Pickup Van Insurance

Britons use pickup trucks for everything from business to recreation or simply to get around. Insurers treat these vehicles as vans rather than cars (due to their long wheelbases) and require you to get avan insurance policy for them. Many pickups are used for business purposes and therefore need a commercial insurance policy, which can also include coverage for equipment and cargo carried in the vehicle.

But even if you just use your pickup for your own purposes and not for business, you’ll need a specialist auto insurance policy. Pickups are heavier and more expensive than most cars on the road, so a standard policy won’t suffice.

What type of pickup van insurance do you need?

When choosing an insurance policy for your pickup, you’ll need to consider both which class of policy you want and the level of cover.

There are two classes of pickup insurance, related to how you use the vehicle:

Be careful when selecting a class, however, because even commuting to work in a pickup can qualify as a commercial use.

Additionally, as with any motor insurance policy, there are three different levels of cover for pickup insurance:

What is a commercial use policy for a pickup?

If you use your pickup for commercial purposes, even just occasionally to move material and stock, you’ll need to cover it with a commercial or business use insurance policy.

There are four main types of insurance for pickups used for commercial purposes, depending on how you use the vehicle and what you carry in it:

What is a private use policy for a pickup?

Private use or social use policies cover pickups exclusively used for private or recreational purposes, including simple driving, carrying sports or camping equipment, moving personal possessions or those owned by family members or friends, without remuneration.

These policies will generally be cheaper than those for commercial vehicles but won’t include any provision for contents stored in the van. Using your van for business purposes can invalidate these policies. Even commuting to your place of work in your pickup can make it ineligible for a private use policy.

Additionally, many insurers don’t offer private use policies for pickup trucks over a certain size, such as the Toyota Hilux. They classify these vehicles as light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and will require you to get a commercial use policy for them, even if you’re using them exclusively recreationally.

How much does pickup van insurance cost?

The cost of your pickup insurance will depend on several factors: