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Trade fleet insurance for tradespeople, contractors and service firms

Vans, pickups, tippers and the odd lorry, insured together for the work your trade actually does. Find the guide for your trade below, or start one short form and speak to a specialist fleet broker.

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  • Construction, building services and property trades
  • Transport, cleaning and retail businesses
  • Tools, trailers and staff drivers explained
Row of tradespeople's vans, a pickup and a tipper parked at a trade merchant yard
Insurers rate a trade fleet on the trade as well as the vehicles, so the type of work is one of the first questions on the form.

Trade fleet insurance in brief

Trade fleet insurance is a single motor policy covering the vans, pickups, cars and trucks a trade or contracting business uses for its work, with the trade itself shaping the terms. Two firms with identical vans can be quoted quite differently because one carries plumbing stock and the other carries scaffold tube. That is why each trade below has its own guide.

Most trade fleets start with a few vans and grow into a mix of vehicles. Moving them onto one policy gives a single renewal date and one schedule, and specialist brokers know which insurers are comfortable with which trades.

Find your trade

Which trade does your fleet work in?

Pick the guide closest to your business. Each one covers the vehicles that trade tends to run, what insurers ask about it and the points worth raising with a broker. Firms that sell or repair vehicles have their own guide to motor trade fleet insurance.

Construction

Builders, scaffolders, groundworkers and more.

Building services

Electricians, plumbers, HVAC and more.

Property and landscaping

Maintenance, decorators, gardeners and more.

Transport and logistics

Haulage, removals, chauffeurs and more.

Cleaning and facilities

Cleaning, FM, drain clearance and more.

Retail and hospitality

Catering, florists, wholesalers and more.

Across every trade

What do trade fleets have in common?

The trades differ, but the same handful of questions comes up on almost every trade fleet quote. Knowing the answers before you start makes the form quicker and the quotes closer to what you need.

Tools and stock inside the vansMotor cover is about the vehicle. Tools, materials and stock usually need their own cover or an add-on, often with conditions for overnight storage.
Trailers and towed equipmentMixers, plant trailers, chippers and catering trailers are often missed off. Insurers want to know what is towed and by which vehicles.
Class of useCarrying your own goods and tools is different from carrying other people's goods for payment. Getting this right on each vehicle matters at claim time.
Staff taking vans homeCommuting and any personal use need to be on the policy, and home postcodes are commonly asked for.
Apprentices and younger driversMany trades train young staff who also drive. Age limits and higher excesses for younger drivers vary between insurers.
Signwriting and fitted equipmentRacking, ladder racks, water tanks and truck-mounted units add value to a van. Declaring them helps settle a claim at the right figure.

Timing

When does a trade business move to a fleet policy?

There is no single point. Some insurers start fleet terms at two or three vehicles, others want more. A sole trader with a family car and a work van may look at mini fleet insurance instead, while a growing firm with a handful of vans usually fits small fleet insurance.

Starting out

A sole trader and a van or two

Individual van policies are common at this stage, especially with a strong personal no claims record.

  • Worth comparing a combined policy once a second vehicle arrives
  • Personal and work vehicles can sometimes share a policy
Growing

A few vans and staff drivers

Separate renewal dates and driver lists become hard to manage as the team grows.

  • One schedule and one renewal date
  • Any driver or named driver options to compare
Established

A mixed fleet across sites

Vans, pickups, a tipper and cars spread across several jobs or depots.

  • Claims history across the whole fleet starts to shape the price
  • Telematics and driver checks may be discussed

Before you buy

Questions worth asking a broker about a trade fleet

A specialist broker can explain how each insurer treats your trade. These questions help you compare like with like.

  • Is my trade a good fit for this insurer?Some insurers are keen on certain trades and cautious about others.
  • How are tools and stock covered?Whether it is included, an add-on or a separate policy, and the overnight rules.
  • Which class of use is on each vehicle?Own goods, hire and reward, commuting and personal use.
  • Are trailers and towed kit included?And whether they need listing individually.
  • What are the driver conditions?Minimum ages, licence years and how convictions are handled.
  • Is a replacement vehicle offered?A van off the road can stop a job, so it is worth checking.

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.

  1. Start your quote

    Get my fleet quote takes you to our partner, MyMoneyComparison.com.

  2. Describe the trade fleet

    The form asks about the vehicles, the work they do and who drives, so you can be matched with a specialist fleet broker.

  3. Compare and decide

    A broker contacts you with options, subject to insurers' acceptance criteria. There is no obligation to buy.

Start my fleet quote

FAQs

Trade fleet insurance FAQs

What is trade fleet insurance?

It is a fleet motor policy for a business in a trade or service sector, covering its vans, pickups, cars and trucks on one schedule. The trade matters because it tells the insurer what the vehicles carry, where they go and who drives them.

How many vehicles do I need for a trade fleet policy?

It depends on the insurer. Some offer fleet terms from two or three vehicles and others start higher. A broker can tell you which insurers are likely to quote for your size of fleet.

Is my trade insured differently from other trades?

Usually, yes. A scaffolding flatbed, a carpet cleaner's truck-mounted van and a florist's delivery van each carry different loads and risks, so insurers price and word cover around the work involved.

Does a trade fleet policy cover my tools?

Not as standard on most motor policies. Tools and stock are normally covered through an add-on or separate tools cover, often with conditions about leaving them in a van overnight.

Can my staff drive the vans?

Yes, within the driver terms of the policy. Fleets are often arranged on a named driver or any driver fleet insurance basis, with age and licence conditions set by the insurer.

Do I need other business insurance as well?

Many trades also hold liability cover such as public liability insurance, and employers usually need employers' liability. These sit alongside the fleet policy rather than inside it.

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.

Ready to insure your trade fleet?

One form for every van, pickup and truck, specialist brokers, no obligation.

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