HGV Insurance

HGV Insurance – Compare Cheap Quotes

If you run a business that relies on heavy goods vehicles for its business operations then it’s vital that you have the best possible HGV insurance in place to protect your company’s assets. Whether you’re an owner-operator looking to insure a single HGV, or a fleet owner looking to cover all your HGVs, it’s important to ensure you have the right insurance in place before you get behind the wheel.

However, just because you need a good HGV insurance policy doesn’t mean you should pay over the odds for it – and that’s where we come in.

Quotezone.co.uk’s comparison service can help you compare HGV insurance quotes from a wide range of different providers, which could increase your odds of finding the right HGV insurance at the best possible price.

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How much does HGV insurance cost?

The insurance premium calculation for insuring a heavy goods vehicle is dependent on a wide range of different factors, including the age and type vehicle, where you keep the HGV when you aren’t driving it, your estimated annual mileage, where you operate your heavy goods vehicle, your driving record and whether or not you have any points on your HGV licence, the level of cover that you require and how many years’ no-claims bonus you have will also play a factor.

Given how many variables influence your insurance premium calculation, the only way to get an accurate idea of how much your HGV insurance might cost is to compare insurance quotes from a number of different insurance providers and then go with the one that offers you the best HGV insurance coverage at the best price.

Insurance companies will take into consideration factors relating to the policyholder and any other HGV drivers that are named on the policy for obvious reasons. If you are not the primary driver of the truck, then your insurer will want to know who will be the primary operator. It is important to remember that even if you are paying for the insurance policy yourself, it is still required to list who will be operating your vehicles as they are the ones most likely to be involved in an accident.

The type of info collected will Include their driving record, how long they’ve held their licence and the size of their no claims bonus. Since so many factors are at play when it comes to the cost of your HGV insurance policy, the best plan is to use our price comparison service to compare HGV insurance quotes from a range of different insurance companies, and then go with the one that offers the best truck insurance cover at the best price.

The easiest way of ensuring you are getting the cheapest HGV insurance for your company is to compare multiple quotes from multiple insurers online. This exposes you to more offers on the UK market and allows for you to get a better idea of what you should expect to pay for your desired coverage. Once you have a sense of how much your insurance policy is likely to cost, you’ll now be able to hunt down the best-valued deals.

When comparing policies there are a few steps you should always follow before selecting a policy. Always check the details of your policy to ensure you are getting the right coverage, cheapest isn’t always best as you may be missing out on key coverage. Always confirm what is covered in your policy before you complete the purchase of a policy. Being caught with the wrong coverage can be a major financial headache should you be caught needing to make a claim further down the road.

What counts as a HGV for insurance companies?

A HGV is classified in the UK as a vehicle with a combined weight exceeding 3500KG including it’s payload. This typically refers to trucks but can In reality refer to any vehicle exceeding 3.5 tonnes

Does HGV insurance cover me if I’m carrying hazardous materials?

Yes, it should still be possible to find suitable HGV insurance even if you use your vehicle to transport hazardous materials.

However, it’s vital that you declare this fact to insurers, as failure to do so could result in your policy being cancelled. This once again comes down to risk factors, goods which are classified as non-standard will typically require a specialised policy. Common goods which are classified as hazardous include:

• Medical equipment
• Organs and blood
• disinfectants.
• Hazardous chemicals
• Concrete 
• paint.
• pesticides.
• Fuel products.

Who needs HGV insurance?

Whether you run a business that relies on a fleet of heavy goods vehicles for its business operations, or simply are the sole operator of your own HGV, Then it’s vital that you have the best possible insurance in place to protect your asset. HGVs aren’t cheap, in fact they can tower many tens of thousands of pounds over other common road vehicles. Because of this you’ll want to be sure that you are properly covered against any eventualities.

HGV insurance or Heavy Goods Vehicle insurance is used to describe a vehicle such as a truck which is used to delivery heavy goods and typically has a weight of over 3.5 tonnes. These vehicles are typically used to long distances and transport goods both nationally and internationally. They can also accommodate a payload of up to 44 tonnes which puts them leaps and bounds beyond many other vehicle classes on the road. They are also typically more difficult to service and repair as their sheer size and weight can make carrying out repairs more difficult and costly.

However, just because you need a good HGV insurance policy doesn’t mean you should pay over the odds for it – and that’s where we come in.

Quotezone.co.uk’s truck insurance comparison service can help you compare HGV insurance quotes from a wide range of different providers, which could increase your odds of finding the right HGV insurance at the best possible price.

Is it possible to take out ‘third party only’ HGV insurance?

Yes, as with car insurance, HGV insurance offers three levels of coverage:

• Third party only HGV insurance
• Third party, fire and theft
• Fully comprehensive HGV insurance

Third party only HGV insurance is the minimum level of coverage required by law in the UK, so it should be possible to find an HGV insurance specialist who is willing to offer third party HGV insurance.

However, it’s important to be aware of the limitations of this type of policy. As the name suggests, it is only designed to protect third parties if your heavy goods vehicle is involved in an accident, and won’t cover any repairs to your own vehicle.

How can I find cheap HGV insurance?

Most HGV operators would likely never describe their HGV insurance as ‘cheap’, but there are a few steps you can take to increase your odds of finding cheaper HGV insurance, such as:

• Shopping around for the best deals – First and foremost, HGV operators and fleet managers should shop around for the best HGV insurance deals by using a price comparison site like Quotezone.co.uk, which can help HGV drivers compare quotes from a range of different truck insurance specialists. We can also help you find car insurance for HGV drivers which are typically offered at a cheaper price due to insurers classifying HGV drivers as professional drivers by trade.
• Avoiding ‘any driver’ HGV insurance policies – Lorry insurance policies that insure any licenced truck driver to drive that heavy goods vehicle tend to be the most expensive option, because the insurer won’t have any information about the driver(s). It’s usually cheaper to add multiple named drivers to an HGV insurance policy than it is to opt for ‘any driver’ HGV insurance.
• Avoid younger, less experienced HGV drivers if possible – HGV insurance for young drivers tends to be very expensive, so it would be a wise idea to hire experienced heavy goods vehicle operators with clean driving records if at all possible.
• Avoid branding – Branding on your fleet vehicles can be classed as a modification by some insurers and may even void your insurance if not properly declared. Data from Quotezone.co.uk has revealed that vehicles with additional signage and branding can change a vehicles risk profile in the eyes of insurers. To find out more follow our article on how branding could void insurance.

What type of add-ons can I include with my fleet insurance policy?

You’ll be able to add on other types of insurance coverage to your policy to give your fleet the extra protection it needs, for example common add-ons include:

• Breakdown cover – Not typically included as standard on fleet policies but can prove invaluable if one of your drivers needs roadside assistance.
• Goods in transit insurance (GIT) – This covers any goods you’re transporting that meet your insurers criteria.
• Carriage of own goods – This Insures tools or equipment you own while in transit. This sometimes falls under GIT insurance but isn’t always automatically included. If you need it, it’s vital to check that it’s part of your GIT policy before making a purchase.
• Hire and reward – If you transport other people for money then you’ll need this type of insurance.
• Employers’ liability – In the UK, you’ll need this by law if you have any employees. It pays the costs if a member of staff becomes ill or is injured because of work. If you employ staff without this type of insurance you could be fined £2,500 for every day you go without it. Employers liability insurance is usually set up when you start operating your business, however if your fleet is new you can have this added to your policy.
• Public liability – This pays legal fees and compensation if a member of the public has an accident or has their property damaged and blames your business.
• Personal effects cover – This covers any personal possessions that are stolen or damaged from your vehicle.
• Legal expenses cover – This pays legal fees if you need to go to court.
• Replacement locks – In case vehicle keys are lost or stolen, this will cover the cost of installing replacement locks.
• Trailer cover – This covers you to tow trailers depending on what you have (like a horse box, boat trailer or a flatbed).

Can Quotezone.co.uk help me get cheaper fleet insurance?

At Quotezone.co.uk, we are insurance comparison experts. We help motorists find cheaper insurance by connecting them to quotes from a large panel of UK based specialist providers. This increases your chances of finding the cheapest HGV insurance policies, as you will have a greater selection of fleet insurance quotes to compare simply by filling in one quick form. By filling in a quick form with your fleet details we can offer you quotes from top UK based insurance providers so you can start comparing in moments.