Tipper truck insurance, like HGV or van insurance, is a legal requirement for vehicles operating on UK roads. With one of the most common uses of tippers being construction, it’s important that everything is in place to keep operations running smoothly and avoid any costly issues with vehicles being out of action.
How a tipper or van is used and who is operating it, can greatly impact the cost of these policies. The most important thing is to ensure complete cover. Replacement of a specialist vehicle like a tipper can be very expensive if not properly insured.
What is Tipper Truck Insurance?
All trucks legally need to have appropriate insurance. Where these policies can become slightly more complex is for larger, commercial vehicles, particularly those that operate outside of simply travelling from point A to point B. Tipper trucks fall under this slightly more complex category because uses will vary.
Whilst it’s easy to compare general insurance quotes for a tipper truck or van, there are a few things to consider to make sure the policy is right for you, your business, and the intended use of the vehicle.
How our process works
We’ve worked hard to refine our process and keep it as quick, easy and simple as possible for our customers.
What’s Included In Tipper Truck Insurance?
When examining your options for tipper truck insurance, you will want to make sure your vehicle or fleet is fully covered. This can mean looking for driver and vehicle cover but you may need to consider things like hire and reward cover and public liability insurance depending on how the vehicle is being used day-to-day.
Tipper truck insurance typically falls within one of three main categories often seen with motor insurance.
Third Party Insurance For Tipper Trucks
Third party insurance covers damages to another person or their property, including their vehicles. Third party insurance will not cover any injuries and damages to the driver or the insured vehicle in the event of an accident.
Third Party, Fire & Theft For Tippers
Similarly, third party, fire and theft insurance will cover third party damages but will also cover damages to the vehicle in the event of fire or theft. This type of policy will not cover damages to the tipper truck caused by accidents or collisions. Van break-ins and tool theft are fairly common in the UK, insurance covering theft is worth having if you store valuable tools in the vehicle.
Fully Comprehensive Insurance For Tipper Vans and Trucks
Generally considered to be the most popular type of insurance, fully comprehensive tipper truck insurance will cover the above as well as damages to the vehicle and injuries sustained by the driver.
If you’re unsure which type of insurance is most suitable or are considering the costs of insuring your vehicle, speak to a tipper truck insurance broker about which options might be best.
Who Needs Tipper Truck Insurance?
Anyone driving a tipper truck in the UK will need insurance. It doesn’t matter whether the truck is flatbed, three-way tipper, dropside or cage. These vehicles transport lots of often loose materials and therefore will need to be covered for any eventualities that can occur as a result of this work.
Tipper van or truck insurance may be needed by companies managing a fleet, self employed drivers, or those owning and operating a truck or keeping it on a UK road. If you use any type of vans, HGV or tipper, it will need to be insured.
A tipper is slightly more complex than a standard van or truck because of its features. Moving components can make insurance policies for these vehicles slightly more expensive because they can cost more to repair should there be a mechanical fault with this function that makes the truck unfit for purpose.
Tipper trucks and commercial vans and trucks in general are also at a higher risk for parts theft and this can make insurance policies slightly more expensive. It’s always worth comparing policies for these commercial vehicles to be sure you are getting a good deal whilst also being fully covered.
How To Get Cheap Tipper Truck Insurance
Striking a balance between an affordable policy and one that covers everything you need is tough. For commercial vehicles especially, it’s important to get this balance right. If something should happen and you don’t have the correct cover, not only can you end up having to pay for damages, but a vital income stream can also be a big miss if the vehicle is off the road for longer than expected.
What Impacts The Cost Of An Insurance Quote?
Lots of factors are used to calculate the cost of an insurance policy, some we may be able to control more than others.
These factors include:
- Vehicle Value
- Vehicle Mileage
- Vehicle Engine Size
- Location
- Vehicle Storage (Garage, Drive, Company Car Park)
- Age of Driver
- Experience/Years Holding Relevant Licences
- Points and/or Driving Convictions (Including Drink Driving)
- No Claims
Due to the variety of criteria at play, it’s impossible to accurately predict a cost without more information. Luckily, it’s easy to find some tipper insurance quotes for you – it just takes a couple of minutes!
How To Find Cheap Tipper Truck Insurance
We can’t tell you a policy will be cheap, but there are a few things we can suggest that can help you to keep those costs down and increase the likelihood of getting affordable quotes.
- Consider the drivers. Drivers with plenty of experience and a clean licence will greatly improve the quotes you receive. For some businesses, fleet policies are a good option, especially where drivers change regularly. If you have multiple vehicles this may be worth considering.
- Look at different types of insurance. Again this may involve looking at fleet policies, but it could also determine the necessary features of your policy. For example, an ‘any driver’ policy might not be necessary for your van or HGV.
- Think about security. Keeping your tippers in secure car parks or locked up overnight can greatly improve the costs associated with tipper insurance. Vans and trucks are targets for theft because of tools and parts, so showing insurers you are taking extra precautions works in your favour.
- Compare tipper lorry quotes. Comparing quotes is the best way to get a deal that offers complete cover and costs less.