What is breakdown and recovery operator insurance?
Whether you have a single recovery truck or a fleet, you need breakdown and recovery operator insurance to protect your vehicle, your customer’s vehicle, and yourself.
Working at the roadside to repair or recover vehicles is dangerous work. Our insurance policies are created to ensure you have the right insurance cover to do this.
Who needs breakdown and recovery agent’s insurance?
Anybody with a recovery truck needs insurance. Whether it’s just to collect broken down vehicles to return them to your garage, or to run a fully-fledged rescue and recovery operation, you need the right insurance cover for everything you do.
If you operate from a compound, yard or garage, then you can also get cover for your premises, including vehicles stored on-site and your tools and equipment.
ChoiceQuote normally covers drivers between the ages of 25-70, and a full range of recovery vehicle types, including specialist equipment.
What does our breakdown and recovery agent’s insurance cover?
All recovery operators need recovery truck insurance for their vehicle (or fleet of vehicles).
Breakdown and recovery agent insurance can include cover for:
- Your vehicle(s) – Each vehicle can be covered on a third party, third party fire and theft, or comprehensive basis. If you have a fleet of recovery trucks or vans, you can insure them all on one policy, helping to keep the cost down and managing your policy simple.
- Carriage of vehicles – Recovering vehicles and taking them to a place of safety involves loading them onto your vehicle. This could mean onward travel to a garage, or a customer’s home address, for example. We can arrange insurance for this, with a level of cover appropriate for the value and number of vehicles you are transporting.
- Employers’ Liability Insurance – If you employ any staff as part of your business, this insurance is a legal requirement. It covers you against the cost of defending claims of alleged injury from members of staff.
- Public Liability insurance – There is always the possibility of a member of the public making a claim against you for alleged personal injury. They could also claim for damage to their property, including their vehicle. Public liability insurance protects you against the legal costs of defending these claims. It can also pay out for any successful claims lodged against your business.
- Business Premises cover – Provides insurance for the rebuild cost of any buildings you occupy to run your recovery business.
- Tools and Equipment – Cover can be arranged for any specialist tools and equipment stored at business premises (a compound or yard, for example).
- Engineering Inspection – A separate policy to provide inspections of equipment on-site by qualified engineers, to comply with Health and Safety at Work legislation.
- Money Cover – For any money stored on premises for business use.
- Personal Possessions Insurance – Cover available through selected insurers for money and personal possessions in transit (limits apply).
- Events and Exhibitions cover – Insurance for vehicles on display or in use at events such as the Professional Recovery Tow Show.
- Group Personal Accident and Sickness insurance – Designed for business directors and employees, this cover can prove useful for the risky work involved in roadside recovery.
These are just some of the covers available. If you have a connected business, such as vehicle service and repair, you may need additional motor trade insurance covers. For specialist advice, just give us a call.
How much does breakdown and recovery agent’s insurance cost?
The cost of cover depends on a range of factors, including:
- The type of vehicle(s) you need cover for
- Vehicle miles covered
- The level of cover selected (third party, third party fire and theft, or comprehensive) for your vehicle(s)
- The number of drivers on the policy
- The level of driving experience of each named driver
- The location of your business
- The value of any tools and equipment you wish to cover
Speak to us for a tailored quote.
How to save money on breakdown and recovery operator insurance
- Build up a no-claims bonus. The less claims you make, the more likely it is you will get a competitive insurance premium.
- Install telematics – telematics and dashcams can prove invaluable in recording accidents and incidents on the road and reporting them directly to your insurer.
- Employ experienced drivers and limit time spent on the road – this will help to keep your premium down and reduce the risk of accidents.
- Keep up to date with Risk Management – making sure you run a safe business means less chance of harm to you and your staff, as well as cheaper recovery operator insurance.
Read our comprehensive guide on how to save even more
Why choose ChoiceQuote?
ChoiceQuote has vast knowledge of the recovery industry, with over 25 years’ experience. We can compare cover with multiple insurers and provide advice on the right insurance to meet your needs. You only pay for the cover you need, and it’s all at competitive prices.
We are also proud supporters of the Slow Down or Move Over campaign, helping to raise awareness of the dangers of roadside recovery to keep you as safe as possible while you carry out your job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Road risk vs combined motor trade insurance – what’s the difference?
Road risks insurance is the minimum legal requirement for motor traders and is suited to smaller traders, mostly operating from home. This could protect you against losses arising from incidents on the public roads, such as collisions with other vehicles. Motor trade combined insurance protects you against road risks and includes cover for your business premises (rented or owned), damage to bodywork or theft of a vehicle, and theft of tools or money from your property.Can I cover my home address with motor trade insurance?
Road risks insurance cover is available for individuals who work from a home address. If your business is based at a residential property, call ChoiceQuote. We can help you to understand if this is likely to affect your policy and the premium you pay.Can I use motor trade insurance as a personal policy?
Motor trade insurance cover is designed for people who work in the trade and need to drive customers' cars, e.g. for road testing or recovery purposes. It should not be used as a personal 'any car' insurance policy. If you need insurance to drive any car but you are not in the motor trade, we may still be able to find you the best cover.What other policies do you offer?
We know that you rely on your vehicle to make a living. In an unfortunate case of a breakdown, you will want to get back on the road as soon as possible. We offer breakdown cover in addition to your existing policy or as a new policy. Legal expenses cover is also available.What’s the excess on motor trade insurance?
The typical compulsory excess on a motor trade road risks policy is around £250. You can reduce your premium by paying a voluntary excess on motor trade insurance claims. Just make sure to calculate the best balance between upfront cost and voluntary excess, so you can cover any fees during a subsequent claim.What if I work part-time in the motor trade?
Part-time motor traders still need appropriate insurance cover. We can help you to find the right motor trade policy, whether you're full-time, part-time, still in training, work from home or on a mobile basis.Do I need a business insurance policy for my vehicle?
Courier van insurance is required to protect your vehicle while you work as a courier. This, in effect, means it is a business insurance policy for your vehicle. Standard van or commercial van insurance won't normally cover you if you have an accident while working as a courier.Can I add a named driver to my traders’ insurance policy?
Yes, you can. However, the more named drivers you list on a motor trade insurance policy, the higher your premium will be. Try to restrict driving privileges to as few individuals as possible if you want to get the best value motor trade insurance.Will I receive a discount for insuring multiple vehicles?
If you have three or more courier vehicles to insure, you should consider a courier fleet policy. This normally makes it cheaper to cover each vehicle, and also means you can manage all your vehicles under one policy.