Truck breakdown insurance can cover the expenses you may occur should your HGV break down. In this post we’ll outline what truck breakdown insurance covers, along with some of the limits to the cover.
At Anthony Jones, we can provide a level of breakdown cover as part of our truck and HGV insurance policies. Learn more and get a free quote today.
What is Truck and Lorry Breakdown Cover?
Truck and lorry breakdown insurance can cover your HGV if your journey is disrupted as a result of a flat tyre, a dead battery, engine failure, or other specified scenarios. Most truck breakdown policies will cover your vehicle if you break down on the road. Some will also cover you if your truck fails to start on your own premises.
What Does Truck Breakdown Cover Include?
Most truck breakdown policies will include cover for:
- Flat tyres, burst tyres, and punctures
- Loss of keys
- Flat batteries
- Roadside assistance and repair (often including breakdowns on your own premises)
- Onward travel
- Carriage of goods and haulage (i.e. the goods you were carrying in your own vehicle may be covered for an onward journey in a recovery or replacement vehicle)
Truck Breakdown Cover as Part Of a Fleet Policy
Some insurers offer breakdown cover as part of their commercial fleet insurance policies. This means that, rather than getting separate policies for each individual vehicle in your fleet, you can get a single policy to cover multiple vehicles.
The policy may also cover any driver who is qualified and authorised to drive the vehicle. This means that anyone can drive a vehicle that’s covered by a fleet insurance policy, so long as they meet the necessary legal requirements.
Common Limits and Exceptions of Truck Breakdown Cover
A truck breakdown policy may specify the types of HGVs covered. For instance, they may provide cover for all trucks with a GVW between 3.5 tonnes and 44 tonnes. They may also specify the maximum dimensions of the vehicles they are willing to cover. Some insurers will not cover trucks longer than 7 metres and taller than 3 metres.
They cover may only extend to vehicles of a certain age. Some insurers will not cover vehicles older than 15 years, for example.
Some insurers may charge extra if they need to use specialist equipment as part of the recovery (e.g. recovery from floods, snow, mud, and covered car parks). Other insurers include this as standard.
Finally, the insurer may specify certain conditions of cover. Usually, they’ll require every truck or HGV they cover to have valid MOT and tax certificates. They may also specify that the vehicles must undergo regular servicing, and that they must be used appropriately, and in line of the manufacturer’s recommendations.
How To Avoid Truck and HGV Breakdowns
Truck and HGV breakdown insurance can provide total peace of mind that your drivers and their vehicles will be able to recover from any major disruptions, whether they happen on the road or on your own premises. But of course, it’s much better to prevent breakdowns from occurring in the first place.
Careful route planning could help prevent some breakdowns, as it could help you avoid low bridges, unsuitable roads, and other scenarios that could bring your journey to a halt. This is particularly important when adverse weather conditions may affect your journey. In the colder months, for instance, you should try to stick to main roads as much as possible, as councils usually prioritise these for gritting.
But regular servicing is the best way to avoid breakdowns. Indeed, as we mentioned above, many insurers will specify that you must stay on top of your truck maintenance schedules as a condition of cover. Read our full guide to effective truck maintenance.
Get Comprehensive Truck and HGV Insurance From Anthony Jones
At Anthony Jones, we can provide a level of breakdown cover as part of our truck and HGV insurance policies. Learn more and get a free quote today.
