Self employed UK Courier Insurance

Why you need self employed courier insurance

Standard Van Business insurance is Not Sufficient

Getting the right cover is just as important if you’re using a van, rather than your own car, to deliver parcels. Van policies themselves are intended for commercial purposes, but not necessarily for couriers. They’re a general policy, covering people who use their vans for work, such as plumbers, gardeners and builders, and don’t cover risks specific to those using their van to deliver parcels.

If you have a work van, you will most likely have a form of van commercial insurance to cover using your van for your business or trade, plumber for example. Again, this will not cover you for the delivery of items, example food or parcels. If you use a van, then you will need to take out a  hire and reward van insurance if you intend providing delivery service

Is it worth being a self-employed courier?

Being a self-employed courier can provide positive rewards over working for an employer, but it will take time to get established. If you do the ground work and research and maybe even get some upfront contracts and provide a good, reliable service, the time and effort will be rewarded. The opportunities within the courier trade just seem to keep growing. If you go this route and invest in a van, make sure you have van courier insurance, which is the correct cover for providing this form of hire and reward service.

What does Hermes provide a courier?

For the part time courier, Hermes provides a wage that can be £10 to £15 an hour. They hire both full-time couriers who are their employees and self-employed couriers. The courier can provide their own delivery driver insurance policy, or Hermes will issue a policy of their own to the courier. The policy issued by Hermes is the minimum requirement of Third Party Only commercial hire and reward insurance. This does not come with the optional add-on of Goods In Transit. Because of that, the parcels being transported are not protected against being stolen, damaged or lost while being transported.

Employed and self-employed delivery drivers both need the same insurance

Regardless of being self employed or employed, you will need courier insurance. If employed, your employer should provide the required insurance, but do check. If self employed contact your broker as you may have an option of top up insurance to provide the required cover for delivery of goods on a multi drop basis. 

What does Amazon Flex provide a courier?

Amazon does not employ any couriers as employees. They only hire self-employed couriers and classify them as part of their Amazon Flex department in their business plan. The pay is advertised as being the same as Hermes, which is £10 to £15 an hour. The courier who wants to work for Amazon Flex is required to provide their own class 3 self employed Amazon Flex insurance policy before they can be hired.

To work as a courier for Hermes, Amazon or any other firm, you must have at minimum Third Party Only commercial class 3 hire for reward insurance. The biggest difference on the surface between Hermes and Amazon is that Hermes will help you get coverage, while with Amazon it will be your sole responsibility to get self employed courier insurance.

Getting into the booming courier business sector can be a daunting task. To assist you, there are these helpful pages that explain car insurance and courier goods in transit insurance.  If your business is successful, you may find that courier fleet insurance can provide saving over individual polices for each vehicle type.

Compare UK self employed courier insurance

Multiquotetime works in partnership with Quote Zone who provide a simple form which once completed is submitted to a specialist panel of brokers. These specialist brokers will provide you with a range of self-employed courier insurance quotes for your specific business requirements.