Minibus Insurance image

Don’t have your registration number? No problem, click here.

If you’re looking for minibus insurance for commercial or private use, driving a school minibus, charity or family minibus, cover is available from the panel of specialist minibus insurance providers.

  • Insurance for 9 seat, 16 and 17 seat minibuses
  • Minibus Insurance For Drivers Aged 21-70
  • Any Driver Minibus Insurance Cover
  • Fully Comprehensive & Third Party Fire & Theft Options

Further cover available includes:

  • Breakdown Cover Including Home Start & European Cover
  • Replacement Minibus For Non Fault Accidents
  • Public Liability Cover For Private & Public Hire Minibuses

The price comparison service can help to remove the hassle from finding that minibus insurance quote, so click below and get a tailored quote from a panel of minibus insurance specialists

A guide to minibus insurance

If you are looking for minibus insurance, whether you are a charity, school or a private user, the comparison service can help.

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.

Did you know?

Did you know…?

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.

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, than a commercial vehicle 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 be needing cost-effective minibus insurance

Did you know?

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. 

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.

If you aren’t carrying passengers for hire and reward, then commercial or private (depending on how you use your minibus) insurance is what you’ll be needing. This kind of policy will provide you with all the usual cover that you would get for any standard van insurance.

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.

The different cover types for minibus insurance (Hire and Reward)

  • Public or Private Hire – These are common minibus taxi insurance cover types. Public hire is for vehicles that can be hailed by people on the street, and private hire requires pre-booking. Most minibuses will likely need private hire cover, as opposed to private hire.
  • Public Liability – This will cover you if any members of the public are injured, or property is damaged, as a result of your business.
  • Any Driver – This cover allows any legally-permitted driver (with the insurance policyholder’s permission) in your organisation to drive the minibus.
  • Breakdown Cover – With this additional form of cover, your minibus will be covered for any breakdown assistance that is required from a specialist breakdown provider.
  • Fully Comprehensive – Minibus insurance can cover you for all damages because of an accident; to both your own vehicle and any other vehicle that’s also damaged in an accident. Plus, comprehensive insurance can also provide fire and theft damage cover, windscreen cover, personal effects cover and medical costs.

Did you know?

MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) can sometimes be covered under minibus insurance, but more often are covered under car insurance. 

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.

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:

  • Secure your vehicle – Minibuses are expensive vehicles, and this makes them a target for thieves. If possible, park your minibus in a locked garage whenever it’s not being used.  As a very minimum, you should have it fitted with an alarm and immobiliser. Taking these measures may typically reduce the cost of your policy.
  • Get m ultiple quotes – Getting multiple quotes for minibus insurance is now incredibly easy to do online. When you compare multiple minibus insurance quotes side by side, you can make a much more informed decision regarding who to get your insurance with.
  • Shop around – The other advantage to getting quotes online is the ability to shop around at renewal. You can find multiple new quotes to compare to your existing insurance when it comes up for renewal. Don’t just compare the price, but the policy features and benefits too.
  • Pay annually – If you’re able to pay for your insurance annually, then you should always do this. Paying monthly by direct debit can add extra costs to your insurance premium.

In summary: Buying minibus insurance for charities, schools, churches etc

We here at CleanGreenCars.co.uk provide cover for all groups that might need minibus insurance:

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?

As long as the driver has the correct type of licence and is included within your policy, they are eligible to drive.

What type of vehicle can be covered under the minibus insurance policy?

Cover is available for minibuses with 6-17 seats.

Can I add additional drivers to my minibus insurance policy?

Yes, you are able to add additional drivers to your insurance policy at any time subject to acceptance by the insurance company.

What is the minimum legal level of cover I need for my minibus?

The minimum cover you need to get in order to make your minibus road legal is third party only. This provides protection for other road users if you’re involved in an accident that you’re to blame for.

How is minibus insurance different to car insurance?

Minibus insurance isn’t particularly different to car insurance although you do need to get a special policy if you’re a minibus driver depending on how you use your vehicle. For example, if your minibus is for personal use only then you can get a pleasure use minibus insurance policy. If you use it for work then you’ll need to get additional cover to protect yourself.

Will minibus insurance be expensive if I’m a new minibus owner?

If you don’t have any no claims history as a minibus driver then it’s true that you’ll pay more than somebody who does. However you should still be able to get a policy at an affordable rate, particularly if you’re over 25, have a secure vehicle and have no convictions.

Can I get cover for a minibus taxi?

Yes. The insurers we work with offer taxi minibus insurance policies for both public and private hire vehicles. You can get cover for road risks as well as things like liability claims, breakdowns, windscreen repair etc. Public hire vehicles are typically more expensive to insure than private hire since the risks are greater.

Are monthly instalments available for my minibus insurance?

The panel of insurance providers can offer monthly payment plans, enabling you to spread the cost of your policy.

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?

Yes. Providing you have the right paperwork to prove that your minibus is used for charitable purposes, you will be able to get a special discounted type of charity minibus insurance.

What types of minibus insurance cover are available?

Some common types of minibus cover are –
  • Third party
  • Third party, fire and theft
  • Fully comprehensive
  • Breakdown assistance

What are the best ways to save money on insurance for my minibus?

Some of the best ways to save money on minibus insurance include –
  • Making your vehicle secure
  • Having somewhere safe to park your minibus
  • Getting quotes from multiple insurance providers
  • Limited your cover options
  • Increasing your excess
  • Limiting named drivers

Do I really need minibus insurance?

Yes. If you own a minibus then you need to get the correct cover in order to drive it legally. At the very minimum you need to get third party only insurance to be able to drive your minibus on UK roads. Some people wonder if they can cover their minibus with a regular car insurance policy but this is not the case. Because minibuses are large vehicles and they’re often used for profit, the risks involved are different and therefore a special type of cover is required.