White articulated lorries travelling in convoy along a motorway

HGV insurance comparison

HGV insurance for owner-drivers, hauliers and lorry fleets

Rigid or artic, your own goods or haulage, one lorry or a fleet. Fill in one short form to be put in touch with specialist brokers who arrange cover for goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, up to 44 tonne artics.

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No obligation to buy
Owner-drivers to fleets
Rigids, artics and specialist lorries

What kind of operator are you?

Pick the closest match to see what cover usually involves.

Owner-driverOne lorry, you behind the wheel HaulierCarrying other people's goods for payment Own goodsDelivering your own stock or materials Lorry fleetTwo or more goods vehicles

Running a tipper, fridge or tanker? See cover by vehicle type

Quick answer

HGV insurance is motor insurance for goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, from smaller rigids to 44 tonne artics. Insurers price it on the vehicle, its weight and body type, what you carry, who drives, where the lorry is kept and whether you carry your own goods or haul for others. Most operators also take out goods in transit cover (opens in a new tab) for the load, plus employers' liability (opens in a new tab) if they have staff.

Cover for operators

HGV cover built around the way you operate

Insurers look at the work as closely as the lorry. A single owner-driver on contract work is a different risk from a fleet of artics on general haulage. Each type of operation has its own cover.

Haulier insuranceFor carrying other people's goods for payment, from general haulage to regular contract work.View cover Owner-driver HGV insuranceFor one lorry run by the person who drives it, on their own operator licence or subcontracting to a haulier.View cover HGV fleet insuranceTwo or more goods vehicles on one policy, with named driver or any driver options and one renewal date.View cover Carriage of own goodsFor builders' merchants, farms, manufacturers and wholesalers delivering their own stock in their own lorries.View cover New operator HGV insuranceFor a new operator licence, or a business with no claims history in its own name yet.View cover Goods in transit insuranceCovers the load if it is lost, stolen or damaged while in your care. Many haulage contracts ask for it.View cover (opens in a new tab)

Own goods or haulage

Why an own-goods policy stops at the first paid load

Every HGV policy lists what the lorry may be used for. Carrying goods for someone else in return for payment sits in its own class, so a lorry insured for your own goods can be uninsured the moment it takes a haulage job.

NoSocial, domestic and pleasurePersonal use only. No commercial work at all.
NoCarriage of own goodsYour own stock, tools and materials. Not other people's goods for payment.
YesHaulage, or hire and rewardCarrying goods for others for a fee, whether paid by the load, the day or on contract.

Aerial view of lorries at warehouse loading bays

Your operator licence and your policy should tell the same story

A restricted licence lets you carry your own goods only. A standard licence lets you carry goods for others. Insurers usually ask for the licence type and number before they quote, so it helps to have them to hand when you start a quote (opens in a new tab).

By vehicle

Lorry insurance by body type and weight

The body type tells an insurer a lot about the work. A tipper on building sites, a fridge on overnight trunking and a tanker carrying fuel are priced very differently, even at the same weight.

Small box lorry parked at the side of a street

7.5 tonne lorriesBox, curtainside and dropside lorries that can often be driven on a C1 licence.7.5 tonne lorries cover

Red rigid lorry parked beside a commercial building

Rigid lorriesSingle-unit lorries, from 18 tonne curtainsiders to 32 tonne eight-wheelers.Rigid lorries cover

Articulated lorry travelling along a motorway

Artics and tractor unitsTractor units pulling one or more trailers, up to 44 tonnes.Artics and tractor units cover

Tipper lorry unloading asphalt on a road construction site

Tipper lorriesAggregates, muck-away and waste, where site work and tipping add risk.Tipper lorries cover

Lorry pulling a refrigerated trailer on the road

Refrigerated lorriesChilled and frozen loads, where breakdown of the fridge unit matters.Refrigerated lorries cover

TankersFuel, chemicals, milk and bulk liquids, including hazardous loads.Tankers cover

Aerial view of HGV trailers parked at a distribution yard

HGV trailersCurtainside, box, flatbed and skeletal trailers, coupled or left in a yard.HGV trailers cover

Recovery trucksBeavertails, spec lifts and transporters moving broken-down vehicles.Recovery trucks cover

Beyond the lorry policy

Cover that often sits alongside HGV insurance

The motor policy covers the lorry on the road and the people it might hurt. These protect the load, the trailers and the business behind them.

Goods in transitProtects the goods you carry. Limits, unattended-vehicle rules and excluded goods vary between policies.View cover (opens in a new tab)Trailer coverSome policies cover a trailer only while it is coupled. Trailers left in a yard or swapped between units may need their own cover.View cover Employers' liabilityUsually needed once you employ drivers, yard staff or office staff, even part time.View cover (opens in a new tab)Public liabilityCovers injury or damage to third parties away from the road, such as on a customer's site during loading.View cover (opens in a new tab)

How it works

One quote form, specialist HGV brokers

HGV Insure is an information site, not an insurer or a broker. We link you to MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives operators a gateway to specialist HGV insurance brokers.

1
Start your quote
Choose Start my HGV quote to continue to our partner, MyMoneyComparison.com.
2
Describe the lorry and the work
Enter the vehicle, its weight and body type, your operator licence and who drives. MyMoneyComparison.com can then match you with specialist HGV insurance brokers.
3
Compare and decide
A broker contacts you with options, subject to insurers' acceptance criteria. There is no obligation to buy.

Start my HGV quote (opens in a new tab)

Before you buy

Questions worth asking about any HGV policy

Two quotes at a similar price can cover very different things. These are the points that most often catch operators out.

Does the class of use match your work?Own goods and haulage are rated differently. Mixed work needs to be declared.
Who is allowed to drive?Named drivers, any driver, minimum ages and years holding a C or CE licence vary between insurers.
Are trailers covered when uncoupled?Cover can differ for a trailer on the road, parked in a yard or hauled by someone else's unit.
How is the load covered overnight?Many goods in transit policies limit cover for laden lorries left unattended, especially away from a secure park.
Where is the lorry kept?A locked yard, an open site and a lay-by can change both the price and whether an insurer will quote.
Are hazardous goods declared?Fuel, gases, chemicals and other dangerous loads usually need to be named on the policy.
Is a replacement vehicle offered?Without one, an accident can mean lost contracts while the lorry is off the road.
Are tail lifts, cranes and bodywork declared?Fitted equipment and conversions usually need to be disclosed, and may need their own cover.

FAQs

HGV insurance questions

Do I need special insurance for an HGV?

Yes. HGV insurance is written for goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, and many van insurers stop at that weight. A policy for a lorry looks at its weight, body type, operator licence and the work it does, so it is arranged as HGV or lorry insurance rather than van insurance.

What is the difference between haulage and own goods HGV insurance?

Own goods cover is for carrying your own stock, tools and materials. Haulage cover, also called hire and reward, is for carrying other people's goods for payment. If you do both, the policy needs to say so. See haulier insurance and carriage of own goods cover.

Do I need an operator's licence to get HGV insurance?

Insurers usually ask for the type and number of your goods vehicle operator's licence. Some brokers can quote while an application is pending, subject to the insurer. The licence type should match the use on the policy: a restricted licence is for your own goods only.

Can I get HGV insurance as a new operator?

Yes, some insurers accept new operators and businesses with no claims history in their own name, usually with more questions about driver experience and the work. See new operator HGV insurance.

Does HGV insurance cover the goods I carry?

Not usually. The motor policy covers the lorry and third parties. The load is covered by goods in transit insurance (opens in a new tab), which is often a separate policy or an add-on, and some haulage contracts require it.

Is my trailer covered by my lorry insurance?

It depends on the policy. Some cover a trailer only while it is coupled to the insured unit. Trailers left in a yard, swapped between units or hired out may need separate HGV trailer cover.

Is a lorry crane covered by my HGV insurance?

Not always. Some policies cover a crane used only to load and unload the lorry's own goods, but lifting work for others is usually treated separately. See lorry crane insurance.

Is breakdown cover included with HGV insurance?

Usually not. HGV breakdown and recovery is often a separate policy or add-on. Cover levels vary, from roadside help only to help at your own yard, onward travel and a replacement driver if yours is taken ill.

Can one policy cover several lorries?

Yes. Once you run two or more goods vehicles, many operators move to HGV fleet insurance, with all vehicles on one policy and one renewal date.

Does HGV Insure sell insurance?

No. HGV Insure is an information site and an affiliate of MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives operators a gateway to specialist brokers. When you start a quote, you continue to MyMoneyComparison.com, and we may be paid a small commission if you are matched with and speak to a broker.

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HGV Insure is an information website and an affiliate of MyMoneyComparison.com. We are not an insurer or an insurance broker and do not give advice. MyMoneyComparison.com is a comparison service that gives consumers and businesses a gateway to specialist insurance brokers, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 916241). HGV Insure may be paid a small commission by MyMoneyComparison.com if you are matched with, and speak to, a broker. Cover is subject to each insurer's terms and acceptance criteria. Compliance · About us · Contact

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