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If you carry goods in your vehicle for business purposes, you might need goods in transit insurance. This can often be included within a business van insurance policy, or may come as an add-on.
Here are some examples of who might need it:
Couriers/delivery drivers
Home removal services
Internal delivery drivers
Direct order businesses
Also known as hire and reward insurance, courier insurance covers your van for delivery driving.
This means that if you crash during work, or your van is stolen while you’re on the job, you’ll be able to claim for it. It's a legal requirement to have it if you're working as a courier.
Also known as GIT insurance, goods in transit policies insure the actual items you're carryng.
If they're lost, damaged or stolen while you're delivering them, you'll be able to claim. It isn't a legal requirement, but some companies might insist you have it as part of your contract.
Exactly what you pay for your cover depends on a range of factors, from the value of your cargo to the distance you're transporting it. So much of what you pay for your cover is out of your control.
But there are a few things you can do that may get you a better deal:
Get the right amount of cover
Change your excess
Improve your security
Pay annually
Gives you cheap, short-term cover from 1 to 28 days for social and business use.
This depends on your policy. Some goods in transit policies include public liability insurance, but others may only offer it as a paid-for add-on.
Our partner Quote Me Today offers combined policies, so if this is something you’re looking for, just say when you’re getting a quote and they’ll do the rest to find you the right policy for your needs.
While it isn’t a legal requirement, many companies insist you have public liability insurance in place to work for them as a courier.
It covers you for any injuries you cause a member of the public, or any damage you do to their property while you’re working.
Goods in transit insurnce can cover any items left in a vehicle overnight, but not all policies offer this. Always check your policy documents to see exactly what you're covered for.
If your policy does cover overnight storage, you'll usually have to make sure your goods are stored properly, and that the vehicle itself is kept in a safe, secure location overnight.
You don't need goods in transit insurance to move home.
If you have contents insurance, you can use this to cover your possessions while you're moving. Most policies include cover for moving house.
Before you move though, check with your home insurance provider to see exactly what you're covered and also make sure you give them your new address.
If you decide to use a removal company, their GIT insurance should cover your items if they get damaged, lost or stolen.
Before you hire a removal company, it's worth checking how much they're insured for though, particularly if you're moving valuable items.
Yes, it can cover your business equipment if you're moving premises. If you're hiring a removal company, they may already offer this cover. You'll still need to check what level of cover the company has to make sure it meets your needs, though.
If you, or your employees, are moving your business' possessions yourself, then goods in transit insurance can be a good idea.
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