Whether you run a garage, body shop, or vehicle dealership, compare specialist motor trade insurance quotes by completing one short form.
Provide details about your motor trade business, including trade type, premises, and vehicles.
Motor trade insurance providers review your details and contact you with tailored quotes.
Review the quotes you receive and select the policy that suits your business needs.
If you run a garage, body shop, MOT station, or vehicle dealership, your standard car insurance won't cover you for driving customers' vehicles or moving stock. Motor trade insurance is the specialist policy that fills that gap — covering road risks, premises, tools, stock, and the liability that comes with working on other people's cars and vans.
We have partnered with Quotezone.co.uk to help established motor trade businesses compare quotes from specialist UK providers. If you're aged 25 or over with at least a year of motor trade no-claims bonus, you're in the bracket that insurers are keenest to quote for.
Motor trade insurance covers the specific risks of running an automotive business in the UK. At its core, it gives you the legal right to drive vehicles that aren't yours — customers' cars in for repair, stock vehicles being moved between locations, or trade plates on unregistered vehicles.
Most policies combine road risk cover with premises liability, and where applicable, protection for tools, equipment, and stock. The exact shape of your policy depends on what type of motor trade work you do and whether you operate from fixed premises.
The trades covered by motor trade insurance include mechanical repair garages, body and paint shops, MOT prep and testing stations, vehicle sales and demonstrations, tyre and exhaust fitting, windscreen repair, vehicle electricians, accessory fitting, car detailing and valeting, breakdown and recovery operators, vehicle collection and delivery services, and import/export businesses.
It's worth noting that some activities fall outside what most motor trade insurers will cover — specifically scrap metal dealing and car jockeying. If your primary trade involves either of these, you'd need to discuss specialist arrangements directly with an insurer.
There are two main types of motor trade insurance, and the right one depends on whether you work from fixed premises:
If you operate from a workshop, showroom, or forecourt, a combined policy is the standard choice. The premises element covers the building itself and its contents — from vehicle lifts and diagnostic equipment to the vans and cars you hold for sale or repair.
Motor trade insurance is used across the full range of legitimate automotive businesses in the UK. The trades that attract the most competitive quotes include:
The traders who get the strongest quotes are typically aged 25 or over, with at least one year of motor trade no-claims bonus and five or more years of private car insurance no-claims bonus. If you're running a fleet of recovery or delivery vehicles alongside your motor trade, you may also want to consider fleet cover for those vehicles.
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A comprehensive motor trade policy can include a range of cover tailored to your business:
Cover to drive customers' vehicles and stock vehicles on public roads in connection with your trade.
Protection for your workshop, showroom, and business property against fire, flood, theft, and damage.
Cover for specialist tools, diagnostic equipment, lifts, and machinery used in your trade.
Protects against claims from customers or visitors injured at your premises or by your work.
Legally required if you employ staff. Covers claims from employees injured at work.
Protects vehicles held for sale or awaiting repair against damage, theft, and fire at your premises.
Mechanical repair, body work, MOT testing, and vehicle sales each carry different risk profiles affecting premiums.
Traders with 1+ years motor trade NCB and 5+ years private car NCB typically get better rates. Age 25+ preferred.
The size, location, and security of your workshop or showroom affect the premium for combined policies.
More staff means higher employer's liability risk. The number and experience of drivers also matters.
The value of vehicles held for sale or repair at your premises affects the stock cover element of your premium.
A clean claims record demonstrates lower risk and helps secure more competitive quotes from insurers.
We have partnered with Quotezone.co.uk to help you compare quotes across a range of specialist insurance products.
Cover multiple business vehicles under one policy.
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Complete one short form and let specialist providers get in touch with competitive quotes tailored to your needs.
T T Branding Ltd (trading as MySupermarket Compare) is an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of Seopa Ltd. Seopa Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN: 313860). Quotezone is a trading style of Seopa Ltd. Seopa Ltd is located at Floor 4, Blackstaff Studios, 8-10 Amelia Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT2 7GS. The insurance quote system is independently owned and operated by Seopa Ltd. TT Branding Ltd do not offer financial advice and receives a commission for any policies purchased, at no cost to you.
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