Choosing transport
Vehicle transport insurance explained
5 min read · last updated 2026-08-22
'Fully insured' means very little on its own. These are the specific things worth checking before a stranger drives your vehicle onto a trailer.
Goods in transit vs motor trade cover
Goods-in-transit insurance covers the vehicle while it is being carried. Motor trade or road risk cover applies when the vehicle is driven under its own power, for instance on and off the trailer or in a compound. A serious transporter holds both, and the cover limit should comfortably exceed your vehicle's value.
Operator licensing and tachographs
Larger transporters need an operator's licence, and drivers on relevant vehicles are subject to tachograph and drivers' hours rules. These are the checks that separate a compliant business from a man with a trailer.
What to ask, every time
- What is the goods-in-transit limit per vehicle?
- Is there a separate motor trade or road risk policy?
- Is an operator's licence held, and for how many vehicles?
- How is condition recorded at collection and delivery?
How we handle it
Transport businesses upload insurance certificates with cover limits, licences and fleet documentation. Nothing is visible to customers and no job can be accepted until our team has reviewed and approved those documents, and expiring documents force a re-check.
Common questions
- Are my personal belongings covered?
- No. Cover applies to the vehicle itself, so remove anything you would not want to lose.
- What happens if damage occurs in transit?
- Raise it before confirming delivery. Because confirmation releases the transporter's payment, an open dispute is reviewed by our team with the collection and delivery condition records.
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