Recovery vehicle insurance to cover every callout
Recovery vehicle insurance from a panel of trusted UK insurers
Insure your vehicle recovery business with zero hassle
Recovery operators work in some of the most demanding and unpredictable conditions in the motor trade — roadside incidents, accident scenes, and recovered vehicles that may themselves be damaged or unstable. Standard motor trade insurance doesn’t adequately cover the unique risks of towing and recovery work.
Recovery vehicle insurance is the specialist policy that protects your vehicles, your equipment, and the vehicles in your care throughout every callout.
At insurd, we’re an FCA-regulated specialist insurance broker with over 50 years of experience arranging motor trade insurance for recovery operators across the UK. We work with a panel of leading UK insurers to find the right policy for your operation.
24/7 claims service
We’re here for you round the clock when you need us most.
Fairer prices for all
As a specialist insurance broker, we search our panel of leading UK insurers to find the right recovery vehicle policy for your business.
World-class support
You’ll get your own UK-based human to look after you for the duration of your policy.
We use a combination of technology and a wealth of experience to give you unrivalled cover and more affordable motor trade insurance prices.
What is recovery vehicle insurance?
Recovery vehicle insurance is a specialist motor trade policy designed for operators who tow, transport, or recover vehicles as part of their business. It covers both your own recovery vehicles and the vehicles in your care during recovery operations — a critical distinction that standard motor trade or commercial vehicle policies do not address.
Whether you operate a single breakdown truck or a fleet of recovery vehicles, any operation that involves taking vehicles into your care on a roadside or towing them to a destination requires specialist recovery cover.
Operating without it leaves you personally liable for any damage to recovered vehicles or injury to third parties during recovery operations.
Types of cover
Road risk insurance
Road risk insurance is a fundamental component of motor trade cover, including vehicle recovery. It allows traders to legally drive vehicles on public roads for purposes such as test drives, deliveries, or customer collections. There are three levels of road risk cover:
- Third-party only (TPO): Covers damage to other people’s property or injury to others. It’s the minimum legal requirement.
- Third-party, fire and theft (TPFT): Includes TPO cover and adds protection against fire damage and theft of vehicles.
- Comprehensive: Offers the highest level of protection, covering third-party risks, fire, theft, and damage to the trader’s vehicles.
Combined insurance
Combined motor trade insurance provides broader cover, encompassing road risks and additional protections such as:
- Vehicles in transit — Covers vehicles being towed or transported during recovery operations against damage in transit. Standard road risk does not cover the vehicle being recovered.
- Business interruption — Covers lost income if your recovery business is unable to operate due to an insured event affecting your vehicles or premises.
- Premises insurance — Protects any storage compound, workshop, or depot against fire, theft, flood, and accidental damage.
- Employer’s liability — Mandatory if you employ recovery drivers or assistants. Covers workplace injuries including those occurring in roadside conditions.
- Public liability — Covers legal costs and compensation if a third party is injured or their property is damaged during a recovery operation.
- Tools and equipment — Protection for recovery equipment, lifting gear, straps, dollies, and specialist tools against theft or damage.
- Extra drivers — Cover for additional drivers to operate recovery vehicles or drive recovered vehicles.
How much does recovery vehicle insurance cost?
Typically, vehicle recovery insurance premiums can vary, influenced by the cover level and specific details of your business.
Key factors affecting how much motor trade insurance costs:
Type of cover
Road risk only or combined cover — and the level within each. For recovery operators, comprehensive combined cover including vehicles in transit is strongly recommended given the high-risk nature of recovery operations.
Nature of business
The type of recovery work you carry out directly affects your premium. Light vehicle breakdown recovery carries lower risk than heavy recovery, accident response, or specialist vehicle transport.
Location and security
Where your recovery vehicles and compound are based affects your premium. Secure overnight compound storage with CCTV and alarms significantly reduces theft risk compared to street parking.
Vehicles covered
The size, value, and specialisation of your recovery vehicles affect your premium. Larger heavy recovery trucks carry higher premiums than standard breakdown vehicles.
Driver details
The experience and driving records of your recovery drivers are critical cost factors. Roadside recovery carries inherent risk — experienced drivers with clean records will attract materially lower premiums.
Policy customisation
The level of combined cover beyond road risk — vehicles in transit, premises, liability limits — directly affects your premium. Our team can tailor the right level of cover for your operation size.
How to reduce your recovery vehicle insurance cost
Beyond the factors above, several practical steps can help reduce your recovery vehicle insurance costs.
- Invest in driver training — Recovery drivers working in roadside conditions face inherent risk. Formal driver training and hazard awareness programmes reduce your risk profile and many insurers will discount your premium in recognition.
- Install GPS trackers on all recovery vehicles — Trackers reduce theft risk, increase recovery chances, and demonstrate active fleet management — all of which reduce your premium.
- Secure your compound overnight — CCTV, perimeter fencing, and gated access for your recovery compound reduces theft and vandalism risk significantly.
- Manage claims actively — Recovery operations carry inherent incident risk. Prompt reporting, careful documentation of every callout, and managing repair costs protects your claims record — your most valuable long-term cost asset.
- Review your vehicle values accurately — The declared value of your recovery vehicles and equipment directly affects your premium. Regular valuations ensure you’re not over-insured on older vehicles.
For more ways to reduce your motor trade insurance costs, see our motor trade insurance cost guide.
Recovery vehicle insurance frequently asked questions
What is recovery vehicle insurance and do I need it?
Recovery vehicle insurance is a specialist motor trade policy for operators who tow, transport, or recover vehicles on behalf of others. It covers your recovery vehicle, the vehicles you're transporting, your equipment, and your liability at roadside — all of which carry unique risks that a standard motor or van policy won't cover. If you operate a recovery service commercially, specialist cover is a legal requirement.
What's the difference between road risks and combined motor trade insurance?
Road risks insurance covers you to drive vehicles on public roads as part of your motor trade activities — whether they're your own vehicles or customers'. Combined motor trade insurance goes further, adding protection for your premises, tools, equipment, stock, public liability, and employers' liability. If you work from premises or have employees, a combined policy is usually the better choice.
Can I get motor trade insurance if I only trade part-time?
Yes — we arrange motor trade insurance for part-time traders as well as full-time businesses. You'll still need to demonstrate that you're running a genuine motor trade operation, even if it's on a small scale. Visit our part-time motor trade insurance page for more details.
How do I prove I'm a legitimate motor trader?
Insurers require evidence that you run a genuine motor trade business. This can include invoices or receipts from vehicles bought or sold, online or print advertisements, tax records, or business bank account details. The more evidence you have, the smoother the process. Our team can guide you through what's needed when you get in touch.
Does vehicle recovery insurance cover the vehicles being recovered?
Yes — cover for vehicles in your care while being towed or transported is a key part of a recovery operator's policy. This protects you if a vehicle is damaged during a recovery operation. The level of cover available may depend on the circumstances of the recovery and the condition of the vehicle, so it's worth checking the policy details with our team.
Who actually underwrites my policy?
We're a broker, which means we arrange cover on your behalf with a handpicked panel of trusted insurers. You'll see exactly who's underwriting your policy before you commit to buying.
Why can I trust insurd?
We've been arranging insurance for over 50 years — now trading as insurd — and we're authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Register Number: 308508), and over a thousand real customers have shared their experiences with us on Trustpilot.
You can verify our status directly on the FCA register.
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