The UK courier and delivery market is booming. With the rise of platforms like Amazon Flex, DPD, Evri, and others, thousands of new drivers are signing up every year to make deliveries their full-time career or a flexible side hustle.
But before you hit the road, there is one thing you absolutely need to sort out first: courier insurance. If you are new to courier driving or a younger driver just getting started, the process of finding the right delivery driver insurance can feel a bit overwhelming. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from what courier insurance actually is to how you can keep your costs down.
Courier insurance is a specialised type of motor insurance that covers you for the carriage of goods in return for payment. You might also hear it called delivery driver insurance or hire and reward insurance.
Here is the important bit: your standard car insurance policy will not cover you for commercial delivery work. If you are out delivering parcels or food with just a regular policy, you are technically driving uninsured. That could land you with a fine, points on your licence, and even your vehicle being seized.
Courier insurance bridges that gap. It provides the legally required cover you need to make deliveries for platforms like Amazon Flex, Yodel, DPD, Evri, and others.
Yes. Courier insurance is a legal requirement for anyone using their vehicle to carry goods in return for payment. It is not optional.
Most delivery platforms will also require proof of valid courier insurance before you can complete your onboarding and start accepting jobs. Without it, you simply will not be able to work.
A good courier insurance policy should give you comprehensive protection while you are on the job. At INSHUR, our courier policies include:
Multiple-platform driving: You are covered to work across multiple delivery platforms, including Yodel, DHL, Evri, and more. No need for separate policies for each one.
Fast food delivery: If you are delivering takeaways as well as parcels, you can choose coverage that includes fast food delivery when you get your quote.
Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SD&P): Personal use of your vehicle is included at no extra cost. So you are covered when you are not working too.
No Claims Discount Protection: Drivers with 4 or more years of no-claims history can add NCD protection for an additional fee.
INSHUR covers a range of vehicles, too, from cars and vans to motorbikes, scooters, mopeds, and more.
If you are planning to deliver for Amazon Flex, you might have seen INSHUR's Pay as you Flex product and wondered how it differs from standard courier insurance. They are designed for different situations, so it is worth understanding which one is right for you.
Pay as you Flex is a pay-per-minute supplementary hire and reward insurance policy designed exclusively for Amazon Flex delivery partners. It only covers the time you are actively driving during your Amazon Flex blocks, plus 15 minutes of commuting time to and from your pick-up location. It does not include Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SD&P) cover, so you are required by law to have a separate, continuous SD&P insurance policy in place on your vehicle for personal use.
Courier insurance is a more comprehensive option. It covers you across multiple delivery platforms (not just Amazon Flex), includes SD&P as standard so you do not need a separate policy for personal use, and is available as either a 30-day or annual policy.
So which should you choose? If you only deliver for Amazon Flex and already have a separate SD&P policy in place, Pay as you Flex could work for you. But if you deliver for other platforms beyond Amazon Flex, or you want one policy that covers both your delivery work and personal driving, courier insurance is the better fit.
This is one of the most common questions new drivers ask, and the honest answer is: it depends. Every driver is different, and your courier insurance cost will be based on a number of factors personal to you. These include your age, your driving history, where you live, the type of vehicle you drive, and whether you have had any previous claims or convictions.
To give you a rough idea of how age affects insurance pricing, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) reported that the average standard SD&P motor insurance premium for a 17-year-old in Q3 2024 was around £1,932, while the average for the 17 to 24 age group sat at around £1,121. Those figures are for standard car insurance, not hire and reward, but they show just how much of an impact your age has on what you pay. Courier insurance premiums will generally be higher again, as you are using your vehicle commercially.
As a new or young courier driver, you should expect your premiums to reflect that combination of age and commercial use. But the good news is there are things you can do to bring those costs down over time.
If you are under 25, you have probably already noticed that insurance costs more. This is not unique to courier insurance. It applies across the board. Younger drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents. According to the Department for Transport, drivers aged 17 to 24 make up around 7% of full licence holders in the UK but are involved in approximately 24% of fatal and serious collisions. Insurers use these statistics when calculating risk, which is why premiums tend to be higher for this age group.
The good news? As you build up your driving experience and a clean no-claims history, your premiums should come down. Every claim-free year on the road works in your favour. At Inshur, our policy covers drivers aged 23 through to 65, so younger drivers looking for cover can get a quote today.
Nobody wants to pay more than they need to. Here are some practical ways to keep your courier insurance costs as low as possible:
Consider an annual policy
If you are driving regularly, an annual policy could save you money compared to renewing a 30-day policy every month. Annual policies lock in your price for a full year, and with INSHUR you can still spread the cost across monthly payments using our premium finance option. You will also build your No Claims Discount without worrying about gaps in cover.
Build your No Claims Discount
Your NCD is one of the best tools you have for bringing your premium down over time. Each year you drive without making a claim counts in your favour at renewal. With an INSHUR annual policy, you earn your NCD automatically. On a 30-day policy, you will need to renew 12 months in a row without a break in cover to build it up.
Think about going electric
INSHUR are constantly working on improving their offering for EV drivers, with a focus on making prices more competitive. If you are thinking about switching to an electric vehicle, this could be worth considering when it comes to your insurance costs.
Do not leave it to the last minute
Quoting early for your insurance rather than waiting until your policy is about to expire could save you money. Give yourself time to compare options and get the best deal.
Keep a clean driving record
This one is straightforward but worth saying. Avoiding claims and convictions is the single most effective way to keep your insurance costs down over time.
If you are new to courier driving, here is a quick overview of the steps to get going:
Check the platform requirements: Each delivery platform has its own requirements around vehicle type, age, and licensing. Make sure you meet these before signing up.
Get your vehicle ready: Your vehicle needs to be in good condition. Most platforms require an MOT certificate and a valid vehicle log book.
Get courier insurance: You will need valid hire and reward insurance before you can start accepting deliveries. With INSHUR, you can get a free quote in minutes and be covered straight away.
Sign up to a platform: Once you have your insurance sorted, sign up to your chosen platform (or multiple platforms) and complete their onboarding process.
Start delivering: You are good to go. Start accepting jobs and building up your earnings and experience.
INSHUR offers both 30-day and annual courier insurance policies, so you can pick the option that suits the way you work. A 30-day policy is great if you are just getting started and want to try things out without a long commitment. It gives you the flexibility to dip in and out.
An annual policy, on the other hand, could be more cost-effective if you are planning to drive regularly. You get a locked-in price for the full year, you build your No Claims Discount without gaps, and INSHUR offers a loyalty bonus on annual policies too. Plus, you only have one renewal to deal with each year instead of twelve. Get a quote with INSHUR today.
Can I drive for more than one platform?
Yes. INSHUR courier insurance covers you to work across multiple delivery platforms, so there is no need for separate policies.
Do I need courier insurance for food delivery?
Yes. Whether you are delivering parcels, groceries, or takeaways, you need hire and reward insurance. Standard car insurance does not cover commercial delivery work.
What vehicles can I insure?
INSHUR covers cars, vans, motorbikes, scooters and mopeds for courier work. Check the INSHUR website for the full list of eligible vehicles.
How quickly can I get covered?
With INSHUR, the whole process is online. You can get a free quote and be insured in minutes, straight from your phone.
Getting courier insurance does not have to be complicated. INSHUR was built for drivers like you, making the process as quick and simple as accepting a delivery. Create an account, get a free personalised quote, and you could be covered in minutes. 100% online, straight from your phone. Get your free courier insurance quote from INSHUR today.
Sources
Association of British Insurers (ABI) - Motor insurance premium data and repair cost statistics. abi.org.uk
Department for Transport - Reported road casualties in Great Britain. gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report
IBISWorld / Statista - UK courier and express delivery industry market size data.