Recovery Driver Insurance Explained
Insurance is one of the most important parts of operating as a recovery driver, because you are driving other people’s vehicles and carrying them on your own. To be approved on the network you must hold Fully Comprehensive motor insurance that explicitly covers recovery / towing of customers’ vehicles for hire or reward — third-party policies are not accepted. The right cover protects you, your customers and their vehicles — and having it is often what lets you take on garage, dealer and platform work in the first place.
The main types of cover
- Fully Comprehensive motor insurance that explicitly covers recovery / towing / transport of customers’ vehicles for hire or reward — this is the baseline requirement to be approved. Third-party or third-party fire & theft policies are not accepted.
- Road risk / motor trade insurance — lets you legally drive customers’ vehicles as part of your business.
- Public liability — covers claims from third parties for injury or property damage.
- Goods-in-transit — covers the vehicles you are carrying while they are in your care.
- Vehicle insurance — cover for the recovery vehicle itself, appropriate to commercial use.
Why it matters for getting work
Garages, dealerships, insurers and recovery platforms generally will not give work to an operator who cannot show the right cover. Beyond the legal side, proper insurance is a trust signal: it tells customers their vehicle is protected if something goes wrong during loading or transport.
Frequently asked questions
- What insurance do I need to carry customers’ cars?
- You need Fully Comprehensive motor insurance that explicitly covers recovery / towing / transport of customers’ vehicles for hire or reward — this is the baseline to be approved, and third-party policies are not accepted. On top of that, road risk / motor trade cover lets you drive vehicles you do not own for your business, and public liability plus goods-in-transit cover for the vehicles you transport are strongly recommended. Speak to a specialist motor trade insurer for a policy matched to recovery work.
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