Commercial van insurance for food delivery — the complete guide (UK focus, practical & publishable)

If you deliver food for a living whether from a van, small cargo vehicle, or as part of a fleet for a restaurant, cloud‑kitchen or catering company ordinary personal motor insurance usually won’t cover you. Commercial van insurance for food delivery is built for the extra mileage, tighter schedules and cargo risks that come with delivering meals. This guide explains exactly what cover you need, why ordinary policies can leave you exposed, how insurers calculate price, what organisers and platforms commonly require, and step‑by‑step how to get fast, accurate quotes.

Why food delivery is different (and why that matters to insurers)

Delivering food changes how a vehicle is used: more frequent stops, unpredictable driving patterns, late hours, increased exposure to theft or vandalism when parked, and the legal/regulatory requirement to carry goods “for hire and reward.” Insurers treat these uses as higher‑risk than private driving that’s why you must declare commercial use and, in many cases, buy a specific delivery/hire & reward policy. Using a personal SD&P (social, domestic & pleasure) policy while delivering is a common route to refused claims. Evidence from delivery platforms and specialist brokers confirms this as an industry standard.

The essential covers you must consider

A robust commercial van package for food delivery usually combines several covers. Below are the elements most businesses and self‑employed drivers need to compare.

Motor/commercial vehicle cover (core)

• What it does: insures the vehicle (comprehensive or TPFT/TP) for business use, including accidents and third‑party damage.
• Why it matters: standard private car insurance typically excludes “hire & reward” use; you must have the right motor certificate while carrying food for payment. 

Goods in transit / cargo insurance

• What it does: covers the value of the food and other goods being carried if they are damaged, stolen or lost while in transit. This is separate from vehicle cover and is critical for perishable stock.
• Practical note: some contracts (e.g., Amazon/large clients) require very high cargo limits; choose sums that reflect the maximum load you carry. 

Public & product liability

• Public liability protects you if a member of the public is injured (e.g., hot food spilled causing burns).
• Product liability covers claims from foodborne illness or contamination. Event organisers and corporate clients often require proof of both. 

Employers’ liability

• Required by law in the UK if you employ anyone (even casual staff under certain conditions). Typical minimum limits are in the multi‑millions and the certificate must be available on request. 

Optional but commonly needed extras

• Refrigeration/temperature failure (stock spoilage): essential if you carry perishables. Many standard contents policies exclude this unless specifically purchased.
• Theft/secure parking endorsements and alarm/immobiliser discounts for unattended vans.
• Recovery and breakdown encompass valuable areas of maintaining the schedule of deliveries and reducing reputational losses.
• Law costs / motor legal insurance to cover uncompensated losses or prosecution of motoring offences.

Frequent delivery scenarios and the right product

Match the cover to how you operate.

• Single self‑employed driver using own van for platform deliveries: buy “hire & reward” or food delivery commercial motor insurance, plus goods‑in‑transit for stock and public/product liability if you meet members of public or supply B2C. 

• Restaurant or caterer with one or more delivery vans: fleet/commercial van insurance (vehicle cover), goods in transit for multiple loads, employer’s liability if you have drivers, plus higher public/product liability limits for client contracts.

Market stall or event caterer who transports food to locations: vehicle cover + goods in transit + event public liability; check vendor/organiser minimum PL limits (often £5m in the UK). 

How insurers price food‑delivery van cover (what they ask)

Insurers combine vehicle risk, driver risk and cargo exposure. Key factors include:

• Vehicle type, age and security (van security and immobilisers reduce premium).
• Annual mileage and delivery radius more miles raises risk.
• Use profile: continuous delivery shifts and night work increase premium.
• Driver claims and conviction history.
• Cargo value, whether perishables (need refrigeration) and frequency of unattended loading.
• Business turnover and fleet size for companies.
• Controls and evidence: GPS telematics, maintenance records, secure parking and staff training lower perceived risk and can improve terms.

Common mistakes that lead to claim refusal

• Using a private policy while doing paid deliveries (SD&P only) insurers can reject claims for undeclared hire & reward. 
• Failing to declare the carriage of goods for hire & reward when your vehicle’s use changes (e.g., switching from private to delivery shifts). 
• Assuming goods in transit automatically included it usually needs separate cover, with per‑load limits and per‑item sublimits. 
• Poor security/parking practice leading to theft claims excluded if policy requires secure parking.
• Not keeping temperature logs or servicing refrigeration units insurers may reject spoilage claims where maintenance is lax.

Typical price ranges and what affects them (UK market guide)

Costs vary with profile; the ranges below are illustrative to set expectations (get live quotes for exact pricing):

• Solo rider delivering occasionally with a small van: entry prices can be in the low hundreds annually for basic cover (vehicle + hire & reward).
• Full‑time self‑employed delivery van operator (daily shifts, refrigeration needs): higher premiums several hundreds to low thousands depending on vehicle and cargo cover.

Small fleet or restaurant delivery operation: bespoke fleet pricing, often a few thousand pounds annually depending on fleet size and cargo limits.
Prices rise with higher declared cargo values, lower security, high annual mileage and poor claims history. (Market practice summarized from UK specialist brokers and insurers).

How to get accurate, comparable quotes (practical workflow)

A stepwise approach speeds placement and avoids wasting time.

Step 1 — Prepare a factsheet for the insurer
Include: vehicle registration, make/model, security features, annual mileage, primary use (food delivery platform or direct contracts), max cargo value per load, refrigeration fitted (Y/N), driver licence details and claims history, and whether you employ drivers.

Step 2 — Decide required limits
Public liability (commonly £1m–£5m), goods in transit per load, and any employer’s liability limits you may need if staff employed.

Step 3 — Approach three channels in parallel

• Specialist food‑delivery/courier insurers and brokers (they understand hire & reward wording and goods‑in‑transit subtleties). 
• Comparison sites for market checks (useful but read full wording).
• Direct insurer fleet/commercial teams if you run multiple vans.

Step 4 — Request full policy schedules
Don’t accept price only request explicit confirmation of hire & reward wording, exact cargo limits, refrigerated stock clauses and secure parking requirements.

Step 5 — Negotiate excess and risk controls
You can save on premium by increasing your voluntary excess, increasing security of a vehicle, or installing telematics. Request insurers to give telematics/safety-discounts to drivers.

Claims: what to do immediately

1. Make scene safe and obtain emergency services if needed.
2. Record evidence: photos of vehicle, cargo and scene; witness names; delivery receipts and manifest of goods on board.
3. Notify insurer immediately and be honest about commercial use.
4. Keep maintenance/temperature logs for cold chain claims insurers will ask for proof of correct storage and vehicle refrigeration maintenance.

Special note: delivery platform insurance and gaps

Delivery platforms (some) provide limited cover for riders/drivers while using the app, but that cover is usually narrow (e.g., injury protection, limited public liability when on a trip) and often does not replace full hire & reward motor or goods in transit cover. Always verify what the platform provides and keep separate commercial motor and cargo cover if you rely on vehicle income. Deliveroo and others explicitly require drivers to hold appropriate insurance and provide guidance on acceptable cover.

Practical checklist for quote requests (copy this to your broker/email)

• Vehicle registration, make/model and year.
• Usage: company deliveries or platform (name them) typical weekly hours/days and average daily mileage.
• Maximum cargo value per load and whether goods are perishable/refrigerated.
• Parking arrangements (secure garage/overnight parking address).
• Security features: alarm, immobiliser, tracking/GPS.
• Driver details: age, licence type, convictions and claims history.
• Do you employ drivers? If yes, number of drivers and payroll details (for Employers’ Liability).
• Any contracts requiring specific insurance limits (venue, client or platform requirements).
• Copies of any existing policy wording and recent claims history.

Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use my personal car insurance to deliver food?
A: No if you’re delivering for payment you need hire & reward or food delivery commercial insurance. Using a private SD&P policy for deliveries risks claim refusal.

Q: What is the difference between courier insurance and goods in transit?
A: They are courier/commercial van insurance, which includes the vehicle and the driver; goods in transit insurance which includes the actual food/products in the vehicle. You usually need both.

Q: Do delivery platforms provide insurance?
A: Some platforms provide certain protections (injury or limited public liability), but they generally don’t replace a commercial motor policy or goods in transit for the driver check the platform’s policy and insurer requirements.

Final practical plan (what to do this week)

Day 1: Prepare the factsheet above and list max cargo values for each vehicle.
Day 2: Gather driver licence/history, vehicle security details and parking addresses.
Day 3: Contact one specialist courier insurer/broker, one comparison site and one direct insurer send the factsheet to all.
Day 4: Ask for full policy wording and confirm refrigerated stock and goods in transit wording in writing.
Day 5: Compare offers on coverage terms (not price alone), choose the best fit and place cover.
Day 6: Keep copies of policy documents and provide clients/platforms with proof of cover if required.
Day 7: Add routine vehicle/refrigeration maintenance logs and secure parking proof to your policy file helps in future claims and renewals.