Why Is It Harder to Get a Fleet Insurance Quote for Car Hire and Motor Trade Businesses?
If you’ve ever tried to get a fleet insurance quote for a car hire company or motor trade business, you’ll know it’s often not as simple as filling in a few details and hitting submit. Unlike standard business fleets, these sectors bring unique challenges that make insurers more cautious and the quoting process more involved.
Let’s break down exactly why this happens and what you can do to navigate the process more smoothly.
1. Higher-Risk Profiles
One of the main reasons insurers treat car hire and motor trade businesses differently is the risk factor. In a typical company fleet, the drivers are known and usually consistent. With car hire, anyone with a valid licence could be behind the wheel. That unpredictability makes the risk much harder to assess.
Motor trade fleets also pose unique risks. Staff might drive a wide range of vehicles, from customer cars to unregistered stock. That variety makes it harder for insurers to set accurate pricing because the exposure is so broad.
2. More Complex Underwriting Requirements
If you’re in the motor trade or car hire space, insurers will usually ask for a lot more information before providing a quote. This could include:
- Proof of motor trade status (like VAT registration or trade association membership)
- Copies of self-drive hire agreements or customer contracts
- Details on how vehicles are stored and maintained
- Driver policies, age restrictions, and security measures
These aren’t things you can always provide instantly, which is why quotes can take longer or may not be available online at all.
3. Increased Claims Exposure
The reality is that car hire and motor trade businesses tend to have higher claims frequency.
- Car hire fleets are often involved in accidents because of inexperienced or unfamiliar drivers.
- Motor traders face claims linked to vehicle testing, delivery, and even theft from forecourts or workshops.
This history of higher payouts means insurers tend to tread more carefully when deciding whether to offer cover, and at what price.
4. Regulatory and Licensing Factors
Insurers also need to be sure that your business complies with industry regulations. Car hire companies, for instance, must hold the correct operator licences and insurance to cover self-drive hire. Motor traders may need demonstration cover, trade plates, or road risk insurance alongside fleet cover.
Missing paperwork or unclear licensing status can delay or even prevent a quote from being issued.
5. Fewer Insurers in the Market
Because of all these factors, not every insurer wants to underwrite this type of risk. That narrows the field, limits competition, and makes it even harder to find competitive prices. Some platforms don’t even allow these risks to be quoted online, forcing you to go through slow manual processes.
Gavello Makes It Easier
This is exactly why Gavello exists. We know the traditional process for quoting these types of fleets is clunky and frustrating. That’s why we’ve built a platform where car hire firms, motor traders, and specialist fleet operators can take back control.
With Gavello, you can:
- Start a quote in minutes online
- Choose which brokers you want to engage with
- Avoid unwanted sales calls or multiple follow-ups
- Only speak to one provider at a time, if you prefer
- Get no-obligation quotes for hard-to-cover risks
If you run a car hire business or motor trade operation and need a fleet insurance quote, you can begin right now:
👉 Start Your Fleet Insurance Quote
Final Thoughts
It’s true, getting fleet insurance for car hire or motor trade businesses is more involved than usual. But that doesn’t mean it should be difficult.
With the right platform, a transparent process, and brokers who understand your sector, you can get the cover you need without all the hassle.
Let Gavello help you make the first move toward smarter, simpler fleet insurance.
