Compare HGV Insurance

Yes. Any HGV operator using vehicles over 3.5 tonnes for hire and reward or own goods above declared limits requires an O-licence from the Traffic Commissioner. Insurers will request the O-licence number at the quote stage, and operating without one voids cover for the journey.

A comprehensive HGV policy covers road risks (third party, fire and theft, accidental damage), goods in transit, trailer cover, public and employers’ liability, breakdown and recovery, and optional European cover. Specialist add-ons cover refrigeration breakdown, ADR dangerous goods and tipper site work.

7.5 tonne owner-drivers typically pay £1,800 to £3,500 a year. Established single rigid or articulated HGVs sit between £3,000 and £6,500. New venture operators, ADR specialists and refrigerated hauliers range from £5,000 to £12,000+ per vehicle. Larger fleets and European work require bespoke underwriting.

A Restricted O-licence allows you to carry your own goods only. Standard National permits the hire and reward haulage of third-party goods within Great Britain. Standard International allows hire and reward haulage, including cross-border European work. Standard licences require a qualified transport manager (CPC holder).

Goods in transit (GIT) cover responds to cargo loss, damage or theft while goods are in your care, custody and control. It typically operates under RHA Conditions of Carriage at £1,300 per tonne for UK haulage, or a higher contractual limit declared on the schedule. CMR conventions apply to international haulage.

Not always. HGV motor insurance covers the vehicle itself, not the cargo. Goods in transit is a separate cover line, sometimes built into haulage policies and sometimes priced as an extension. Without GIT in place, the operator carries the cost of every cargo claim personally.

Driver Certificate of Professional Competence is the mandatory qualification for HGV drivers working for hire and reward. It requires 35 hours of periodic training every five years. Without a current CPC, the driver cannot lawfully drive an HGV commercially, and insurance does not respond to incidents during non-compliant journeys.

New venture operators in their first year of trading have no claims history, unproven operational discipline and an amber-default OCRS score. Insurers price these factors as higher risk, typically loading premiums 30% to 60% above equivalent established operators. Year-two renewals usually drop significantly with a clean trading record.

No. Standard van and light commercial insurance covers vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes only. Operating an HGV on van insurance leaves you uninsured under the Road Traffic Act 1988, voids any claim made, and creates a serious operator licence breach with potential revocation. HGV insurance is mandatory for any vehicle above 3.5 tonnes used commercially.

The Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) is the DVSA’s risk rating for HGV operators, based on roadside encounters, maintenance compliance and prohibition history. Operators scored green sit in the low-risk band and routinely access better insurance terms than amber or red operators on otherwise identical fleet profiles.

Comprehensive HGV policies typically include trailer cover for trailers attached to the vehicle at the time of the incident. Cover for unattached trailers, third-party trailer hire and trailer interchange agreements usually requires specific extensions. Always confirm trailer cover scope on the policy schedule rather than assuming it is included.

Haulage cover is for operators carrying third-party goods for payment, requiring a Standard National or Standard International O-licence. Own goods cover is for operators transporting their own products (manufacturer deliveries, builder’s materials), requiring a Restricted O-licence. The two products price differently and underwrite separately.

Yes. Standard UK HGV insurance does not automatically extend to European haulage. Cross-border work requires a Standard International O-licence, European cover endorsed on the policy schedule, green card insurance documentation, and customs paperwork. Without these, journeys to Europe are uninsured and not legally authorised.

HGV fleet insurance covers two or more HGVs on a single policy, often combining different vehicle types (rigid, artic, tipper) on shared terms. Fleet rating moves from individual driver underwriting to claims experience and operational profile, with any-driver structures and telematics-backed pricing commonly available.

The strongest premium-reduction levers are fitting telematics and forward-facing cameras, documenting driver training beyond statutory CPC, parking overnight in a secure depot or TAPA-accredited yard, improving the OCRS compliance score, agreeing a higher voluntary excess, and using a specialist HGV broker rather than a generic comparison site.

Insurers routinely request tachograph downloads at the claim stage to verify the driver was compliant with driving hours and rest periods at the time of the incident. Tachograph manipulation, excessive driving hours or missing downloads can trigger declined claims and trigger DVSA enforcement against the operator’s licence.

Yes, fleet policies allow mid-term additions of new vehicles, with the insurer adjusting the premium pro rata based on remaining policy duration and vehicle profile. Always notify the insurer before the new vehicle is used commercially, since unnotified additions sit outside the schedule and are uninsured.

A suspended or revoked operator licence stops the operator from running HGVs for hire and reward immediately. Insurance does not respond to journeys made during suspension, and the Traffic Commissioner typically notifies insurers. Renewal terms can be loaded materially or declined entirely until the licence is reinstated.

Generic comparison sites are built around mainstream private and commercial motor insurance, and either decline HGV business or price it at the loaded edge without understanding O-licence compliance, GIT or fleet rating. Specialist HGV brokers underwrite haulage business daily and have access to Lloyd’s syndicates and specialist insurers that price the risk properly.