Pickup insurance

Do I need insurance for a pickup truck?

In the UK, it’s a legal requirement to insure your vehicle, now matter what kind it is. Even if you only use your pickup truck very rarely, you will still need to take out insurance for it. 

If you don’t use your pickup truck at all, and keep it off public roads then you can register your vehicle off road to avoid insuring it. This requires filing a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). Make sure you get a SORN if you are not intending to use your pickup truck for a significant period of time. 

How much cover do I need for my pickup?

One way to reduce the cost of your pickup insurance is to only cover it for what you need. Pickup insurance comes with three levels of cover: 

• Third party only is the minimum insurance you need to drive your pickup truck and it exclusively covers damage to another person’s vehicle or property. 
• Third party fire and theft will also cover fire damage to your own vehicle, as well as the theft or attempted theft of your pickup truck. 
• Fully comprehensive pickup insurance is the highest cover you can get. It will also insure damage to your own vehicle whether it’s due to the fault of yourself or another. 

Should I add to my pickup insurance?

You may also want to choose from a number of optional add-ons, including: 

• Breakdown cover will allow you to keep travelling if your vehicle breaks down.
• Personal belongings will mean that any personal belongings in your pickup are covered if stolen or damaged. 
• Lost keys covers the cost of new keys if yours are lost. 
• Wrong fuel covers repairs costs if you use the wrong fuel in your pickup truck.
• Use abroad means that you can drive your pickup overseas under your pickup insurance. 

Choosing the right policy will depend on your personal vehicle use. Comparing pickup insurance can help you choose the right policy for your needs whilst keeping costs low. 

Sometimes, insurers will ask questions about modifications, whether your pickup has a tipping or refrigeration unit and whether it carries hazardous goods. It can help you get an accurate quote if you know the answers to these questions so be prepared to answer them.

Does my pickup’s weight matter?

Bigger and more powerful vehicles are usually more expensive to insure than smaller ones. Insuring a pickup truck is often more expensive as a result. 

Knowing the weight of your pickup truck will help you determine the type of insurance you need. There are a few ways to find the weight of your pickup: 

• Check the tire and loading plate inside the frame of the driver’s side door. 
• Sometimes the weight will be stamped on the engine plate, so check this under the hood of your vehicle. 
• If you still can’t locate your pickup’s weight, you may find it in your owner’s manual. 

Do I need business or private pickup insurance?

There are two types of pickup van insurance. Depending on how you use your pickup, you will either need commercial or private insurance. 

Because pickup insurance is a type of van insurance it works differently from car insurance. Take care to take out the right policy, comparing van insurance policies with usave can make this process easier. 

When choosing pickup insurance consider what you will be using your vehicle for. If you plan to commute in your pickup you will need to take out a commercial van insurance policy to cover your vehicle use. 

Private pickup insurance will only cover your driving for purely social reasons, such as seeing friends or doing activities and hobbies. Having private van insurance means that you are not covered to drive to and from work as this require business insurance! 

You will also need a business policy if your vehicle is used for haulage or courier services, carriage of your own goods, or hire and reward. If you are using your vehicle for any of these reasons it is essential that you takeout business insurance.