Motor fleet insurance FAQs
March 31, 2016
What is a motor fleet?
A vehicle fleet comprises multiple vehicles – cars, trucks, vans, heavy goods vehicles, of a combination of all of these.
There is no strict definition of the number of vehicles there need to be in order to comprise a fleet, but common usage suggests that the number might be as small as just three.
There is little doubt, though, that fleet vehicles represent a very considerable share of all vehicles on Britain’s roads.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), for instance, publishes statistics which suggest that of all new registrations for cars, approximately 50% of these are categorised as fleet vehicles.
What is motor fleet insurance?
The term is essentially self-explanatory and refers to insurance cover that protects an entire vehicle fleet, in place of a string of policies covering individual vehicles.
What is the advantage of motor fleet insurance?
The advantage is essentially a question the economies of scale – the more you choose to insure of any particular item, the cheaper it is likely to be in terms of the premiums you pay.
This is certainly true of fleet insurance, where attractive discounts are available if you insure all of your vehicles under a single policy, rather that arranging cover for each one separately.
Is there a single renewal date?
The fact that insurance for the whole of your vehicle fleet has just a single renewal date is a further major advantage.
No longer do you have to expend the administrative time and energy – not to mention expense – in monitoring the insurance for each separate vehicle and when that cover might expire, since insurance for the whole fleet may be renewed on the same date.
Does the fleet need to be comprised only of one kind of vehicle?
Motor fleet insurance is typically available for mixed vehicle fleets – whether your business operates, cars, vans, trucks or a mixture of all three.
Is there a minimum amount of vehicles you need to insure to benefit from fleet insurance?
Our motor fleet insurance policy is suitable for all sized businesses, whether you have a large fleet of vehicles or three (the minimum amount required in order to take advantage of motor fleet insurance).
What levels of insurance are available?
Just as when you are insuring a single vehicle, fleet insurance allows you to choose between basic third party cover – the minimum legal requirement – to third party, fire and theft to fully comprehensive cover.
Counter-intuitive as it may seem, the basic level of insurance cover is not always going to be the cheapest, so you might want to think carefully before giving up on comprehensive cover as inevitably being the most expensive.
Who can drive the vehicles covered by fleet insurance?
Probably the most typical arrangement is for a fleet insurance policy to cover “any driver”, so that any of your employees may drive anyone of the vehicles – provided, of course, that they hold the relevant driving licence.
If you have a small or especially constant team of drivers, however, it may be possible to earn a discount on your fleet insurance premiums by arranging a named driver only policy.
What about younger drivers or those with previous motoring convictions?
Many motor fleet insurance policies have a minimum driver age of 25 and, of course, favour drivers with a clean driving licence.
Here at Alan Blunden Insurance Brokers, however, we may be able to arrange cover for younger drivers and even those with a history of driving offences. Please feel free to contact us to find out more.
Is it still possible to arrange breakdown cover and roadside assistance?
We recognise the importance of keeping the wheels turning in your business, with the minimum of delay caused by breakdowns, especially those when your vehicles are out on the road.
Breakdown cover and roadside assistance insurance may typically be available for your whole vehicle fleet.
Similarly, windscreen replacement cover may also be arranged for the whole of your fleet.
Additional considerations
If your business relies on transport to and from continental Europe, you may be pleased to know that cover may be arranged to allow such operations.
Cover for radios, in car or in cab entertainment systems, and other installed devices – such as telematics – may also be arranged.