Just when we thought the cold snap and associated terrible driving conditions were over, this week we have seen a return of icy and snowy condititions in certains parts of North England and Scotland.

As an HGV driver, we don't need to tell you just how careful you have to be when driving a truck in icy conditions - the bigger / heavier the vehicle, the harder it is too stop!!

The recent bad weather has seen an increase in haulage insurance claims, a shortage of replacement vehicles and a back-log of accident repairs.

The first thing to check is that your HGV insurance policy definately includes an accident management service and free like-for-like vehicle in the event of a non fault accident.

Of course, to keep your haulage insurance no claims bonus, its much better to drive with caution to avoid any accidents that will increase your HGV insurance premiums.

For cheap HGV insurance, and haulage fleet insurance policies, visit insureHGV website for an online HGV insurance quote or call 0800 142 2841 to speak to an HGV insurance broker.

Here at insureHGV, we often get asked whether a haulage fleet insurance policy would be better than individual HGV insurance. Fleet insurance has always been popular with fleets of over 10 vehicles, but we are now seeing a rise in HGV fleet insurance quotes for 3+ vehicles.

There are a number of advantages for an HGV fleet insurance policy:

1) All of your vehicles are on one policy, with one renewal date
2) Simpler administration, and you can add or delete vehicles as you wish. Your monthly premium will change accordingly
3) You can choose "named drivers" or "any driver" policies ("any driver" are more popular)
4) Any driver policies are usually all drivers over 25
5) Haulage fleet insurance policies are often cheaper than individual HGV insurance policies

As specialist HGV insurance brokers, are job is to look at all the options for you and recommend the solution that offers both the best price and the best policy for your needs.

You can get a HGV insurance quote online and insureHGV will come back to you with haulage insurance quotes (including goods in transit insurance) for your perusal. Or feel free to call our expert HGV insurance broker team on 0800 142 2841

The recent cold snap is likely to see an increase in haulage insurance claims as there are more accidents on the icy roads and its often large articulated lorries that cope worse in bad weather.

HGV insurers also find that long delays may results in an uplift in goods in transit insurance claims in the result of goods arriving either too late or have suffered damage on the journey.

This backs up the thoughts of HGV insurance broker "insureHGV" that its vital to make sure that your HGV insurance policy not only covers your vehicle and all named drivers, but has adequate levels of goods in transit insurance and public liability insurance that are necessary all year around, but especially in poor driving conditions that we have experienced recently.

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For competitive haulage insurance, visit www.insurehgv.com - single HGV driver insurance policies through to haulage fleet insurance from the expert HGV insurance broker. Call 0800 142 2841 or for an online HGV insurance quote visit our website

Haulage Insurance

Whether you own a single HGV or a whole fleet, you’ll know what a minefield getting the right haulage insurance deal can be. There are lots of companies out there, but how do you find the best deal for your business at the right price?

It largely depends on what type of vehicle you have and what you are carrying. But there are a few other things you should consider as well. I’ve tried to summarise briefly below.

I’d also recommend that you speak with a specialist truck / haulage insurance broker. They will understand your requirements much better and will also have access to the best rates for insuring single HGV’s or larger haulage fleets as they will have better buying power.

HGV insurance
You must have HGV insurance – it’s a legal requirement like any other type of vehicle on UK roads.

Goods in Transit insurance
This is optional and will vary depending on whether you carry your own goods or if you are a haulage company transporting someone else’s goods. This covers the goods you carry in your vehicle against theft, loss, damage and the consequences of delay. It's very easy to get this from specialist UK lorry insurance dealers. Make sure you state if you carry hazardous cargo or visit dangerous sites regularly.

Extra cover can seem a lot of extra hassle to arrange, and an unnecessary cost in times when some owner operators and haulage companies are trying hard to make ends meet, but it's worth considering the extra security your customers will feel knowing their goods are properly protected. Especially if you’re a new operator – it will help you win new business if you’re property insured.

And of course it's not just about appearances - if goods are damaged on the road and you're not insured you're going to have to either pay for the damages yourself, or endure a drawn out legal battle with someone who could have become a good customer.

Make sure you have the correct level of cover for your goods so you don’t have to make up any shortfall.

Public Liability Insurance
An HGV could cause injury and even death on the roads, so you should also consider taking out Public Liability insurance to cover you in the event of a member of the public making a claim for damages against your business.

Continental Lorry Insurance
This one is something that's either essential or pointless, depending on how you do business, but it's really easy to work out, of course: Do you spend any of your work hours delivering loads abroad on the continent? If yes, then you need continental haulage insurance, if not you can save that money and stick to a UK truck insurance policy.

Fleet insurance
Again, a specialist broker should be your best bet here. They can shop around for you to get the best deal with their specialist underwriters. Big savings can be had in both money and time if you have 3 or more vehicles. One policy is easier to manage and should save you up to 25%

HGV insurance is vital to both self employed HGV drivers and haulage companies alike.

With so many hours spent on the road, expensive trucks and often transporting thousands of pounds worth of goods, haulage insurance and goods in transit insurance is likely to make up a significant part of your fixed costs as an individual or haulage company.

So what do you look for when considering a HGV insurance quote?

In today’s difficult trading conditions, the principle consideration is price. Getting cheap HGV insurance is at the top of most people’s wish list. Going to specialist HGV insurance brokers is probably the best way to get the most competitive quote.

One such specialist broker is called insureHGV with the website http://www.insurehgv.com/.

Tim Crighton, from insureHGV, explains why they can get the best insurance prices on the market. “Firstly, we will know exactly what underwriters to approach given your individual circumstances. As our specialist HGV insurance team deal with HGV drivers and haulage companies every day, they know who to approach for insurance for a new HGV driver versus a vast haulage fleet insurance quote for example”.

Tim continued, “Secondly, as we write so much haulage insurance business, we have special rates with the underwriters that others simply can’t match. Our buying power, customer base and track record means that we have built superb relationships and exclusive insurance rates. Our expert team know where to go and when”

“We also specialize in taxi insurance, courier insurance, fleet insurance and car insurance so we know what we call the ‘wheels insurance’ market very well indeed”

So is there anything else you should consider for truck insurance?

“Goods in transit insurance is normally very important for an HGV driver or haulage company so make sure you have the appropriate level of cover. It can normally be included as part of your HGV insurance policy and doesn’t cost much extra in normal circumstances. I’d also check what cover you have regarding replacement vehicles. Being off the road for any period of time hits you financially so it’s important you get a like-for-like replacement vehicle. We have a 24/7 claims management service for all our policies”

Tim concluded “If you are a Haulage contractor, we have a combined Employers and Public Liability policy specially designed for Haulage Contractors. It is underwritten by a leading UK insurer and is competitively priced based on the number of vehicles operated.
Our standard limits of indemnity range from £1,000,000 for Public Liability and £10,000,000 for Employers Liability however there is an option to increase the Public Liability section to £2,000,000 or £5,000,000 any one loss if required”.
So it seems that whilst price is vital for HGV insurance, there are other factors you need to consider when renewing your next haulage insurance policy

For more information please call 0800 142 2841 or visit http://www.insurehgv.com/

insureHGV are a brand of County Insurance Consultants Ltd

InsureHGV are now appearing on Haulage Exchange which is a specialist and popular site for HGV drivers and Haulage owners.