The UK summer months can be a boon for car valets, especially those operating within the specialised vehicle market. With wedding season at peak, and a burgeoning trend for stretch limousine hire at school prom celebrations, there is a growing need for regular valeting beyond the already established tourist car-hire season.
With a greater demand for classic and specialised vehicles, car valeting insurance can be costly unless you know what to look for when comparing prices.
Whichever type of vehicle you valet, it’s imperative that you have the right level of cover in place. Here’s a quick look at how to get you covered.
Accidental damage
The combination of road vehicles, often hazardous substances and employees makes for a complicated combination of insurance liabilities, so it’s important that you are appropriately covered. Accidents can happen to even the most careful and experienced valeter and therefore, you will need insurance specific to this motor trade.
Public liability
Public liability insurance is essential to protect against accidental injury or damage to property. For instance, if you accidentally scratch the paintwork on a client’s vehicle, you might be liable for compensation.
Employers’ liability
If you employ people, you will need to have Employers’ liability cover to protect your company in case your employees have an accident at work. This includes whether they are employed casually or permanently. For example, if a member of staff inadvertently spilt a corrosive liquid on themselves causing irritation or burn, they may be entitled to accident compensation. Employers’ liability covers legal and medical costs of the employee, as well as any compensation the company is liable to pay.
Road risk
If you are driving a customer’s vehicle, then you will need to take out road risk insurance to protect yourself. This ensures you can legally drive other people’s vehicles during the course of your business and allows you and your staff to drive, move and park the vehicles your customers have delegated to you.
Building and contents cover
Valeting requires tools and specialist products that you may need to cover. If you are based at a workshop rather than being mobile, you should also consider cover for your contents, equipment and the building itself.
Business interruption
If your tools were damaged, stolen or destroyed in a fire, protecting yourself with business interruption insurance can cover income and fixed expenses while you are incapable of trading. This can help you get back on your feet and could also cover the cost of trading from other premises while yours is being repaired.
Limit of indemnity
When choosing a Car Valeting Insurance policy, be careful to check the limit of indemnity that may apply to liability types of insurance such as Public Liability, Products Liability and Employers Liability. This is the maximum amount that an insurer will compensate for any one claim and generally within a full policy year. This is particularly important to discuss if you are working on classic or specialist cars with a higher than usual value.
What to consider when taking out car valeting insurance
- Public liability cover
- Employers’ liability cover
- Road risk insurance
- Buildings – work or office premises
- Contents – specialist equipment and tools
- Business interruption cover
- Flexibility with limit of indemnity
- Drivers who may have claims and convictions
- Drivers under the age of 25
Call Tradex on 01708 678 400 for more details on car valeting insurance.