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Pick-up insurance

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What type of pick-up insurance do I need?

Pick-ups are classed as vans rather than cars when it comes to insurance. So to make sure your pick-up truck is covered, you need a van insurance policy.

There are 2 main types to choose from:

Private van insurance, which you’ll need if you use your pick-up for social use
Commercial van insurance, which you’ll need if you use your pick-up for work

The category of cover you need depends on how you use your pick-up. This is called its class of use and there are 4 main options to choose from when you get a quote:

Social only
Social and commuting to work
Business use or carriage of own goods
Haulage use - delivering goods for hire and reward

Social only covers you for your daily driving - for example, going to the shops or visiting family.
Social and commuting insurance covers you for commuting to a single place of work. Even if you drive your pick-up to a bus or train station as part of your commute, this still counts as commuting.
Business use covers you if you use your pick-up for business and need to transport things like tools or work equipment. If you drive to multiple places of work, you'll likely need this type of insurance.
Haulage use covers you if you're paid to carry goods owned by someone else. You'll likely need this cover if you're a courier or delivery driver.

Levels of cover for pick-up insurance

Third party

Third party only is the lowest level of cover. You're only insured against damage you've caused to someone else, their property and your passengers.

Third-party, fire and theft

Third-party, fire and theft covers everything third party does but also covers your pick-up if it's stolen or damaged by fire.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive gives you the most protection, covering you, your pick-up, other people and their property. Although comprehensive offers the most protection, it can often be the cheapest option.

According to our data***, a third-party van insurance policy costs £1,412. However, a comprehensive policy costs £652.

***Confused.com data June 2023

How much is insurance for a pick-up?

To give you an idea of what you're likely to pay, here are the average costs²:

Social only

£596

Social & commuting

£624

Commercial

£639

Haulage

£1779

²Confused.com data June 2023

What you pay for your insurance is based on a range of factors that include:

How much your pick-up is worth - a more expensive van could increase the risk of theft.
How you plan to use it - being on the road for long periods - for example, for work - increases the chances you’re involved in an accident.
Your pick-up's engine size - the more powerful the engine, the more expensive the insurance costs.
Your pick-up's security - a more secure and harder to steal van tends to lower your policy cost.
Your pick-up's modifications - enhancements like body kits, exhausts and alloys can increase your insurance costs. They're also unlikely to be replaced by insurers on a like-for-like basis. For more information, read more about modified van insurance.
Your driving history and no-claims bonus - your claims history affects how much your policy costs.
Your age - younger drivers are less experienced so insurers tend to charge more.
Where you live - an area with a high crime rate could be seen as high risk by insurers and that could see your costs rise.

What do insurers class as a pick up truck?

A pick-up truck is classed as a light-duty truck with an enclosed front cab and an open cargo area behind.

There are 2 main kinds of pick-up truck:

Single-cab pick-ups have 2 doors and 2 seats in the cab
Double-cab pick-ups have 4 doors and 5 seats in the cab

If your pick-up doesn’t have an open cargo area at the back, it might be classed as a 4x4. In this case, you need 4x4 insurance to cover it.

For a truck to be classed as a pick-up, it must also have an unladen weight, known as its ‘kerb weight’, of no more than 2,040kg.

If it weighs more than 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg) it may be classed as a HGV. In this case, you need HGV insurance for it.

Will my insurance cover what I’m carrying in my pickup?

If you're using your pick-up truck for work while carrying goods, there are 2 types of cover available to you:

If you're carrying goods belonging to other people, you'll need goods-in-transit cover. Our partner, Quote Me Today offers this type of cover.
If you’re carrying your own goods such as work equipment, you'll just need standard commercial van insurance. If you're a tradesperson, builder or florist, this could be for you.

We guarantee to beat your renewal. Or give you the difference, plus £20*

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*Must be a like-for-like policy. T&Cs apply.

We compare up to 56 van insurance companies to save you money

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What do I need to get a quote?

You'll need a few details to get started:

Your personal details, such as your age, address, occupation and any driving convictions
Your truck’s details, like its make, model, weight, security features, annual mileage and any modifications
Your cover such as the level of cover you want, how you'll use your pick-up and any named drivers

Why choose Confused.com?

Founded in 2002, we have over two decades worth of experience in insurance. Based in Cardiff, we help millions of customers each year with their car, home, van and motorbike insurance needs.
We're not owned by an insurance company and we're 100% independent. That means you'll see our best prices based on the information you provide us.

Need any help? Our Cardiff-based team is here to help. Take a look at our contact page and get in touch.
With Confused.com Rewards you can choose from 4 different freebies when you buy van insurance**.

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Over 3.5 tonnes? - Get a HGV quote

What our van insurance expert says

"If you use your pick-up truck like a car, you'll still need a van insurance policy to cover it due to it's size. You'll also need to make sure you correctly state how you're using your pick-up, especially if you commute. Even if you only use it to get to the bus or train station, your insurer still counts this as commuting. So make sure you're transparent with how you use your pick-up to be completely covered."