Courier insurance

Courier Van Insurance

A van is the point where courier work stops being a car with parcels in it and starts being a commercial vehicle. It carries more value, it is off the road longer when it is damaged, and it is a target overnight because thieves know what is inside. We arrange cover sized to the van and to the load it runs.

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Cover

What courier vans insurance covers

Commercial Motor, Not Private Use

A van used to carry goods for hire or reward has to be rated as a commercial vehicle. Insurers price on carrying capacity, what you cart, the radius you run and whether the van is garaged overnight. Getting the use description right at inception is what stops a declined claim later.

Goods in Transit for What You Carry

Motor cover pays for the van. It does not pay for the customer's freight in the back of it. Goods in transit is the section that responds when a load is damaged, stolen or destroyed while you are carrying it, and the limit needs to reflect your highest-value single load, not an average day.

Theft From the Van, Not Just of It

Break-ins through side and rear doors are the common courier claim, and they take the load rather than the vehicle. Insurers look at where the van sits overnight, whether it is alarmed and whether goods are left in it, so a secure parking answer genuinely moves the premium.

Downtime While the Van Is Repaired

An owner-driver with one van has no income while it is in the panel shop. A hire vehicle benefit or a downtime allowance turns a three-week repair into an inconvenience instead of a month with no earnings, and it is the section most single-van operators leave off.

Public Liability at the Delivery Point

Most of the risk is not on the road. It is on a loading dock, in a lift or in someone's driveway, where a dropped item damages property or a person is injured. Public liability responds to those third-party claims and to the cost of defending them.

Load Restraint and Modifications

Shelving, racking, roof racks and tail-lifts are usually not covered as standard, and an unrestrained load that shifts can prejudice a claim. Fit-out should be declared and scheduled so the van is insured as it is actually built, not as it left the dealership.

Cover, limits and examples shown are general in nature and subject to eligibility, underwriting and the terms of the issued policy.

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Reviews are for Stonewell Insurance, the business behind Courier Cover. Authorised Representative of McLardy McShane Partners Pty Ltd (AFSL 232987).

FAQ

Courier vans insurance questions.

Speak with our team on 1300 080 323.

What insurance do I need for a courier van in Australia?
At a minimum, commercial motor cover rated for carrying goods for hire or reward, plus public liability. Most van operators add goods in transit for the freight they carry, because motor cover only insures the vehicle. If the van is the only one you run, a hire vehicle or downtime benefit is worth costing as well.
Is van insurance more expensive than car insurance for courier work?
Usually, yes. A van carries more value, is more expensive to repair, spends more hours on the road and is a bigger theft target. The offset is that a van is rated as what it is, so you are not paying for a mismatch between the policy and the work, which is where car-based couriers most often come unstuck.
Does my van policy cover the goods I am carrying?
Not as standard. Motor cover responds to damage to the van. The freight in the back is a separate section, goods in transit, which you elect and set a limit for. If you carry other people's property for a living, treat it as a core section rather than an optional extra.
Do I need to tell my insurer about shelving and a tail-lift?
Yes. Fit-out changes both the value and the risk, and unscheduled modifications are a common reason a payout falls short of what the owner expected. Give us the list at quote time and we will have it scheduled on the policy.
What happens if my van is stolen overnight with a load in it?
Two sections respond, and they are separate. Motor cover deals with the van, goods in transit deals with the freight. If you only hold motor cover, the load is your loss. Where the van was parked and whether it was locked and alarmed will matter to both.

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Courier Cover is a trading name of Stonewell Insurance Pty Ltd (ABN 23 645 965 699), Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1285612 of McLardy McShane Partners Pty Ltd (ABN 14 064 465 309, AFSL 232987).