Protection for insured recovery vehicles and permitted driving connected with the business.
Cover for roadside and recovery operators
Breakdown Recovery Insurance
Insurance considerations for businesses attending breakdowns, recovering vehicles, transporting customer vehicles and operating specialist recovery equipment.
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Recovery work combines several risks
A recovery operator may drive its own trucks, move customer vehicles, work beside live traffic, store damaged vehicles and use specialist lifting or winching equipment. A suitable insurance programme should reflect the full operation rather than focusing only on the recovery truck.
Insurers may ask about vehicle types, carrying capacity, geographical radius, motorway work, police or authority contracts, storage arrangements, driver experience and the value of vehicles handled.
Areas to review
Cover commonly considered by recovery businesses
Cover for customer vehicles while being recovered, transported or stored, subject to policy terms.
Public and employers’ liability for roadside work, premises and employees.
Winches, lifting gear, diagnostic equipment, tools and other business property.
Buildings, compounds, contents, security and accumulation of customer vehicles.
Financial protection following an insured loss that disrupts trading.
Information that can shape the risk
Prepare a clear vehicle schedule, driver details, claims experience, contract types, maximum customer vehicle values, overnight storage information and details of any hazardous or specialist recovery work.
Restrictions can apply to vehicle values, types of recovery, distance travelled and unattended storage, so the wording and endorsements need careful review.
Focused commercial insurance guidance
A simple way to describe a recovery risk
Recovery work can involve more than driving a truck. A business may recover vehicles at the roadside, transport them, store them or carry out minor repairs.
A clear insurance submission should separate those activities. It should also explain the vehicles used, the equipment carried and when customer vehicles are in the firm’s care.
- List each recovery vehicle.
- Explain roadside and storage work.
- Record security at any compound.
- Describe work done for third parties.
Simple records help an insurer understand the real operation.