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The Fleet Insurance Specialists
Fleet Insurance
Insuring two or more? Talk to the people who know the score!
If you are looking to insure two or more vehicles, we can help with a range of specialist fleet insurance options.
We can arrange commercial vehicle fleet insurance for everything from cars and motorbikes through vans, trucks, taxis, coaches, oversized vehicles and more.
Options include any and named driver cover, hire and reward, carriage of own goods and goods-in-transit insurance.
Through our panel of commercial insurers we can serve all types of business, with logistics, haulage and courier insurance among the specialist policies we arrange.
In addition our commercial policy portfolio includes telematics-powered Pay-As-You-Go fleet insurance.
We offer fleet insurance options for:
- Logistics, haulage and courier businesses.
- Own goods fleets.
- Risk-managed fleets.
- Hire and reward.
- Taxis and chauffeurs.
- Coach and public service vehicles (PSVs).
- Self-drive hire vehicle businesses.
- Catering van insurance, including coffee and ice cream vans.
- Removal contractors.
- Oversized vehicles.
- All business types.
- Home fleet.
At your service
Our service includes a free and personal assessment of your company’s specific fleet insurance needs – so that whatever keeps your business motoring is well protected.
Hire and reward, goods-in-transit, carriage of own goods.Risk managed fleets.Any and named driver.Cars, motorbikes, vans, trucks, taxis, coaches, oversized vehicles and more.Taxis, chauffeurs, coach, PSV, removal contractors, self-hire vehicle companies.Specialist policies for logistics, haulage and courier businesses.
For the best quote chat to our friendly and informed UK based call centre team
FLEET INSURANCE QUOTES: A GUIDE TO GETTING THE RIGHT DEAL
When navigating your business towards the best commercial vehicle fleet insurance deal, you might find it difficult to know which way to turn.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help steer you in the right direction!
There are many factors that can influence your fleet insurance quote. These include the types of vehicle you need to insure, who’s using them, what they’re used for and where.
Of course, you’re also bound by the law, which means that for your vehicles to hit the highway, you’ll need third party only (TPO) insurance as a legal minimum.
But there is, of course, a difference between what you need and what you want.
At the basic level this might mean opting for a higher level of motor insurance – Third Party, Fire & Theft (TPFT) or fully comprehensive. We’ll take a closer look at TPO, TPFT and comprehensive cover in a bit.
Beyond that you may want to pursue other options. For example, if you are using company vehicles to transport products or supplies between your sites, then you will likely want to protect those loads with carriage of own goods insurance.
If you’re being paid to deliver goods, then hire and reward insurance will likely be on your shopping list.
Hire & what insurance you may be asking! Don’t worry, read on and we’ll explain the different types of cover available, together with a few tips that may be useful in helping you finding a great fleet insurance deal.
Fleet insurance options
In this section we’ll start with the basics before looking at different options that might be a good fit for your fleet.
Third Party Only (TPO)
Third-party only insurance is the minimum cover you must have for your vehicles to be driven legally on public roads.
It will only cover you against claims made by other people – third parties – should they suffer injury or damage to their vehicles, property or themselves for which you/your business, as the policyholder, are responsible.
It will not pay to fix any damage to your vehicle or replace it should it be stolen or damaged following an accident or theft.
Third Party Fire & Theft (TPFT)
If one (or more) of your vehicles is stolen or suffers for damage, TPFT will cover its repair, provide a financial settlement based on the vehicle’s market value or arrange a replacement.
Comprehensive insurance
As well as offering the cover afforded by TPF&T, comprehensive insurance will also protect your vehicles against accidental damage.
Carriage of Own Goods insurance
If you are using vehicles to transport your own property whilst going about your business, then you might want to consider carriage of own goods insurance.
This covers your vehicle when it is carrying tools, equipment, raw materials and products you use for business purposes from a supplier or between your own work sites. It does not cover those items against theft or damage.
However, it will not cover your goods if you are being paid to deliver them. For this you would need carriage of own goods for hire and reward insurance.
Hire & Reward insurance
If you are using your vehicles to transport goods for other people in return for payment, then you are legally required to have hire and reward insurance.
This covers against claims made for injury and/or damage should an insured vehicle of yours be involved in an accident for which your driver is responsible.
Goods-in-Transit insurance
This is a specialist insurance particularly well suited to couriers, hauliers and logistics operators. It covers the loss, theft or damage to goods whilst you are transporting them.
Some policies will also protect against subsequent losses – such as those caused by failure to deliver. Cover may also be provided for goods when they are being handled by a subcontractor.
Whilst not legally required, some companies and public sector organisations may require their suppliers to have goods-in-transit insurance as a condition of trade.
Combined Liability Goods-in-Transit insurance
In addition to goods-in-transit cover, these policies also incorporate:
- Public Liability insurance which covers claims made against your business if someone is injured, dies or suffers loss or damage to their property through its actions.
- Employers’ Liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ permanent or temporary full or part-time staff. It will cover the cost of compensation claims made against you or your business, should an employee suffer a work-related injury or illness.
As these types of insurance are widely available as standalone policies, make sure you don’t already have cover before taking out combined liability goods-in-transit cover!
Haulage insurance
This is designed to cover vehicles and drivers making long-distance deliveries to a single destination, rather than making, local multi-drop deliveries.
Fleet insurance options
There are a number of optional covers that may not feature in a standard fleet insurance policy but which you may nonetheless want.
These include:
Foreign use
Most fleet insurance policies will typically include third-party only (TPO) insurance when your vehicles are driven abroad. This simply satisfies the minimum legal requirements.
If you want the additional benefits of comprehensive cover you will usually need to add this to your policy.
Fleet breakdown & accident assistance
A fleet vehicle stranded through breakdown or accident costs you both time and money. Breakdown and accident assistance helps speed you in getting your fleet back up to strength.
Goods-in-transit assistance
Typically, goods-in-transit cover (see above) is not included as standard with a fleet insurance policy. Depending upon the nature of your business, it could provide useful benefits in protecting goods or cargo whilst you are transporting them.
Tools & equipment insurance
Whether tools and equipment are covered will depend up the policy chosen. If not, you may wish to take out an additional policy to cover theft and accidental damage of tools and equipment which may be vital to your business.
How to get cheaper fleet insurance
Let’s be clear from the outset; cheap fleet insurance shouldn’t necessarily be your goal.
Indeed, you’d be wise to be wary. Not for nothing does the word “cheap” carry negative connotations.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t drive yourself a good deal. Just don’t cut corners.
Your starting point should always be the cover that you and your business actually needs or wants. Your final destination should be the best value fleet insurance policy you can find, one that offers the protections you need at a competitive price.
So how can you journey to that destination? Here’s a few tips.
Risk management
Because it can help reduce the risk of accidents, employing fleet risk management can win favour with commercial vehicle insurers.
Here a starting point might to examine your fleet claims history. This can identify if there are particular issues that could be addressed to minimise the risk of future claims.
For example, analysis might suggest that provision of defensive driving training could help reduce accident claims. Conversely, companies might introduce schemes to reward good driving records.
Another area in which fleet risk management might help is in identifying any weaknesses, or ways of strengthening, driver recruitment and induction protocols.
Telematics
Telematics systems are useful fleet management tools. They can be used to monitor and score driver behaviour. This can in turn be used to acknowledge good, safe driving and identify practices- such as speeding or sharp braking – from which drivers could benefit from additional or refreshed training.
Another obvious benefit is that telematics provide live location updates for company vehicles.
Because telematics systems can assist fleet managers and business owners in promoting safe driving – and delivering evidence of it – they are favoured by insurers.
Telematics- powered Pay-As-You-Go fleet insurance is also good way of managing costs on a day-to-day basis. Also known as usage-based fleet insurance, charges you based on the actual miles logged by telematics devices fitted to your vehicles.
Typically this works by adding a cost-per-mile to a fixed fleet cost base, invoiced monthly in arrears.
It won’t necessarily save you money compared to a standard fleet insurance policy, but could do if, for example, you need withdraw a fleet vehicle or vehicles from the road for a period. The key benefit is the ability to manage costs and cashflow.
For example, if you are putting in fewer miles, suggesting your business is not operating at full capacity, you’ll pay a lower premium at a time when your own revenues may be depressed.
The pay-as-you-go fleet insurance we at Principal Insurance arrange includes provision of a free telematics device for each vehicle.
Driver training
One thing that’s likely to catch the approving eye of a commercial vehicle insurer is the provision of a rigorous driver training programme. Training is key to promoting best practice and encouraging safer driving habits.
Fleet dash cams
Dash cams can swiftly provide evidence of liability in the event of an accident. Connected dash cams, which allow remote access to footage from a fleet vehicle – are particularly useful in enabling swift First Notification of Loss, the initial incident report made to an insurer. By enabling swift intervention this puts the insurer on the front foot as they gain control of a potential claim. As such early notification can reduce the cost of settling a claim or prevent them being filed.
Of course dash cams can also yield evidence of third party liability to prevent pursuit of a fault claim. Similarly, they can thwart fraudulent claims such as “crash-for-cash” scams.
Vehicle servicing & maintenance
When evaluating fleet insurance risk, one thing an insurer will look for is a robust vehicle servicing and maintenance programme. Keeping your fleet in tip-top condition reduces the risk of mechanical breakdown and, in turn, accidents.
Compare fleet insurance quotes
As always, it’s important to shop around.
Different insurers and different policies serve different niches of the market, so getting a good deal involves marrying up your fleet’s risk profile to the insurance that is most appropriate – and offered at the best price.
It’s what we at Principal Insurance do as a specialist broker, although we compare fleet insurance quotes from specialist insurers on our panel, rather than the whole market.
In doing those comparisons on your behalf, we take time to fully understand your needs.
We look at things like: the size and make-up of your fleet; the nature of your business; the journeys – length, location, single or multi-drop – you and your drivers are making; whether you are conveying goods for your own or other businesses; whether you are being paid for their conveyance; your fleet insurance claims history and so on.
Having gathered all the relevant information about your business and its fleet, we then input that data into our sophisticated quoting system. This interrogates the policies offered by our insurers to find the best match and value.
It’s a personal service underpinned by smart technology, a combination which helps take some of the leg work out of finding a fleet insurance quote.
We’d be delighted to discuss your particular requirements and offer our assistance, without obligation. If you’d like to arrange a consultation, please feel free to contact us by email or requesting a call back.
Alternatively, you can simply ring us on 0330 024 0135, weekdays between 9am and 5pm.
* Where we can arrange an instalment facility to pay the insurance premium, we act as a credit broker, not a lender. We only offer instalments from a single provider, Close Brothers Premium Finance, and we do not offer advice in relation to this.
OTHER PRODUCTS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN
WE PREFER TO TALK
WHY CHOOSE PRINCIPAL INSURANCE?
Because we put our policyholders first, we now serve around 40,000 motorcyclists, motorists, classic car enthusiasts, van drivers, couriers, motorhome owners, homeowners and motor trade professionals nationally.
Whilst we embrace the latest quote and administration technologies, you might say we’re a bit old school.
That’s because we’d prefer to talk to you in order to get the best possible understanding of your needs. That then means we are properly equipped to seek out the best deal for you from our extensive panel of leading UK insurers.*
What’s more we are able to give motorbike insurance, car, van, motorhome, multi-vehicle, home and commercial insurance quotes.
Our impressive growth has been achieved not through multi-million pound marketing campaigns but by delivering old fashioned service.
That can mean finding you the lowest possible insurance quote from our panel of insurers or, if you need make a claim, ensuring that you have access to specialist assistance so that the process is as prompt and painless as possible.We’re a company with personality, one that instead of demanding staff always follow stringent call scripts and call length targets, encourages them to chat so they can provide you with the highest quality of service.
An independent broker, we source the best quotes from the UK’s leading specialist insurers.With no call length targets, our experts take the time to find you the best deal.We’re here to help – with dedicated claims and customer service support.Our quotes hotline open weekdays 9.00am-6.00pm and Saturdays 9am-1pm.
For the best quote chat to our friendly and informed UK based call centre team