How many seats does my minibus need to qualify for a minibus policy?

Minibus policies are generally for vehicles with 9 to 16 passenger seats. Vehicles with fewer seats are usually insured as cars, and larger vehicles are usually treated as buses or coaches, which need different cover.

What does minibus insurance cover?

It works much like other vehicle insurance, but is set up for the way you use the minibus, whether that's personal, business, school or charity use. The use you declare needs to match how the vehicle is really used.

What's the difference between a minibus and a coach?

A minibus generally has 9 to 16 passenger seats. A vehicle with more than 16 passenger seats is usually classed as a bus or coach.

Insurance basics

Minibus insurance

A plain guide to minibus insurance: private and business use, what a minibus is, the details insurers ask for and the levels of cover.

You can use a minibus for all sorts of things, from carrying a sports team or school group to running a business or simply as a large family vehicle. With so many possible uses, it's important that your insurance covers the way you actually use it.

Minibus insurance can cover you to drive privately or for commercial use, whether for a charity, school, personal or business purposes. How you use the minibus decides what kind of cover you need. If you carry passengers for payment, there may also be licensing rules to follow, which you can read about on GOV.UK.

What details do I need to provide?

When you ask for a minibus quote, you'll usually be asked for the following.

Details of the vehicle

You don't need to know the exact model. The registration number is normally enough to look up the details.

No claims bonus (NCB)

You'll be asked about your no claims history. Your current insurer can give you proof if you need it.

Named drivers

You'll need the personal and licence details of anyone who will drive the minibus.

Licence details

You'll be asked what type of licence each driver holds and how long they've held it. Check that drivers have the right licence category for a minibus.

Previous claims

You'll need to say whether there have been any accidents or claims in the last five years.

Driving convictions

If any driver has penalty points or disqualifications, you'll need to give the full details.

What are the different levels of cover?

Minibus policies come in the same three levels as other vehicle insurance.

Fully comprehensive

This is the highest level of cover. It includes everything in third party, fire and theft, and also covers damage to your own minibus, even if an accident was your fault.

Third party, fire and theft

This covers you if you're responsible for injury to other people, including passengers, or damage to their property. It also covers your minibus if it's stolen or damaged by fire. It won't pay for repairs to your own minibus after an at-fault accident.

Third party only

This is the most basic level of cover and the minimum required by law. It pays for injury to others and damage to other vehicles and property, but there is no cover for your own minibus.

Other cover we can help with

Kompare doesn't currently offer quotes for minibus insurance. If your business runs several vehicles, our fleet insurance page may be useful, and we can also help with taxi insurance for passenger-carrying vehicles. See how we work for more.