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Food Delivery Insurance

What is food delivery insurance in the UK?

With the food delivery industry in the UK booming in the wake of the global pandemic, many have sought to cash in on the trend and take up part and full-time food delivery work. Our policy data shows that demand for fast food delivery insurance has risen 54% in the first quarter of 2022 when compared with the same quarter of 2021. This increase in demand was largely driven by an influx of part-time drivers seeking to make a side hustle from delivery work. This trend of increasing demand is expected to continue well into 2023 and beyond as more drivers seek to take part in this lucrative industry.

The rewarding flexibility of being a delivery driver, along with the quick pay turnarounds and opportunity to receive tips, have all helped fuel the rise in the number of motorists eagerly taking up the role.

With this historic rise in food delivery drivers however, many have been left confused over the actual insurance requirements needed for the role. Many potential takeaway delivery drivers, and the larger public in general, overlook the fact that you need to have a specific type of cover in place in order to operate as a driver. You cannot simply start making food deliveries on your standard motor insurance policy that covers you for private motor use.

The major food delivery companies operating in the UK such as Deliveroo, Uber eats and Just Eats, all require their drivers to have adequate cover for the risks that come with the role. Operating as a fast food delivery driver can be risky, there are some conditions under which the pressure is on to deliver the food before it gets cold. It is vital that you have the right level of food courier insurance or food delivery insurance coverage in place before you start making deliveries. Failing to have the proper insurance In place for carrying out food deliveries can result in potential fines and penalty points to your license. You can also risk voiding your standard insurance coverage if you get into an accident. You’ll also need a UK/EEU driving licence, or provisional licence and CBT for scooters.

*Virtually all standard Social, domestic and pleasure (SPD) insurance policies will not cover you for food delivery. This means it is important that you check you are properly insured before commencing any food deliveries.

In short, you will need at least a food delivery insurance policy in place as well as regular motor vehicle insurance for your vehicle when you aren’t making deliveries.

Food delivery insurance can come under many different names and you may hear it referred to as one of the following:

• Food delivery insurance
• Hire and reward insurance
• Uber Eats insurance
• Deliveroo insurance
• Just Eats insurance
• Fast food delivery insurance
• Pay as you go food delivery insurance
• Takeaway delivery insurance
• Fast food business owners

Regardless of the name, you will essentially need to have an insurance policy in place that will cover you for making food deliveries for profit. Food delivery or hire & reward cover are considered a necessary requirement by the major delivery companies in order to become a driver so getting the right insurance is important.

What is the difference between food delivery insurance and my current insurance?

Food delivery insurance functions much the same as the regular vehicle insurance you are used to covering yourself with. For example you pay premiums, you are covered for a certain period of time, and depending on your level of cover you can insure your own vehicle in the event of an at fault accident or simply opt for third party only. 

The reason you cannot just simply use your standard insurance to be a food delivery driver is due to the risk profile associated with the role, this means insurers require you to be under a specific food delivery or hire and reward cover in order to be properly covered. You will be handling other peoples food, driving to tight time frames and operating for profit. This means your driving will be outside the parameters of what can be classed as standard so you will require a specific food delivery policy for the time you are making deliveries. This doesn’t mean you should cancel or let your standard vehicle insurance lapse however, as you will not always be making deliveries and so this time spent driving will be classed as personal. Since your food delivery insurance will only cover you for the time you are making deliveries, with some policies extending an hour or so pre and post delivery, you’ll need to keep your standard insurance to remain properly covered when not working. Being caught without the correct delivery insurance can lead to fines and penalty points as well as potential court hearings in more serious cases.

Here at Quotezone.co.uk, we can help you increase your chances of finding the best food delivery insurance with our panel of top UK insurance specialists. Compare multiple food delivery quotes from across the UK market and find the best cover for you in moments.

FAQs

What do I get fast food delivery insurance?

Getting food delivery insurance is relatively simple when you know where to look. Here at Quotezone.co.uk we have compiled a panel of trusted UK based specialists so you can find the right insurance easily.

All you need to do is simply the following:

• Enter your vehicle type and specifications
• Choose your level of cover
• Finally, give us some basic info about yourself and start receiving your quotes

Being free of any claims and motoring convictions can help push down your insurance premiums considerably. With this said it is perhaps a no brainer that keeping a clean driving record and avoiding accidents is the best way of keeping your insurance costs down, drive safely and always observe the road rules.

If you are also a fast food delivery operator, running such a business naturally comes with its own risks, this is where takeaway delivery insurance or food insurance comes in useful. If you are the owner of the outlet and you employ your delivery drivers, you may be able to find cheap car insurance for delivery drivers through comparison with Quotezone.co.uk

This could give you the chance to examine your current policy and see where we could save you money. If you are self-employed you will need to be confident that your vehicle will be repaired or replaced if it gets damaged. After all, your livelihood depends on that vehicle and should you be in a position where you cannot use your vehicle, you will want to be sure you have the right coverage.

What our experts say:

“With the cost-of-living crisis sending many people in search of additional income, the courier boom we witnessed during the pandemic looks set to be a flexible and accessible top up for many households. People just need to be careful and check that they have food courier insurance coverage for their type of vehicle and nature of work. Anyone using a licensed vehicle needs to take out the appropriate insurance or face a £300 fine and 6 penalty points.” – Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk.

How much does food delivery insurance cost?

With the food delivery industry in the UK booming in the wake of the global pandemic, many have sought to cash in on the trend and take up part and full-time food delivery. With this rise in drivers however, many have been left confused over the insurance requirements for being a driver as well as the price.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to food delivery insurance costs, insurance providers will take a wide range of different risk factors into account when they’re calculating your premiums. Many of these factors are specific to you, so without getting a quote you are unlikely to be given an accurate estimate for how much you can expect to pay . For instance, your location, your age, the type of vehicle you use to delivery food, the annual mileage you clock up in that delivery vehicle, how long you’ve held your licence and whether you a No Claims Bonus on your food delivery insurance from previous years will all influence the cost of your policy.

Not all insurers are created equal either, this means that one insurer who offers the best premiums one period may not be offering the best next time around. Because of this it is important to compare multiple lenders using comparison sites so you maximise your chances of finding the cheapest food delivery insurance.

Who is the best food delivery company to deliver for?

Our data for food delivery insurance policies reveals the following breakdown for who delivery drivers choose to operate under when taking out their policies. The most popular companies to work for are as follows:

• 37% Uber Eats
• 7% Deliveroo
• 15% Just Eat
• 6% Independent delivery

*This breakdown was based on scooters, mopeds, motorbikes and bicycles, the most popular vehicles of choice for fast food delivery workers.

In 2021, Just eats took 40% of the food delivery app market followed by Uber eats and Deliveroo at 27% each respectively. With this said, all of the major food delivery apps in the UK are seeing increased demand for their services. Many are now also partnering up with supermarkets and convenience stores to expand their offerings to more customers. With all this in mind, any of the major delivery companies, or indeed independent ones, are feasible options for delivery drivers should there be sufficient demand for their services in an area.

The average hourly earnings for drivers by company according to Indeed.

• Deliveroo – £14
• Just Eats – £9.57
• Uber Eats – £9.81 – This can vary depending on certain factors

Examining this breakdown it may seem that Deliveroo is the clear winner for the hourly earnings of its drivers. However, averages and what drivers actually make can vary wildly depending on factors such as the time of day in which you operate, the number of other drivers in the area, and of course, the amount of demand.

With this in mind it is important to consider what makes drivers decide to operate with certain companies over others. There will be some common factors affecting the operators of all delivery companies such as demand for deliveries in your area as well as the number of other drivers available to take orders. The competition to reduce fairs will also be felt across all providers meaning the income of drivers could be impacted in future as more drivers flock to the role. Despite this increased competition however, demand has continued to increase year on year since the pandemic. Projections indicate a growth in revenue of 10% each year despite the recent economic hardships felt by most UK households. Due to this it is highly likely that need for food delivery drivers will continue and and competition around pricing will likely be balanced out by sheer demand.

What type of insurance covers food delivery?

If you do not have the appropriate food delivery insurance in place, you run the risk of voiding your insurance cover should you be involved in an accident. You also potential run the risk of incurring penalty points to your license as well as fines if you are stopped by police without proper Hire and reward insurance.

Hire and reward insurance, or food delivery insurance, Is a joining requirement for most food delivery companies operating in the UK. It is sometimes also referred to as class 3 business insurance and is distinct from other standard motor insurance policies.

As the name suggests, this type of cover is designed for those operating their vehicles for business purposes inorder to receive reward, aka payment. Unlike amazon drivers and those who work for similar companies, food delivery drivers are usually not required to have goods in transit insurance. This is due to the value of food goods being considerably lower than other commercial delivery goods such as electronics, household goods and so on.

Hire and Reward is distinct from other insurance types as it is essentially motor insurance for your vehicle while you operate as a food delivery driver. This is in contrast to standard Social, Domestic & Pleasure (SDP) purposes such as day-to-day driving, shopping, transporting family and so on. Since you will not be covered for the time when you are not making deliveries, you will need you own separate SDP insurance coverage in place for the time you are not delivering but still driving on the road.

Hire reward insurance, like traditional motor insurance, covers your vehicle against the costs of accidents that you may be involved in whilst carrying out food delivery. The level of cover offered in your food delivery policy can vary just as standard motor insurance.

• Third party – Covers third party damages only
• Third party, fire and theft – covers third party damage and fire and theft to your vehicle
• Comprehensive – Covers your vehicle as well as third parties in the event of an accident were you are at fault, cover against fire and theft is also included.

What does food delivery insurance cover you against?

Food delivery insurance will protect you against the following risks whilst you operate as a delivery driver. These are essentially the same protections as a standard motor insurance policy but factor in the additional risk profiles of delivery driving.

• liability coverage – If you are involved in an accident, you may be held liable for any resulting damages or injuries to third parties should you be at fault. Liability cover provides you protection against these costs whilst you operate as a delivery driver.
• Damage to your vehicle – This depends on your level of cover but comprehensive coverage will protect your work vehicle against the costs of repairs or replacement should it be damaged in an accident.
• Liability for lost or damaged food & merchandise 

What is “Pay as You Go” insurance?

Pay as You Go, or PAYG food delivery insurance, is a type of food delivery insurance that allows for you to be flexible with your insurance coverage. With many drivers opting to take on food delivery as a side hustle or part time gig, opting for a yearly insurance premium doesn’t always make the most sense. But a number of specialist courier insurance providers do offer more flexible options to cater to such drivers. With a PAYG policy, you only pay for your delivery insurance when you actually work. This can sometimes be charged on an hourly basis, with other options including 30 day or one month coverage. This usually works out as a more cost effective option for part time drivers than simply taking out a standard food delivery insurance policy.

How can I get the right food delivery insurance?

Here at Quotezone.co.uk, We’ve compiled a panel of top UK based insurers to make your search for cheaper insurance easier than ever. Compare quotes from multiple specialist food delivery insurers in moments and start comparing quotes. So if you are looking to insure your car, van, motorbike or scooter, Quotezone.co.uk has you covered!

Top Tip

Don’t let your policies auto-renew, you always stand a better chance of finding the cheapest food delivery insurance when you compare multiple quotes from different insurers. Simply allowing your insurance to auto-renew could mean you miss out on better deals across the market.