and drink stock, and losses from a fridge or freezer breaking down, are normally covered by a separate stock or contents policy.
Can I start a catering fleet without a claims history?
Many caterers start with one truck and add more as bookings grow. Businesses without fleet history can find more on new business fleet insurance, where insurers look closely at the drivers' own records.
What about bar trailers and drinks at events?
A mobile bar trailer is insured much like a catering trailer, with the towing vehicle declared. Businesses supplying kegs to events alongside a brewery round will find the drinks side covered on brewery fleet insurance.
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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