People who want to use their private cars for courier work may find it difficult to obtain insurance coverage for the work they would like to carry out. If you are carrying goods on a UK road ‘for hire or reward,’ then a normal car policy would be deemed inadequate for this purpose, and you will need to investigate a more comprehensive policy to cover your ambitions.

With the advent of internet shopping and selling and many companies offering subcontracting work to help deal with the large influx in recent years of goods being transported from an almost infinite number of sites, more people are looking to use their private cars for courier work, either as a full-time job or as a means to acquire some extra income. This is a growing industry for those wanting to earn a little extra cash. You can find sites online where those wishing to transport goods to a particular location can be matched with drivers making that exact journey.

Essentially, registering online and bidding for jobs, ranging from a few pounds to hundreds, depending on the nature of the goods and distance. Standard fare is said to be around £50 per 150 miles. Anyvan, one company that does this, has experienced a sharp increase in drivers registering themselves as ‘casual couriers’ to get a little extra while making a journey they were destined to make anyway. And with decent margins being able to be made for transport over long distances, if one is making such a long road trip anyway, it could be a profitable investigation to look into it. You will, of course, need to register an extension on your current vehicle insurance policy.

Depending on several factors, private car courier insurance can vary significantly. The postcode the vehicle will be registered at, a driver’s no-claims bonuses, the experience of the driver in private use and a commercial capacity, the nature of the cargo one is likely to be delivering, and, of course, the vehicle itself, are some of the determining factors one will have to consider when obtaining courier insurance for private cars. All these things would be considered when insuring a vehicle as normal, with the added element of extending it to cover the transport of goods for payment. A Goods In Transit policy could also be included in the items you wish to transport, covering them against loss, theft or damage. While this is optional, it would often be moderately advised so one is not liable for the objects being transported if one of the aforementioned unfortunate scenarios transpired. This is especially true if a courier is expecting to transport high-value goods.

At Insurance Revolution, we specialise in non-standard cover. Because we have such strong experience in the sector and our strong working relationships with insurers, we are interested in things like private car courier cover. We offer a tailored approach, suiting each potential customer as an individual case and building a policy that can be tailored to their specific situation. If you would like to inquire about courier insurance for private cars, then speak to one of our advisors.