Your catering van is your livelihood. If it gets stolen, damaged in an accident, or broken into while you're set up on a pitch, you need to know you're covered. Standard car insurance won't touch a vehicle being used for commercial catering, so you need a specialist policy. Here's what to look for and what to watch out for.
This catches a lot of people out. Your normal car insurance policy specifically excludes commercial use like mobile catering. If you make a claim and the insurer finds out you were using the vehicle for business, they'll reject it. You'll have paid premiums for nothing and you'll be left with no cover when you need it most.
You need a policy that's designed for catering vans, food trucks, or catering trailers. These are specialist policies from insurers who understand the industry.
When you're comparing quotes, make sure the policy covers all of these. If any of them are missing, ask why and whether they can be added.
Theft and break-in — covers you if your van is stolen or someone breaks in. This should cover the vehicle itself plus any equipment and stock inside. Check whether there are conditions about where the van is parked overnight.
Fire damage — catering vans have LPG gas, deep fat fryers, and generators. Fire risk is real. Make sure fire damage is fully covered.
Accidental damage — covers collisions, reversing into things, damage while driving to events. Standard stuff but check the excess amounts.
On-pitch cover — this is the big one that catches people out. Some cheaper policies only cover the van while it's driving (transit cover). That's no use at all. You need cover while the van is parked up, set up, and actively trading. If someone reverses into your van on a retail park car park while you're serving customers, you need to be covered.
Roadside breakdown and recovery — if your van breaks down on the way to an event or pitch, you need to get it recovered. Some policies include this, others don't. If it's not included, budget for separate breakdown cover.
This is the single most important thing to check. Transit cover only protects your van while it's moving from A to B. Trading cover protects it while you're actually working.
Think about when your van is most at risk. It's not usually on the road. It's when it's parked up on a pitch, at a market, or at an event. That's when someone could back into it, when a customer could damage it, or when someone could break in while you're busy serving. If your policy only covers transit, you're exposed during the hours that matter most.
Always ask the insurer: "Am I covered while parked up and trading?" If the answer is anything other than a clear yes, look elsewhere.
If you've converted a van, horse box, or trailer into a catering unit, you need to tell your insurer about every modification. Fitting a serving hatch, installing gas equipment, adding a generator, putting in countertops and cooking equipment — all of these change the risk profile of the vehicle.
If you don't declare modifications and then make a claim, the insurer can refuse to pay out. Be upfront about everything. Yes, it might cost a bit more, but at least you know you're actually covered.
The price you pay depends on several things. The value of the van itself is the obvious one, but insurers also look at what you're cooking (deep frying is higher risk than serving coffee), where you trade (city centre vs rural layby), whether you have staff, your claims history, and how the van is stored overnight.
If you can park your van in a locked compound or garage overnight instead of on the street, your premium will usually come down. Some insurers insist on it. If you've got a tracked vehicle or an alarm fitted, mention it — it can reduce your costs.
Most mobile caterers pay between £300 and £600 a year for vehicle insurance, depending on the value of the van, what's inside it, and where you trade. If you're adding equipment and stock cover on top, expect to pay towards the higher end.
Get at least three quotes from specialist catering vehicle insurers. Don't just go with the cheapest. Compare what's actually covered, check the excess amounts, and read reviews from other mobile caterers. A broker who specialises in catering businesses can often find you a better deal than going direct.
If your catering van is driven on the road, yes it needs an MOT once it's over 3 years old, just like any other vehicle. If it's a trailer, it doesn't need an MOT but it must be roadworthy.
You must tell your insurer about any conversions or modifications. If you don't declare them and then make a claim, they can refuse to pay. Always update your insurer when you make changes to the vehicle.
Yes. Your towing vehicle has its own insurance, and you can take out a separate policy for the catering trailer. Some insurers offer combined policies that cover both, which can work out cheaper.
Not always. Some catering van policies include equipment cover, but many don't. Check whether your griddle, fryer, bain-marie, generator and stock are included. If not, add equipment cover or take out a separate contents policy.
Getting your van insured is just one step. The free MobCater App has a 12-step startup guide, pricing calculator, equipment guides and more — everything you need to get your catering business off the ground.
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