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Motor trade insurance

Accessory Fitter Insurance

cover for fitting things to vehicles, from towbars and roof racks to audio and cameras

Motor trade cover for a business fitting accessories to vehicles. The products liability section carries the weight, because anything attached to a vehicle can fail once it is on the road.

  • Towbars, racks and audio
  • Workshop and mobile fitting
  • Stock and tools covered
  • FCA authorised and regulated

Quick answerAccessory fitting covers a wide range of jobs with one thing in common: something you attached to a vehicle then travels on the road. A towbar that fails or a rack that lets go is a products liability claim, and that is the section to get right. Stock and tools fill out the rest. Tell us what you fit, and specialist UK brokers can come back with quotes.

Mainly wiring work? Our auto electricians insurance page covers vehicle electrics.

At a glance

Accessory Fitting, at a Glance

Six things that shape cover for a fitting business.

What you fit travels at speed
Which is the whole exposure
Towbars carry a load behind
And a failure is serious
Wiring is often involved
Which brings its own risk
Stock is varied and portable
And attractive to thieves
Mobile fitting is common
At homes and workplaces
Work is to customer vehicles
Custody applies while you have it

The basics

What Attaching Things to Vehicles Puts at Risk

The vehicle drives away with your work on it. Whether that is a towbar, a roof box or a camera wired into the loom, the exposure is the same in kind.

Products liability

Anything fitted, after it leaves.

Vehicles in custody

While the work is done.

Electrical work

Where the fitting is wired in.

Stock of accessories

Held for fitting.

Public liability

Customers and their property.

Mobile working

Fitting away from base.

How it works

What Happens Between Asking and Being Quoted

It is a quick form. The care goes into the description of the trade, because that is the field an underwriter reads first.

  1. Say what you do

    The trade decides most of the price.

  2. Name the drivers

    Age and experience both count.

  3. Describe the work

    Towbars, racks, audio, cameras, lighting or conversions.

  4. Compare properly

    Cover level, limits, excesses and conditions.

What it covers

What an Accessory Fitter’s Policy Covers

Road risk, stock, tools and liability. As with most fitting trades the liability section is the one that decides whether the policy was worth having.

The sections an accessory fitting business relies on
SectionWhere it sitsWhat to know
Cover to drive trade vehiclesCoreVehicles in your custody for trade purposes
Liability to third partiesIncluded throughoutThe minimum a trade policy carries
Fire and theftHigher levelsRated on the premises and the security
Own damage to trade vehiclesComprehensiveIncluding vehicles on a test drive
Employers liabilityWhere you have staffIncluding part-time help and family
Premises, plant and toolsCombined policiesThe workshop side of the business
Legal expensesOptionalDisputes, prosecutions and recovery

A towbar failure is the worst case. Something detaching from a vehicle at speed with a trailer behind it is a serious claim, and it is why the products liability limit deserves thought rather than acceptance.

What it leaves out

Where an Accessory Fitter’s Policy Draws the Line

A trade policy covers trade activity. The list below is what sits outside that, and it is short enough to be worth reading properly.

Vehicles outside the trade

A private car needs declaring to be covered.

Use the policy does not describe

Trade use is defined, not assumed.

The work itself, done again

Faulty work is put right at your cost.

Mechanical and electrical failure

Unless caused by an insured event.

Drivers outside the conditions

Including unlicensed and excluded people.

Refitting an accessory that has failed

The rework is yours; the consequences may be covered.

What gets fitted

Towbars, Racks, Audio and Vehicle Conversions

The range is wide, and the further a job goes into the vehicle’s structure or wiring the more an insurer wants it described.

Towbars and tow equipment

Structural, and load bearing.

Roof racks and boxes

Carried at speed, above the vehicle.

Audio and entertainment

Wired into the vehicle.

Cameras and telematics

Small units, wired in.

Auxiliary lighting

Beacons, bars and work lights.

Conversions and adaptations

Larger, more involved work.

Wiring rather than fitting? See auto electricians insurance.

Who it suits

Who Fits Accessories for a Living

It is a trade of specialists, from towbar fitters working out of a van to conversion shops adapting vehicles for particular uses.

Towbar fitters

Mobile and workshop based.

Audio and security installers

Wired-in equipment.

Telematics installers

Fleet tracking and cameras.

Lighting specialists

Commercial and agricultural.

Conversion businesses

Adapting vehicles for use.

Accessory retailers who fit

Sales with fitting behind.

Selling as well as fitting? See vehicle sales insurance.

Bolt-on or wired in

Bolting Something On vs Wiring Something In

Both leave with the vehicle. One can fall off; the other can cause a fire. Insurers treat them as different activities.

Mechanically fitted and electrically wired accessories compared
Bolted onWired in
Main failure modeDetachingElectrical fault
When it showsUnder loadSometimes much later
Skill emphasisedMechanical fixingElectrical knowledge
Typical jobTowbar or rackAudio, camera or tracker

Doing electrical work? See auto electricians insurance.

Cost

What Sets the Price on Accessory Fitting

What you fit, liability limits, stock values, where you work and the claims record. We do not print average premiums.

Why the type of fitting matters

A roof box and a towbar are both attached to a vehicle, and only one of them tows two tonnes down a motorway. Insurers price what you actually fit rather than the trade name.

Why records help here

A job record showing the part used, the torque applied and the instructions followed is what stands between you and a claim you did not cause.

What the quote is rated on

The main factors

  • What is fittedTowbars, racks, audio or conversionsBase
  • Liability limitsPublic and productsRate
  • Stock valueAccessories heldRate
  • Where you workWorkshop, mobile or bothRate
  • Claims recordRecent yearsAdjust
Security at the premises and key control both change the terms offered

Record every fitting

Part, torque and method.

Use manufacturer instructions

And keep them on file.

Secure the stock

Accessories are portable.

The details

Four Things an Accessory Fitter Should Confirm

A short list, but the one that matters. These are the terms an insurer will look at first if you ever have to claim on an accessory fitting business.

  1. Keep drivers declared

    Including part-time and family help.

  2. Follow the security terms

    They are conditions, not suggestions.

  3. Report turnover accurately

    A large gap is difficult to explain later.

  4. Fit to the manufacturer instructions

    And record that you did.

Quote checklist

What a Broker Asks of an Accessory Fitter

This is the whole list. With it in front of you, an accessory fitting business can be quoted in a single conversation.

What the trade is

Towbars, racks, audio, cameras, lighting or conversions.

Who drives

Age, licence and any convictions.

Where the vehicles sit

A workshop, a storage unit, a van or a secured garage.

Turnover

The figure the policy is rated on.

Claims record

Recent years, in full.

Sections needed

Road risk alone, or the full package.

Comparing

Reading Two Quotes on the Fitting Terms

A cheaper quote is only cheaper if it does the same job. Check these before deciding.

The numbers

  • Level of road risk cover
  • Liability limits offered
  • Excesses, compulsory and voluntary

The people

  • Who may drive under the policy
  • Age and licence conditions
  • Whether test drives by customers are allowed

On this trade specifically

  • Products liability limit
  • Towbar fitting accepted
  • Stock and tools covered

Ask whether towbar fitting is specifically included. Some policies treat it separately. Unfamiliar terms are explained in our plain English jargon guide.

Cutting costs

Bringing an Accessory Fitter Premium Down Over Time

The levers are job records, manufacturer methods, stock security and a clean record. We publish no savings figures.

Write up every job

It is your defence later.

Follow the fitting instructions

And keep the copy.

Secure stock overnight

Accessories are easy to move on.

Match the liability limit

To the heaviest thing you fit.

Train on wiring work

Where you do it.

Compare every renewal

Fitting trades are priced inconsistently.

Glossary

Accessory Fitting Terms, Explained

The words that come up when your work drives away on somebody else’s vehicle.

Road risk only
A policy covering the driving alone, with no premises section.
Combined policy
Everything in one: driving, buildings, stock, tools and liability.
Trade plate
A temporary plate for moving untaxed vehicles on trade business.
Stock in trade
Vehicles held for sale, covered on a declared value basis.
Vehicles in custody
Other people’s vehicles you are responsible for.
Demo cover
Cover while a potential buyer is driving.
Liability limits
The ceilings on what the policy pays for injury and damage.
Business interruption
Cover for lost income after an insured event stops trading.
Excess
The part of a claim you pay before the insurer contributes.
Key security
How keys are stored, which is a condition on almost every trade policy.

Why MyMoneyComparison.com

Why Accessory Fitters Compare Through MyMoneyComparison.com

MyMoneyComparison.com is an FCA-authorised UK comparison service that introduces motor traders to specialist brokers. We do not sell insurance and we do not give advice: the broker you choose arranges the policy. Using us is free.

1

One form, one business

Describe the business once, instead of repeating yourself to each broker.

0

Advice given

We are an introducer, not a broker. We do not sell policies and we do not recommend one insurer or product over another. Read our editorial policy.

FCA

Authorised and regulated

MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd appears on the FCA register under FRN 916241.

2013

Incorporated

A UK company since 2013. FCA authorisation is separate and later; the register carries its date.

Read our customer reviewsSee what people say about us on Trustpilot

FAQs

Accessory Fitter Insurance FAQs

Answers on towbars, roof racks, audio, dash cameras and work that affects the vehicle.

What if a towbar I fitted fails?

That is a products liability claim and potentially a serious one, because a trailer coming loose at speed causes real harm. The fitting record and the manufacturer instructions are the defence.

Is a roof rack the same risk?

Lower, but the same in kind: something attached to a vehicle travelling at speed. Insurers will ask what you fit rather than treating all accessory work as one thing.

Does wiring work need declaring separately?

It is worth being specific. Anything wired into the vehicle brings the possibility of an electrical fault later, which is a different exposure from a bolt-on fitting.

Is my stock covered?

Under a stock section where you hold accessories waiting to be fitted. It is portable, saleable and easy to move on, so the security around it is asked about closely and the overnight arrangement matters as much as the total value.

Can I fit at the customer’s home?

Yes, and it is common for towbars and cameras. Declare mobile working, because it puts you on somebody else’s property with their vehicle in pieces.

Do I need trade road risk?

If you move or test customer vehicles, yes. Even a fitting business that works mostly on a driveway usually needs to reposition the vehicle at some point.

What records should I keep?

The part fitted, the instructions followed, torque settings where they apply and the date. It takes a minute and it is what separates a defended claim from an indefensible one.

Are conversions treated differently?

Yes, because they go further into the vehicle and often change how it is used. Adapting a vehicle is not the same trade as bolting on a rack, and it should be described as its own activity.

Can I trade without motor trade insurance?

Not once vehicles belonging to other people are involved. The cover exists precisely because an ordinary policy stops at your own vehicle, and that is not where this work happens.

Should I take premises cover as well?

If you have a unit, a forecourt or a workshop, it usually makes sense to bring it into one combined policy. If you work from customer sites, road risk alone may be all you need.

Are part-time traders covered?

Yes, and there are policies written specifically for it. What matters is that the arrangement is described honestly, including any other job you hold alongside it.

What happens if my turnover grows?

Tell the insurer. It is a mid-term change rather than a problem, and a turnover that has doubled since inception is the kind of thing that gets examined after a large claim.

Are stock vehicles insured on site?

Only where stock in trade has been included and declared. Road risk alone covers the driving, not the value of vehicles standing on your forecourt.

What do insurers ask about keys?

Where they are kept, whether the store is locked and whether it is visible from outside. It is a condition on almost every policy in this trade.

Is there a maximum vehicle value?

Usually, and it is easy to exceed without noticing. Ask what the single vehicle limit is before taking in something expensive, because working on it outside that limit leaves you carrying the risk.

How fast can a policy be set up?

Often the same day, once the information is complete. The driver details are reliably the slow part, so have licence numbers, dates of birth and any convictions written down before you begin rather than chasing them afterwards.

Ready when you are

Get the Fitting Work Covered

Tell us what you fit and where. Specialist UK brokers can then come back with quotes. Free to use, with no obligation to buy.

  • Towbars, racks, audio and vehicle conversions
  • Free to use, no obligation
  • FCA authorised and regulated

Free to use · No obligation · UK brokers

About this page

This page explains UK cover for accessory fitters: towbars, racks, audio, cameras and conversions, and what happens when something fitted to a vehicle fails on the road. It is general information rather than advice. Policies differ between insurers, so read your own documents and put the questions raised here to your insurer or broker.

How we approached this page

  • Published UK motor trade policy summaries
  • Fitted accessories, towbar work and stock held
  • Financial Ombudsman material on motor insurance complaints