CoverMapWhat is courier van insurance?
Courier van insurance is van cover that includes hire and reward. That is the class of use for carrying other people’s goods in return for payment. Brumble puts it simply: “if you are receiving payment to transport someone else’s property, you need hire and reward cover.”
Broker Arthur J. Gallagher describes courier van insurance as cover for drivers who work on a multi-drop basis, “often more than four deliveries in a day”. It says standard private cover may not protect this kind of work, even with a business use class. In practice that means lots of short stops, which is typical of parcel and gig-economy delivery.
Multi-drop work costs more to insure. Brumble says that is because more stops mean more loading, unloading and manoeuvring in tight spaces. Confused.com separates courier work (many drops) from haulage (longer trips, fewer drops), though both sit in the same hire-and-reward bracket on its price data.
Hire and reward vs carriage of own goods
This is where most couriers go wrong. Carriage of own goods, the usual “business van insurance”, covers carrying your own tools, stock and equipment. Brumble says it does not cover courier work. Our guide to van classes of use covers every class in detail. In short:
| Situation | Whose goods? | Class you are likely to need |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber carrying tools and parts to jobs | Your own | Carriage of own goods |
| Delivering parcels for Amazon Flex, Evri or a courier firm | Other people’s, for payment | Hire and reward (courier) |
| Delivering takeaways by van | Other people’s, for payment | Hire and reward |
| Long-distance loads with few drops | Other people’s, for payment | Haulage |
Source: Brumble (August 2026), Confused.com classes of use guide (January 2025), Admiral (July 2026).
Using the wrong class can leave you without valid cover for the trip. For the GOV.UK penalties for driving without insurance, see our main van insurance guide.
What delivery platforms require
If you are self-employed, the platform usually expects you to arrange your own cover. Here is what the platforms’ own pages say, checked October 2026.
| Platform | What its own page says |
|---|---|
| Amazon Flex | Under car deliveries: “Hire and Reward (H&R) insurance + minimum SD&P insurance”. Vans and enclosed pickups are accepted. INSHUR and Zego are listed as insurance partners. No goods in transit requirement is stated. |
| Evri | You need “the correct level of 3rd party cover whilst you’re out making deliveries”, and your vehicle needs a valid MOT and insurance. Evri offers an optional top-up at £1.35 a day, charged only on days you work for Evri. |
| DPD | Its owner-driver brochure says the van supplied on the ODF Lite route comes “fully liveried, insured and ready to go”. Standard owner drivers can use their own vehicle or a 3.5t van package. The brochure does not list the insurance types required. |
Source: Amazon Flex UK requirements page, Evri courier FAQ, DPD owner driver brochure. Pages undated; checked October 2026.
INSHUR, which sells cover to Evri couriers, says Evri asks for proof of hire and reward insurance at onboarding. That claim comes from the insurer’s page, not Evri’s. We did not find an official Yodel page setting out its insurance rules, so ask any courier firm for its requirements in writing.
Pay-as-you-go or annual courier cover?
For Amazon Flex, two policies usually work together. INSHUR’s May 2025 FAQ says its “Pay as You Flex” policy covers your driving time during delivery blocks, but you also need “a separate SD&P policy for your vehicle at all times”. Cover is bought as a 40-hour wallet that tops up automatically when it falls below 16 hours. Zego’s Amazon page puts it the same way: “You need both. Our pay-as-you-go cover is the H&R half.”
The trade-off is simple. Pay-as-you-go suits occasional blocks. If you deliver most days, an annual policy that combines hire and reward with personal use may be easier to manage. Compare the total cost over a typical month of work, not the headline price.
Goods in transit: how much cover do you need?
Your van policy covers the van. It does not cover the parcels inside. Goods in transit (GIT) insurance fills that gap. NerdWallet says it covers goods while they are in your “custody and control”, against loss, theft and damage.
Cover levels
NerdWallet says goods limits run from about £5,000 to £5 million or more, and a higher limit means a higher premium. Confused.com says some policies offer up to £10 million. A parcel courier carrying low-value items needs far less than someone moving electronics or furniture.
To pick a limit, work out the highest total value you could carry in one load. Then check two things:
- Your contract. GIT is not a legal requirement, but NerdWallet and Confused.com both say hire and reward contracts often require proof of it.
- The exclusions. NerdWallet says goods in storage or already delivered are not covered, and claims during loading and unloading “can be open to interpretation”. Confused.com lists theft from an unattended or unlocked van as a common exclusion.
If you leave parcels in the van overnight between rounds, ask the insurer how that is treated before you buy.
Public liability and other cover for couriers
Arthur J. Gallagher lists public liability, employers’ liability, goods in transit and breakdown as common extras for courier van drivers. Public liability covers injury to members of the public or damage to their property, for example if you damage a customer’s gate while delivering. Markel says it is not compulsory in the UK, but clients and contractors may require it, and standard policies start at £1 million and go up to £5 million. Check whether your courier policy already includes it before buying it separately.
Employers’ liability is different. It is a legal requirement once you employ staff, for example a second driver, with some exceptions such as family members. Our van insurance guide has the GOV.UK rules. If you run more than one van, a fleet policy may be worth comparing.
How much does courier van insurance cost?
Hire and reward is the most expensive class of van cover. Confused.com customers paid a median of £2,324 for haulage or hire and reward in April–June 2026, more than three times the £681 paid for carriage of own goods. We did not find other dated 2025 or 2026 price data specific to couriers.
Arthur J. Gallagher says the price depends on the level of cover, the extras you add, your age, the type of van, the goods you carry and your driving history. Our main guide covers the wider ways to cut van insurance costs, such as renewal timing and paying annually.
Checklist before your first delivery
- Confirm the policy says hire and reward or courier use, not just business use.
- Check whether you need a separate personal-use (SD&P) policy alongside pay-as-you-go cover.
- Get the platform’s or courier firm’s insurance requirements in writing.
- Match your goods in transit limit to your contract and your most valuable load.
- Check rules for unattended vans and parcels left overnight.
- Decide whether you need public liability, and employers’ liability if you take on staff.
- Declare signage or livery: Quotezone says it counts as a modification.
If you also carry your own tools for trade work, read our tradesman van insurance guide too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need courier insurance to deliver parcels in my van?
Yes, if you are paid to carry other people's goods. That needs hire and reward cover. Carriage of own goods (standard business use) only covers your own tools, stock and equipment.
What insurance does Amazon Flex require?
Amazon Flex's requirements page asks for hire and reward insurance plus at least social, domestic and pleasure (SD&P) cover. Pay-as-you-go hire and reward policies cover your delivery blocks, but you still need a separate SD&P policy at all times.
Does Evri provide insurance for couriers?
Evri's FAQ says couriers need the correct level of third party cover while delivering. It offers an optional top-up at £1.35 a day, charged only on days you work for Evri. Check current terms with Evri.
Is goods in transit insurance a legal requirement?
No. But hire and reward contracts often require it. NerdWallet says goods limits typically range from £5,000 to £5 million or more.
How much is courier van insurance?
Confused.com customers paid a median of £2,324 for haulage or hire and reward van cover in April–June 2026. Your price depends on your age, van, goods carried, cover level and claims history.
What is multi-drop van insurance?
It is courier cover for drivers making many deliveries a day. Arthur J. Gallagher describes multi-drop work as often more than four deliveries a day.
Sources
- Amazon Flex UK – Requirements
- INSHUR – Amazon Flex insurance FAQs (May 2025)
- Zego – Amazon Flex insurance (2026)
- Evri – Become a courier FAQ
- INSHUR – Evri insurance for courier drivers
- DPD – Owner driver brochure
- Arthur J. Gallagher – Courier van insurance (Sep 2026)
- Brumble – Courier van insurance guide (Aug 2026)
- NerdWallet UK – Goods in transit insurance
- Confused.com – Goods in transit insurance (May 2026)
- Confused.com – Van insurance (Sep 2026)
- Confused.com – Van insurance classes of use (Jan 2025)
- Admiral – Which van insurance class of use (Jul 2026)
- Quotezone – Modified van insurance (Nov 2025)
- Markel – Is public liability insurance compulsory? (May 2025)