Courier Insurance Comparison

Insurance for Courier Drivers

If you work as a courier driver your regular car insurance policy won’t cover you during those courier journeys – you’ll need a standalone courier insurance policy instead.

This type of policy is usually more expensive than private car insurance or motorbike insurance, because the risk profile is different for couriers. That’s why it’s essential that you compare quotes for courier insurance policies from a range of different providers – shopping around can increase your odds of finding a cheaper courier insurance policy.

What level of coverage can I take out when I’m ready to compare courier insurance?

You can choose between:

• Third party only cover, which only pays out for damage to other vehicles, property or people
• Third party, fire and theft cover, which pays out if your car or van is stolen, damaged or destroyed by fire
• Comprehensive cover, which provides the highest levels of protection for your car, van, or bike, and includes all of the coverage you’d get with a third party, fire, theft policy, but will also pay for repairs to your own vehicle in an at-fault accident.

What does courier insurance cover?

Courier insurance is often bundled together with other forms of insurance, such as haulage insurance or goods-in-transit insurance, but you shouldn’t assume these are included as standard. That’s why it’s vital that you check your courier insurance policy’s documentation and list of exclusions.

What should be included as standard though, is damage to other vehicles, property or people by your courier vehicle. And if you opt for a comprehensive courier insurance policy, damage to your own car, van or motorbike should be covered in the event of an accident.

Bear in mind policies will have different terms and conditions though, so check before purchasing. For example, even if your policy includes goods-in-transit insurance you might not be covered if the goods aren’t packed correctly at source. Or if you take out a fully comprehensive courier insurance policy, you likely won’t be covered if your vehicle is stolen and the theft is due to negligence (you left the keys in the ignition, for instance).

Does courier insurance include public liability cover?

Not as standard, but some courier insurance specialists may let you bundle public liability insurance with your courier insurance policy.

How do I know if I actually need courier insurance? Isn’t ‘business use car insurance’ enough?

It will depend on how you use your vehicle. ‘Business use’ on standard car insurance policies will cover you for driving to client meetings, to attend seminars or conferences, or for other business trips. But if you use your car to deliver anything for customers then you will need a specific courier insurance policy.

Which type of delivery cover fits the work you do?

Start with your vehicle and how you get paid. A van driver doing multi-drop parcels needs different cover from a student doing two takeaway shifts a week on a moped.

Not sure which row you fit? Our hire and reward page explains the class of use that sits underneath every option above.

What to have ready before you get a courier quote

Insurers price this work on detail, so a few minutes of prep makes the quote more accurate. Have these to hand:

• Your driving licence details and the date you passed your test
• The vehicle registration, plus any modifications such as racking or a tow bar
• Who you deliver for, and whether you work for one platform or several
• Roughly how many hours a week you drive for work, and when
• Where the vehicle is kept overnight
• Any claims or motoring convictions in the last five years
• The value of a typical load, if you want goods in transit added

How much is courier insurance, and what changes the price?

There is no single price, because insurers rate each driver and vehicle differently. Quotes tend to move with these factors:

• The vehicle type, value and size, with larger vans usually costing more to insure
• Your age, licence history and claims record
• The area you work in and where the vehicle sleeps at night
• How many hours you drive and whether you work late evenings
• What you carry, as high-value goods raise the goods in transit premium
• The excess you agree to pay if you claim

Insurance Premium Tax is also added to general insurance premiums at the standard rate of 12% (HMRC, Insurance Premium Tax), so it is part of every quote you see.

Comparing quotes side by side shows how far prices can differ for the same job. Tiger.co.uk passes your details to Seopa Ltd (FCA FRN 313860), which runs the comparison, and the insurers you see are all FCA-authorised. Over three million people use the service.

Cover for young and newly qualified couriers

Drivers under 25 can still find delivery cover, though fewer insurers quote and prices are usually higher. A few things can widen your choice.

• Choose a smaller, lower-powered vehicle where the work allows it
• Ask whether a telematics box or app-based policy is available
• Agree a higher voluntary excess only if you could afford to pay it
• Check the platform’s own rules first, as some set a minimum age

Moped riders need a valid CBT certificate or a full licence. CBT lets you ride a moped from 16 or a 125cc bike from 17 on L plates. You must pass your full test within 2 years (GOV.UK, CBT). Amazon Flex, for example, asks drivers to be 18 or older (Amazon Flex requirements).

Self employed courier insurance and running a delivery business

A self-employed courier needs hire and reward cover on their own vehicle. Add goods in transit or public liability cover if a contract asks for it.

The premium also counts for tax. GOV.UK lists vehicle insurance as an allowable business expense, though fines and non-business driving are not (GOV.UK, travel expenses).

You can use flat mileage rates instead. For the 2026 to 2027 tax year that is 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles in a car or van, then 25p (GOV.UK, simplified expenses). Insurance is built into those rates, so you cannot claim it twice.

Taking on staff changes things. Employers must hold employers’ liability insurance of at least £5 million from an authorised insurer, and can be fined £2,500 for every day they are not properly insured (GOV.UK). See our employers’ liability page and business van insurance if you run more than one vehicle.

What happens if you deliver without the right cover?

Delivering on a private-only policy means you are not insured for that trip. Police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 points, and a court can add an unlimited fine or a driving ban. The vehicle can also be seized (GOV.UK).

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau says there are 335,000 uninsured vehicles on UK roads on any given day (MIB). Those are vehicles with no insurance at all.

A class-of-use gap is a different problem. The vehicle still shows as insured, but a paid delivery on a private-only policy is not covered.

Ian Wilson, Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk, says: “A policy only protects the driving it lists. Check the words ‘hire and reward’ are on your certificate before your first drop, not after a bump.”

Related cover delivery drivers often add

Two products sit naturally beside a courier policy. Goods in transit insurance protects the parcels you carry, and breakdown cover gets you moving again when a missed slot costs money. If you meet customers face to face, public liability cover is also worth a look.

Can I get temporary courier insurance for a short contract?

Yes. Some insurers sell hire and reward cover by the day, week or month, which can suit a trial period or a seasonal contract. Check the end date and diarise it, as cover stops when the term ends.

Can one policy cover my delivery shifts and my personal driving?

Often, yes. Many courier policies include social, domestic and pleasure use alongside delivery work, but some only cover working hours. Check the class of use on the quote before you buy.

Know which row you fit? Start a courier quote on Tiger.co.uk and check the cover and excess on each result, because policies vary.