Who needs minibus insurance
There are some minibus owners who don’t use their vehicle for hire and reward reasons. For these people, the best bet for cover is to try looking at commercial minibus or 9 seater minibus insurance quotes.
For everyone else, minibus insurance is much more tailored towards cover for hire and reward uses of the vehicle – making it more akin to a taxi insurance policy. There are a wide array of people and organisations who would be using minibuses for hire and reward reasons, these include:
- Airport Services & Transfers
- Charity company
- Church
- Health / Welfare Organisation
- Individual / SDP Use
- Local Authority
- Private & Public Hire
- PSV
- School / Education
If you own a minibus and fall into one of these categories above, then you will need cost-effective minibus insurance
If you have a drivers licence for cars, you might be able to drive a minibus without any additional tests. More information on conditions you need to meet can be found on the official UK government website.
How much does minibus insurance cost?
You may be wondering how the cost of minibus cover is determined. Minibus insurance can be more expensive than you imagine. Here’s some of the ways the costs add up:
- Value of the minibus – The value of your minibus is going to be one of the biggest determining factors when it comes to the cost of an insurance policy. Insurance providers must consider the possibility of your minibus being written off and therefore needing to be replaced. The value of the vehicle’s parts will also influence cost.
- Age of the driver – Drivers who are 25 years old, or younger, will usually pay more for their insurance. This is simply because they’re more likely to make a claim than older drivers. Consider who is named on your policy, and if they’re younger than 25, do they need to be named?
- How secure the minibus is – If your minibus is left parked on the street without any security measures fitted, then your insurance costs may typically be more than if it was securely parked with an alarm, immobiliser and steering wheel lock.
- Level of minibus cover – Of course, the number of options you have included in the policy will also affect the cost of insurance. But remember: you get what you pay for! Comprehensive and high levels of cover can raise costs, but provide peace of mind.
What kinds of minibus insurance policies are there?
As mentioned, you can get commercial minibus insurance and taxi minibus insurance. It all depends on what exactly you’re using the vehicle for. For larger passenger vehicles, you might want to consider coach insurance options.
If you aren’t carrying passengers for hire and reward, then commercial or private car insurance (depending on how you use your minibus) is what you’ll need.
If you are transporting passengers for hire and reward with your minibus though, then you’ll need insurance to allow your vehicle to be covered as if it’s a taxi. With this kind of insurance, you’ll need certain cover types which we’ll explain below.
What is a minibus?
For many out there, the minibus is the happy medium of transportation. Bigger than a car, smaller than a bus and far comfier than a works van. Yes, your good friend the minibus can offer you the key to taking small groups of people wherever they need to go.
The minibus is a full-sized passenger carrying van, which has a seating capacity that can be anywhere between 9 and 16 seats. Commonly, minibuses are built through van conversions, but they can be purpose built too. There are several famous motor manufacturers who build their own minibuses, and these include:
- Ford Transit Minibus
- Iveco Daily Minibus
- Volkswagen Crafter Minibus
- Peugeot Boxer Minibus
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Minibus
- Renault Master Minibus
For the most part, minibuses are used for commercial purposes and/or for hire and reward. If you’re operating multiple vehicles, consider our minibus fleet insurance options.
If your minibus has less than 9 seats, then it’s not really a minibus! It’s more likely to be classed a van or a mini-cab. MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) can sometimes be covered under minibus insurance, but more often are covered under car insurance.
The different cover types for minibus insurance (Hire and Reward)
What the experts say…
"It is important to note that the legal requirements for minibus insurance may differ depending on the type of minibus you have and how it is used. For example, if the minibus is used for commercial purposes, there may be additional legal requirements that must be met."
– Ian Beevis, Founder of Clean Green Compare
Related Insurance
Optional cover for your Minibus Insurance policy
You can usually add these as optional extras with most Minibus Insurance providers.
Get Minibus Insurance Quotes Today
Find Quality Minibus Insurance Cover at an Affordable Price.
Don’t have your registration number? No problem, click here.
Money saving tips for your minibus insurance cover
If you’re finding minibus insurance costs too high, we have some tips to potentially save money
Get your minibus insurance quotes now
Compare policies and potentially save money on minibus insurance, by getting multiple quotes. You can now do this all from one place.
By clicking the button below, and providing a few details, you’ll have access to tailored quotes from a panel of minibus insurance specialists. Then all you have to do is decide which offers you the best value for money. It really is as simple as that!
Click below to get started and get your minibus insurance today.
Don’t have your registration number? No problem, click here.
Minibus Insurance FAQs
Who can drive under our minibus insurance policy?
What type of vehicle can be covered under the minibus insurance policy?
Can I add additional drivers to my minibus insurance policy?
What is the minimum legal level of cover I need for my minibus?
How is minibus insurance different to car insurance?
Will minibus insurance be expensive if I’m a new minibus owner?
Can I get cover for a minibus taxi?
Are monthly instalments available for my minibus insurance?
Can I get cover for driving my minibus abroad?
Yes. You can get European cover to cover your minibus if you plan to take it across the continent.
Are there discounts for charity minibus drivers?
What types of minibus insurance cover are available?
- Third party
- Third party, fire and theft
- Fully comprehensive
- Breakdown assistance