Motor, cargo and liability cover
Motor insurance is required to drive on UK roads; third-party cover is the legal minimum. Tell the insurer how the HGV is used, including carrying other businesses’ goods for payment. A policy for a different use may not cover the operation.
Goods-in-transit cover concerns goods being carried; it is not a replacement for motor insurance. Public liability and employers’ liability address different risks. Employers’ liability is generally compulsory if you employ staff, subject to exemptions; public liability and cargo requirements can arise from contracts. Ask which risks each policy actually covers.
Legal duties, contracts and platform documents
Keep these checks separate: what the law requires, what your customer or transport contract requires, and what documents your HOULVEK dashboard requests. They are not interchangeable.
A platform document review does not change the policy or guarantee that an insurer will pay a claim. Check the current document requirements in your account; this guide does not set a universal minimum cargo limit or approve an insurer.
Read the limits, excess and exclusions
Check whether the limit applies per vehicle, load, claim or policy period, and whether valuation follows the goods’ value or a liability basis in the contract. Confirm the excess you would pay. A cargo value higher than the policy limit needs clarification before acceptance.
Ask about theft and unattended parking, loading and unloading, temperature-sensitive or hazardous goods, high-value items, territorial limits and subcontracted movements. Never infer cover from a product name: the schedule, wording and endorsements need to agree with the work.
Prepare the facts for your broker
Have the business and operator details, vehicle and trailer details, drivers, goods and maximum values, routes, parking arrangements, claims history and proposed contract ready. Describe any specialist handling or subcontracting.
Ask for written confirmation of uncertain points before committing. Check the firm and its relevant permissions on the FCA Register, using official contact details. HOULVEK does not compare policies, provide quotes or introduce an insurance partner on this page.
Fictional example: clarify before accepting
A carrier is offered machinery valued at £80,000, but sees a £50,000 figure on its cargo schedule and an exclusion that may affect unattended parking. The figures are illustrative, not HOULVEK requirements or recommended cover.
The carrier asks its broker how the valuation, limit and parking condition apply, then agrees any necessary policy and contract arrangements before accepting. This example does not establish that the shipment is insured or that increasing one limit resolves every exclusion.
Before accepting the load
- Match the insured business, vehicle and driver to the proposed work.
- Confirm the goods, value, route, dates and handling arrangements.
- Read the policy limit, excess, exclusions and contract liabilities together.
- Clarify subcontracting and parking conditions in writing.
- Keep current policy documents and the broker’s response accessible with the job.