Motor Trade Insurance

From used car & van dealerships, to MOT stations & crash repair centres.

What is Motor Trade Insurance?

Motor Trade Insurance provides cover to businesses who work with vehicles such as cars, vans and motorbikes. This includes businesses who buy, sell and repair vehicles, from small scale mechanics and valet-parking services to MOT centres and large-scale car dealerships.

It works by covering your staff when driving or working on company owned vehicles or customer vehicles. It can also protect your business against other risks such as damage to equipment, parts you fit and goods in transit.

Different motor trading businesses will have different risks attached to them, meaning Motor Trade Insurance needs to be tailormade for each.

Bespoke Tailored Coverage
We Work With Industry Leading Markets To Get You the Best Rate
Lloyds of London Commercial Broker
Independent Broker Since 2001
In-house claims team

The Covers We Offer

It can cover a huge variety of risks to your business. Because every business is different, these risks will differ too. Cover will therefore be aimed towards a specific business depending on factors such as the equipment they use, how they work with, or drive company and customer vehicles and how the business runs day-to-day.

Pub Li

Public liability: When working on site it is normal that there is a large number of people and high value of equipment and materials in a small vicinity. With this in mind, a small negligent act by an employee can easily lead to mass third-party injury and property damage. This cover will pick up the legal expenses and compensation payments following an event causing both third-party injury and property damage.

Read more about Public Liability Insurance

Professional Indemnity: Professional Indemnity Insurance refers to protection against incorrect or inadequate advice and services that you give. Unfortunately, any business can produce work resulting in both financial and reputational loss for their client and this is sometimes only uncovered long after the contract is completed. In this instance, your company can be held responsible which is when Professional Indemnity Insurance supports your business. At SJL Insurance Services, we provide insurance that can cover expenses, legal fees and pay outs incurred should an allegation be made against you by a client for providing an inadequate service.

Read more about Professional Indemnity Insurance

Employers Liability Insurance

Cover for if employees are injured at work.

Public & Product Liability

Cover against members of the public suffering injury or property damage due to your occupation.

Road Risks

Cover for driving your own and customers vehicles for the purpose of the motor trade.

Plant & Machinery

Covers for fixed plant and machinery which usually refers to things like lifts, ramps, compressors etc.

Portable Hand Tools

Cover for portable hand tools

Own & Customers Vehicles

Cover for you and your clients vehicles whilst at the business premises.

Money Cover

Cover for physical money

Business Interruption

Cover for when your business cannot trade.

Wrongful Conversion

Cover against wrongful conversion.

Engineering Inspection

Ensuring that your plant and machinery is in safe working order.

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Employer’s Liability Insurance

No matter how careful and diligent you are with risk assessments and method statements, accidents involving employees at work regularly happen. Employers liability insurance is designed to cover you in the eventuality that your employees are injured at work.

Public & Products Liability Insurance

In the motor trade industry, businesses deal with vehicles, equipment and tools all of which can pose a risk of injury to members of the public. Accidents can happen, and if a member of the public were to suffer an injury or property damage whilst on a business premises or as a result of their work public liability would provide financial protection against such losses.

Road RIsks Insurance

Road Risks is a blanket policy that will provide cover for a motor trader or their employee’s to drive vehicles that are in their custody or control for the purposes of the motor trade occupation.

Plant & Machinery Insurance

Covers for fixed plant and machinery which usually refers to thing like lifts, ramps, compressors etc.

Portable Hand Tools Insurance

Covers for portable hand tools which can be anything from tool boxes worth £100 all the way through to diagnostic equipment worth £10,000+.

Own & Customers Vehicles Insurance

Own & Customers vehicles will provide cover for fire, theft or vandalism whilst the vehicles are at the business premises. Sometimes referred to as stock of vehicles or trade car insurance.

Money Cover Insurance

Money cover provides security against theft of physical money at the business premises or in transit.

Business Interruption Insurance

If there was any physical damage to your premises business interruption would provide you with an element of cover for your loss of earnings whilst unable to trade.

Wrongful Conversion Insurance

Wrongful conversion refers to wrongfully taking, using or disposing of someone else’s property without the owners consent. In the motor trade this could refer to a vehicle dealership purchasing a vehicle with outstanding finance on.

Engineering Inspection Insurance

Engineering Inspection is relatively unique as it is not an insurance product thus it isn’t insurance premium tax (IPT) applicable but is value added tax (VAT) applicable. Engineering Inspection will provide a qualified engineer attending your premises and inspecting your plant and machinery to ensure all is in working order. This is usually a legal requirement for the insurance policy to provide cover.

Cant Find What You're Looking For?

We can insure any type of business, and our expertise ranges from property and commercial risks, to kidnap and ransom. Literally any type of business, in any sector, anywhere in the world.

Our expert brokers have access to a huge array of insurance products ensuring they can find the best insurance policy for you. They get to know your individual needs and provide the best possible insurance solution for you. You will be provided with an allocated account and claims manager.

Our featured list of Policies can be found on our services page.

WHY CHOOSE SJL INSURANCE SERVICES FOR YOUR MOTOR TRADE INSURANCE?

Your policy will depend on your individual business needs. This form of cover is therefore built to meet your business requirements. Because of the various types of cover that can be included, it can be confusing and easy to pay for cover that you don’t actually need (such as covering for HGVs which might not actually be applicable to your business). The expert teams at SJL Insurance Services work with you to ensure that you get the perfect policy for your business, which covers everything you need, and not anything you don’t. If you would like to find out more about the team at SJL Insurance Services and why our clients choose us, please visit our About Us page

Do I Need Motor Trade Insurance?

If your business involves your staff having responsibility for other people’s vehicles, whether it be driving or working on, then you’ll need some form of motor trade cover. This isn’t only applicable to limited companies either. If you are self-employed and your customers’ vehicles are under your care at any point, it’s vital to have the right policy to protect you.

Some of the key businesses that SJL Insurance Services cover for motortrade insurance include:

Mechanics
MOT centers
Car dealers and car dealerships
Breakdown and recovery operators
Tyre fitters
Body Shops

Motor Trade Insurance comprises a large variety of cover and can be relevant for an array of different professions. If you’re still not sure whether you need Motor Trade Insurance for your business, contact the team at SJL Insurance Services to find out more.

How Much Does Motor Trade Insurance Cost?

As our Motor Trade cover is tailored to your needs, it requires details on your requirements before we can confirm the premium.

While insurance could be available for as low as £11.50 a week, there are many factors in play.

Some of the key factors that can contribute to your quote include, but are not limited to:

Age
Motor trade type
Claim limits
Valid no-claims bonus
Conviction history
Vehicle types
Risk of location
Number of drivers

Motor Trade Insurance Working From Home

Modern challenges have brought about significant changes in the way businesses operate, with a shift towards remote work. The motor trade industry has also adapted to this new reality. As more businesses embrace the work-from-home model, it’s crucial to understand the implications for insurance coverage. In this article, we explore the concept of work-from-home motor trade insurance and why it’s essential for protecting your business in the remote era.

Work from home motor trade insurance is a specialized type of insurance designed to cover businesses operating in the motor trade industry, even when employees work remotely. This insurance provides essential coverage for motor trade businesses that have transitioned their operations to a work-from-home environment.

Part Time Motor Trade Insurance

Part-time motor trade insurance is a type of insurance coverage specifically designed for individuals who work within the motor trade industry on a part-time basis. It provides protection for individuals who buy, sell, repair, or service vehicles but do not operate in the motor trade as their full-time occupation.

Part-time motor trade insurance typically offers similar coverage as full-time motor trade insurance policies but is tailored to meet the needs of part-time traders. The specific coverage and features may vary depending on the insurance provider and the policy you choose.

Motor Trade Insurance FAQs

What is the difference between motor trade insurance, fleet insurance and car insurance?

Fleet Insurance provides cover to company owned vehicles. If your business owns more than one vehicle it can cover multiple drivers across your fleet on one single policy. To find out more, view our Fleet Insurance service page.

Car Insurance (or ‘Vehicle insurance’) is more commonly used by individuals who want to protect themselves from bodily injury and property damage claims filed against them after an accident in a personal vehicle. By law, all motorists are required to take out vehicle insurance.

Motor Trade Insurance is designed specifically for businesses. It is primarily aimed at businesses that work on or with customer vehicles and covers accidents that may happen when these vehicles are being driven or worked on. It can also include cover such as employer’s liability and product liability.

How much does motor trade insurance cost?

Our Motor Trade Insurance policies are tailormade for each individual business. The specifics of a policy and therefore cost is based on the size of business, service it provides and the way it works.

If you would like to know more or want to find out how much it would cost to cover your business with our Motor Trade Insurance, please request a quote today or get in touch at us at [email protected] or on +44 (0) 1905 27775.

Am I insured to drive abroad?

Each policy is tailored to your business needs and requirements. As we also work with a range of specialist insurers, this means we are able to source cover that will provide this where required.

Are any vehicles exempt?

We know that in the Motor Trade industry you will work on vehicles of all shapes and sizes, so we will look to find the cover you need for the work you are doing.

Are there any restrictions on how the vehicle can be used?

Under a Motor Trade policy you can drive the vehicles in connection to your business use, however it will not cover you for driving for personal use.

Is motor trade insurance a legal requirement?

While motor trade insurance is not a legal requirement, some companies and clients will demand that you have the correct cover in place prior to conducting work, Someone that is looking to earn an income from Motor Trade activity is strongly advised to have a Motor Trade policy in place.

What if I am new to motor trade?

We welcome all motor trade enquiries, if this is your first motor trade venture we would love to assist you. You don’t need any experience in the industry to get covered by SJL Insurance Services.

Does trade insurance cover uninsured cars?

As long as you have a valid Motor Trade Policy and the type of vehicle that you intend to drive isn’t on the ‘vehicle exclusion’ terms ( All trade policies have different parameters ) you can drive the vehicle without it being insured elsewhere. You can drive via your insurance certificate. Insurers give you a certain amount of days before they require you to list the vehicle on the MID (Motor Insurance database)

Is part-time motor trade insurance cheaper?

Generally it is not necessarily cheaper, anyone working part time in motor trade is welcome to be insured under full time motor trade insurance.

What are the three main types of motor insurance?

Comprehensive, 3^rd party and third party fire and theft. The third party covers only protect you from third party incidents so and issues caused by yourself/business would not be covered. Comprehensive cover covers cases caused by you/your business and third parties, so it is generally recommended this is the cover put in place.

Where in the world can I get SJL’s Motor Trade Insurance

SJL supplies motor trade insurance to the whole of the UK, excluding Northern Ireland

Can I get Motor Trade Insurance if I am a convicted driver?

Yes, we work with many companies that have markets and can help with convicted drivers’ motor trade insurance.

Do you cover mobile mechanics?

Yes, we have some great facilities to cover mobile mechanics.

Can’t find an answer?

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