Is part-time motor trade insurance cheaper than full-time?

It often is, because you handle fewer vehicles and spend less time on the road. Premiums still depend on your experience, claims history and what you do.

Can I get part-time cover if trading is my second job?

Yes. Having a main job elsewhere is common among part-time traders and does not stop you getting a policy, as long as the trading is genuine.

How much trading counts as part-time?

There is no fixed threshold. It is about being a smaller-scale, occasional trader. Be honest about your volume so the policy matches what you really do.

Motor trade

Can I get part-time motor trade insurance?

Part-time motor trade insurance is available for people who trade alongside another job. Here is what insurers look for and how cover works.

Yes. Part-time motor trade insurance is widely available for people who trade alongside another job or run a vehicle business on the side. You don't need to trade full-time to get a trade policy.

Cover for occasional and side-business traders

Insurers understand that many people buy and sell a handful of cars a year, valet at weekends or do mechanical work in the evenings, and there are policies designed for exactly this.

Common part-time traders include:

Car buyers and sellers working from home
Weekend or evening valeters
Mobile mechanics working around another job
Vehicle transporters or delivery drivers taking occasional work

What part-time traders should expect

Part-time traders should still expect to:

Show some evidence of trading activity
Hold the right road risk level for what they do
Declare an honest estimate of turnover or vehicle numbers

Because risk can be lower for occasional trading, part-time cover can cost less than a full-time policy. It still needs to be a genuine trade policy, though, not a private one. Using motor trade cover just to insure a private car, without any real trading, is not what these policies are for.

Choosing the level of cover

Most part-time traders start with road risk, which covers driving vehicles in your custody. If you keep tools, stock or customers' vehicles at home or a unit, you may want to look at adding cover for these, or a combined policy.

Getting motor trade insurance quotes

With Kompare you fill in a short form about you and how often you trade. A specialist FCA-authorised broker from our panel then contacts you about part-time motor trade quotes. Read how we work, or start on our motor trade insurance page.