What Insurance Does a Mechanic Need?

Whether you live in Plymouth or anywhere else in the UK, you undoubtedly have several insurance policies in place to protect your home, car, and life. Insurance is there to act as a safety net. Nobody can predict what’s around the corner, but insurers make it their job to work out the odds of anything untoward happening to you or something you own, and then price a policy accordingly.

Insurance isn’t just there to protect you and your loved ones; it’s also designed to protect businesses and all businesses need Public Liability Insurance at the very least. Anyone who works in the motor trade definitely needs insurance. For example, traders who buy and sell vehicles from a roadside location need to look at traders road risk policies. Mechanics are no different, as they also need specialist insurance, but knowing which insurance policies to take out can be a minefield, especially if you are just starting out.
Here is a quick guide to the most important insurance policies any mechanic needs.

Public Liability Insurance

As we have already mentioned, Public Liability Insurance is essential. Accidents can and do happen, so if you have members of the public entering your premises to drop off or collect vehicles, you need to know you are covered. If you don’t have insurance, a customer could sue you if anything happens to them on your premises, which would potentially ruin you personally and professionally.

Buildings and Contents Insurance

Buildings and Contents insurance protects the building and anything inside if there is a fire or the premises is targeted by burglars or vandals. Since motor mechanics typically have a lot of expensive tools and equipment, any policy you take out needs to cover the cost of replacing these items. Look for a specialist motor mechanics policy, as the underwriter is likely to be more knowledgeable about how your business operates.

Don’t forget also that customer vehicles will be stored on your premises, so these also need to be covered by your insurance. After all, your customers won’t be very happy if the garage burns down overnight and destroys their vehicles, and you don’t have adequate insurance in place to cover the loss.

Motor Insurance

Do you provide courtesy vehicles for customers to use while their car or van is off the road? If so, you will need insurance cover to protect the vehicles from accidental damage and accidents.

Income Protection Insurance

In an ideal world, you won’t ever be ill or suffer an accident, but this is unlikely. Most people have to take time off work at some point, but if you work as a self-employed motor mechanic, you have no income once you stop work. Income Protection Insurance is there to act as a safety net, so if you sustain an injury at work or fall sick, you can claim on the insurance and not lose out financially.

Always consult a specialist insurance broker for advice when taking out insurance policies for a motor mechanics business. Otherwise you may not have adequate cover in place.