What is Vehicle Body Builders Insurance?
Vehicle body builders insurance is a specialised type of motor trade insurance that includes cover for the main risks associated with running a vehicle body builders workshop, including you and your staff for working on customer vehicles on your premises
Standard motor trade insurance often doesn’t include the exact type of cover that’s most suitable for vehicle body builders businesses, so it’s definitely recommended to get a more specialised policy.
You can pick the exact level of cover you need with vehicle body builders insurance so your business is fully protected for all risks.
What the experts say…
“Vehicle body building often involves working on high end and high value vehicles, which of course comes with considerable risk. You want to be sure that your business is fully protected for all risks, including those to your premises and vehicle body builders insurance is the perfect way to do this.”
– Ian Beevis, Founder of Clean Green Compare
What Does Motor Traders Insurance for Car Jockeys Cover?
Every business is different, but most car jockeys’ policies can include:
- Road risks insurance: Lets you legally drive and move customer vehicles on public roads and within private property.
- Public liability: Covers injury or property damage caused to customers or the public—vital for busy venues or events.
- Employers’ liability: Required by law if you have any staff—even part-timers or temporary workers.
- Premises and asset cover: Protects office equipment, radios, signage, or customer vehicles stored overnight.
- Money and keys cover: Insures you for loss or theft of customers’ keys and any cash handled as part of your business.
- Goods in transit: If you transport cars between sites (for example, moving vehicles between hotel and offsite parking).
- Legal expenses: Help with legal costs if there’s a claim or dispute.
- Personal accident and sickness: Provides financial protection if you or staff are injured at work.
Cover can be tailored to suit whether you run a single hotel valet service or manage a large team at multiple venues.
Additional Vehicle Body Builders Insurance
Below are some useful additional types of vehicle body builders insurance you can get:
Your premises is an extremely important part of your business so having it covered if you don’t already have building insurance, is extremely important. It will cover your premises for structural damage from things such as fire and flooding.
You can also get your tools, stock and parts covered with a vehicle body builders insurance policy.
If you were unable to continue running your business for a reason that was covered under your insurance, for example your premises was flooded or damaged by fire, then you’d be compensated for things like employee salaries, rent payments etc. until you were back on your feet.
Public liability claims are not uncommon in the motor trad, so it’s definitely worth considering adding this to your policy. You can also have legal expenses included.
If you have employees, even as few as one, then you’re legally obligated to have employers’ liability insurance.
What Isn't Covered By Vehicle Body Builders Insurance?
Although you can get cover for the majority of risks that come with operating a motor trade business, there are certain things that are excluded. Below are the main ones:
- Repairs due to defective work: – Any repairs that need to be carried out due to defective work, either by you or one of your employees, usually won’t be covered under your insurance.
- Unnamed employees: – Any employees you want to have covered to work on customer vehicles should be specifically named and their details included in the policy.
- Wear and tear: – General wear and tear of parts and vehicles won’t be covered in the policy either.
- Malicious acts or gross negligence: – Any malicious acts that cause damage or destruction to vehicles and property on your premises won’t be covered either. This also applies to damage that might occur due to gross negligence.
- Vehicles not within approved limits: – Certain types of high end and high performance vehicles may not be covered as standard so it’s always a good idea to inform your insurance provider when receiving any vehicles of this kind.
Be sure to check the details of any policies you’re considering so you’re fully informed on what you’re covered for.
What Types of Businesses Need Vehicle Body Builders Insurance?
Vehicle body builders insurance is a special type of motor trade insurance and therefore isn’t suited to all types of motor trade businesses. For example, car dealerships usually don’t have any need for such specialised cover.
To help you decide if this type of cover is right for your, below are the main business types that can benefit from it:
- Dedicated commercial vehicle body builders: This includes any businesses whose sole focus is on working on the bodies of commercial vehicles, whether they’re HGVs, trucks, emergency vehicles or recovery vehicles.
- Coachbuilders: Another business type that needs vehicle body builders insurance are coachbuilders. Coachbuilders include businesses that work on custom vehicles, buses, coaches and railway carriages. Doing this type of work will certainly need cover for the risks that working on such highly specialised vehicles comes with.
- Classic car restoration businesses: Companies that do classic car restoration can also benefit from having vehicle body builders insurance.
Vehicle body builders insurance is essentially suited for any businesses where working on the main body of vehicles is the focus.
Get Vehicle Body Builders Insurance Quotes Today
Getting a Vehicle Body Builders Insurance Quote
Below are the main steps involved in getting a vehicle body builders insurance quote:
How Much Does Vehicle Body Builders Insurance Cost?
The cost of a vehicle body builders insurance policy will depend on a few key factors. Below are the main ones that insurance providers take into account:
- Your cover options: The types of cover you have added to your policy will certainly affect the cost quite significantly. It’s usually a good idea to strike a balance between the cover you feel is most important and what you can afford to pay.
- The size of your business: The size of your operation and how many vehicles you’re typically working on at any given time will impact cost too.
- How many employees you have: This relates to the point above and generally the more named employees you have on your insurance, the more it will cost.
- How you pay: How you choose to pay affects the cost of your insurance too. Typically you’ll save money overall by paying annually since you won’t have to pay interest as you would with monthly payments.
You should always shop around when it comes time to renew your motor trade insurance so you can get the best deal possible for your business.
The Best Ways To Save Money On Vehicle Body Builders Insurance
Here are some great ways to reduce the cost of vehicle body builders insurance:
By following the steps above, you should be able to significantly reduce the cost of your insurance.
FAQs – Vehicle Body Builders Insurance
Isn't a standard motor trade insurance policy good enough?
It’s usually better to opt for more specialised cover for a vehicle body builders business, since it can include cover for things like specialist equipment and working on high value commercial vehicles.
Can I get cover if I work as a part time vehicle body builder?
You can but you should provide as accurate information as possible when getting quotes so you can get the best type of cover for your needs.
Is vehicle body builders insurance expensive?
It depends on the key factors that are covered further up the page but in most cases, provided you don’t have any serious convictions, you should find cover affordable.
Am I eligible for vehicle body builders insurance?
You will be eligible with most insurance providers if you’re at least 21 years of age, can provide the necessary details of your business and don’t have any serious unspent driving or criminal convictions.
