The assumption that catches hauliers out
All haulage businesses carry insurance. What few realise is that their cover may not respond to some of their most significant exposures.
The most common misunderstanding is simple but costly: fleet insurance and goods in transit insurance are entirely separate products. One does not cover the gap left by the other.
Fleet insurance vs goods in transit
Motor fleet insurance covers your vehicles – damage, theft, and third-party liability as a road user. It does not cover the cargo inside them.
Goods in transit insurance covers your liability as a carrier. The moment you accept a load, you take on legal responsibility for it. If goods are lost, damaged, or stolen during transit, your client can hold you liable – and standard fleet cover will not respond to that claim.
Your goods in transit policy also needs to reflect the actual value of loads you carry. A default limit that bears no relation to your typical consignments is a risk in itself.
What else a haulage business needs
A complete haulage insurance programme should also cover:
- Employers’ liability – a legal requirement if you employ drivers or staff
- Public liability – for incidents at your depot, during loading, or away from the road
- Premises and contents – vehicles, equipment, and depot contents overnight
- Cyber insurance – increasingly essential if you run telematics or digital logistics platforms
Getting it right matters
Haulage insurance is a specialist area. The conditions under which goods are carried – RHA or CMR – affect how liability is allocated and how a policy must be structured. A policy that technically exists but doesn’t respond when needed offers no real protection.
At Readhunt, we’ve worked with haulage businesses for over 20 years. We review the full picture: vehicles, cargo, operations, premises, and people – not just the fleet.
If you’d like an honest review of your current cover, call us on 01709 278178 or email us insurance@readhunt.co.uk