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With the rise of online shopping, the UK has seen a massive boom in the number of couriers and delivery drivers. Working as a delivery driver can be a good option if you’re looking for a more flexible way to earn extra money. But what happens if you don't have courier insurance?

As a courier, it’s your responsibility to make sure your vehicle is covered with the right type of insurance. If you get caught without courier insurance in place, you could end up getting stopped by the police and If you need to make a claim on your policy  it might not be valid.

If something happens to one of your parcels, or if you're involved in an accident while driving, courier insurance can help to cover the costs. Without it, you might have to pay for them yourself.

Here’s our guide to courier insurance and how to get started as a delivery driver.

Can you deliver without courier insurance?

It’s your responsibility to get your vehicle fully insured with the right 

. Your standard domestic and pleasure (SDP) car insurance policy won’t cover you for courier work.

If you don't have the right cover, any claim you make will be void, and you run the risk of getting an IN10 if stopped by the police.

Is courier insurance a legal requirement?

Courier insurance is a legal requirement in the UK. By law, if you deliver food from takeaways or restaurants to customers in return for payment, you must have public liability insurance to cover any damages that might occur while working.

Our fast food delivery insurance (hire and reward policy) includes public liability as standard.

One of the main reasons courier insurance can be expensive is due to the added risk. Delivery drivers cover more miles in busier areas and at busier times of day than regular drivers. So the added risk adds to the insurance costs.

Here are a few other factors that can contribute to the cost of courier insurance:

As with all types of vehicle insurance, the older and more experienced you are, the less your insurance policy tends to cost. This is because younger drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident.

As a food courier, your vehicle use will increase significantly. If you have any driving-related convictions or motoring incidents on record, your cost of insurance can go up.

As with all types of insurance, the cost will vary depending on the type of vehicle you want to insure. The insurance cost of a van will be different from a motorbike.

The amount of excess you’re willing to pay

Excess is the agreed amount you're willing to pay upfront in the event of a claim. Typically the more excess you're willing to pay the lower the cost of your policy.

Higher mileage creates more wear and tear on the vehicle. It also means you're spending more time on the road. Your insurer sees this as a risk, which can drive up the price of your policy.

Because courier work often runs late into the night, it's natural that a lapse in concentration or reaction time can occur.

The more you drive, the higher your chances are of getting into an accident. And this can affect how much you pay for insurance.

Delivery drivers often find themselves under pressure to meet deadlines. This pressure can lead to risky behaviour, such as speeding and taking risks while driving. Your insurance company takes this into account when calculating your policy cost.

Some areas have a lot more traffic than others. A busy city is likely to have a lot more cars on the road than a small town, for instance. The more traffic, the higher the risk of an accident. And this can mean higher insurance costs for delivery drivers.

Social, domestic and pleasure insurance won't cover courier work. You need to have a hire and reward 

insurance policy in place to cover food delivery work.

Your standard insurance policy covers you to drive your vehicle for things like visiting family or going to the gym. When you're making deliveries in exchange for payment, you need a hire and reward policy.

What type of insurance do I need to deliver food?

 Hire and reward is a specific type of commercial insurance that covers you for the delivery of food in exchange for payment.

Business insurance is an umbrella term used to describe all business insurance policies. Hire and reward is a specific type of insurance not typically included in standard business insurance policies. It's always best to check your policy to make sure you have the correct insurance for courier business.

Is it illegal to have two insurance policies?

We understand why you might be concerned about this. However, it doesn’t count as dual insurance if you have two policies that cover different types of risk. There’s no overlap between SD&P and H&R cover, so you don’t need to worry about dual insurance.


How do I know if I have courier insurance working as a delivery driver?

Check with your employer or insurer to see if you have a hire and reward insurance policy. Many policies offer coverage while driving for work, but it’s important to read the fine print to make sure you know what is and isn’t covered.


What would happen to my goods if I was stopped without business insurance?

If you’re transporting goods without the right type of business insurance and you’re stopped by the police, you may face criminal charges. You’re allowed to unload your goods, but the police are under no obligation to help you.


What would happen if I was involved in an accident while delivering goods without delivery driver insurance?

If you’re involved in an accident while delivering goods without delivery driver insurance, you could end up having to pay for any damage to your vehicle and the goods you’re transporting.


You could also face legal penalties if you’re sued as a result of the accident. To protect yourself and your business, it’s important to have insurance coverage for delivery drivers.

How do police detect uninsured delivery drivers?

Police use Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to automatically check national insurance databases. This allows them to quickly identify any uninsured delivery drivers.

They can also look for certain telltale signs, like a food storage box on the back of a scooter or a driver delivering food to an address.


Do I need courier insurance if I'm on a bicycle?

Yes, if you use your bicycle to make food deliveries in exchange for payment, you will need hire and reward insurance.

What if you were uninsured without knowing?

If you’re involved in an accident while delivering goods without delivery driver insurance (whether you know it or not), you could end up responsible for paying for any damage.


You could also face legal fines or compensation payouts if you’re sued following an accident. To keep yourself protected, you need the right delivery driver insurance.

We offer a range of delivery insurance options so you can get the cover that’s right for you. For car drivers, we offer pay-as-you-go and 30-day policies, perfect for part-time and full-time delivery work.


For scooter riders, we offer pay-as-you-go, 30-day and annual cover options, so whether you’re working full-time or for just a couple of hours per week, we have a policy designed for you.


Scooter riders can also purchase SD&P insurance with us to get a flexible hourly rate for our pay-as-you-go cover.

Simply fill in your details below and we’ll give you an estimated price for your cover in less than a minute.

Working as a delivery driver is a flexible way to earn extra money. But what happens if you get caught without courier insurance? Find out here.

What happens if you don't have courier insurance?

On Thursday 17th & Friday 18th November 2022 we hosted the 

 to give delivery drivers a well-earned break.


Across the two days, we had a fantastic time meeting delivery drivers, from a number of our delivery partners, and showing our appreciation for the hard work they put in all year round. We wouldn’t be here without you!

Across the two days, we had the pleasure of…

Speaking with over 190 delivery drivers and riders, serving over 100 hot drinks and treats and giving away tons of exclusive Zego and Deliveroo goodies!

If you attended the Zego Rest Stop at BOXPARK, Shoreditch, we’d love to have a few minutes more of your time to find out what you thought about the event 

We hosted the Zego Rest Stop at BOXPARK, Shoreditch in November 2022 to say thank you for their hard work during the busy winter months.


Thank you for Taking a Break with Zego!

We’ve made changes to the way we calculate your driving score, so you get a fairer, more accurate price for your annual policy.

It’s all part of our mission to save you money on your insurance.

We've updated the way your driving score works. Now, your score accounts for the length of your policy. So if you have an annual Sense policy, your score is calculated over 365 days, rather than just 30 days like before.

This means you get a more accurate score that better represents how you drive. It’s an important change and we're really excited to release it to all our customers!

We spoke to lots of our customers and asked what they didn’t like about Zego Sense. We heard that the 30-day period used to calculate each driving score was too short, especially for annual policyholders. It didn't take into account different working patterns, so some drivers weren’t getting the right score for them. It wasn’t accurate enough.


We looked into this, and found that drivers were better off when their score was worked out over a longer period of time. That’s because it gives a more stable average for each driver. And it means that a few bad days on the road won’t affect months of good driving.

We also learned that you want to be rewarded when you drive well. And you want to see those rewards on a more regular basis.

So that’s exactly what we did. We’ve updated the way we calculate your score, so you can see a more accurate representation of how you drive. And that means we can easily see when you make improvements, and reward you when you do.


Because your score is more stable, and fluctuates less than it did before, you get better discounts when you drive well.

We’ve also reduced the time it takes for you to see the benefits, even if you have an annual policy. Now, you’re able to see how your driving is improving throughout the year, which means you can make changes early and often if you need to.

When will these changes go live in the app?

Our new behavioural pricing starts on November 14th. You won’t notice any big changes in the app — all the clever stuff is happening in the background.


Over time, what you will notice is a more accurate and personalised driving score, especially if you have an annual Sense policy. And that means better savings when you renew — in fact you can 

 at renewal* compared to a standard policy.

 and check out your score! Start improving how you drive and you could be on track for big savings when you renew.


*Savings comparing a good Sense driver vs a driver without a Sense policy based on pricing as of 20/06/22.

We've updated the way your driving score works. This means a better price for your insurance when you renew. Find out what’s changed here.

Meet the new Zego Sense: A better annual score

As an Uber driver, a 5 star rating often means more passengers, more fares and (hopefully) more tips. So to become a successful private hire driver, it’s important to get those stars.

To improve your Uber rating, keep your vehicle clean and avoid smoking or eating in your car. Greeting your customers can help to increase customer satisfaction, leading to a better experience (and hopefully better ratings).

A friendly welcome goes a long way, and don’t forget to ask if they need help with their luggage. Try to make each journey as smooth and efficient as possible — drive carefully and pick the best route.

But there’s more to it than that. Here are our top tips for improving your Uber rating.

Top tips: How to get a better Uber rating

Tick these off your list and you’ll be on track for a 5 star Uber rating.

This one’s fairly obvious — nobody likes riding in a dirty car. So try to keep it as clean as you can, inside and out.

A shiny vehicle will be much more appealing to passengers waiting for you at the kerb. And if your number plate is covered in grime, it could make your car harder to identify. So try to clean it at least once a week, especially during the winter months when the roads tend to be dirtier.

Inside your vehicle, keep the seats, windows, footwells and door handles clean and sanitised. Use a fabric cleaner to keep upholstery and seat covers nice and fresh. And avoid smoking or eating strong-smelling foods in your car — keep it smelling nice with a good air-freshener if needed.

A clean vehicle counts towards a good first impression. From there, it’s up to you to give your Uber passengers a great experience and keep those 5 star reviews rolling in.

Greet your passengers and ask if they need help with luggage or when getting into your vehicle. A friendly and positive attitude really helps to make your passengers feel comfortable and welcomed. So if you’re having a bad day or just not in the mood for work, consider skipping a shift and driving again when you’re in the right frame of mind.

If you’re listening to music or the news, keep the volume low. You could even ask your Uber riders if they have a preference for what to listen to. And try to keep an ambient temperature — not too cold or too hot. See if your passengers would like a window open on warm days, or a little more heat when it’s cold.

Avoid heavy braking, and take corners at a gentle pace. It goes without saying, but speeding isn’t good for anyone. Driving steadily is safer for you and other road users, and it’ll make your passenger’s journey more comfortable. (Did you know, with 

 you can save money on your insurance when you drive well? It’s our app-based cover for safe drivers.)

Thank your passengers for riding with you, and wish them a nice day or onward journey. Keep the friendly, positive vibes going right to the end. And check for any belongings or items left in the car when they leave. If somebody forgets their coat or leaves a bag in the footwell, they’ll really appreciate it if you get it back to them.

Small additions and gestures can make the difference between a good Uber rating and a great one.

Covid-19 is still fresh in the memory for many people, so it’s a good idea to keep a clean bottle of anti-bacterial gel or sanitiser near the backseat. It’ll help to show that you keep a clean car, too.

A box of tissues is a nice courtesy, especially during hayfever and cold season. And keep a pack of biodegradable wet wipes close to hand — both you and your passenger will appreciate it if they spill their coffee!

A dead battery can really ruin someone’s day. So offer your passengers a universal charging cable in case they need to top up while they’re travelling with you.

The shortest, fastest and most fuel-efficient route is good for you and your passengers. Here are a few things you can do to improve your Uber rating.

Learn where the best shortcuts are and where traffic builds up during rush hour. GPS is handy if you’re driving on new roads, but local driver knowledge is usually best. If you can get your Uber passengers to their destination quickly and efficiently, they’ll be more likely to give you a good rating.

Sometimes a slightly longer route can save you time, especially during busy periods or when roadworks are taking place. So let your passengers know why you’re taking a certain route — it’ll make them feel like they’re in good hands.

Your smartphone is your key to earning money with app-based, ride-hailing companies like Uber, Ola and Bolt. If it’s not working properly, you might not be able to give your passengers the best experience.

Apps are constantly being updated, so keep checking your app store to make sure you have the latest version on your phone. Older versions might have bugs or issues that could cause problems while you’re working.

Older smartphones can be a bit slow or glitchy, especially if they’re running older operating systems. So use the best phone you can afford, and make sure it has all the latest updates installed.

It’s easier to see where your destination and next ride is, and it makes it easier to follow map directions, too. If your passengers see you holding your phone while trying to drive, it could make them feel unsafe.

It’s good to talk, but some passengers see an Uber ride as an opportunity to sit back and relax.


Let your passenger start the conversation

If your Uber rider wants to chat, that’s great! But many people might prefer to stay quiet, or even use the time to catch up with messages or emails on their phones. If they look busy or like they just don’t want to talk, it’s best to let them be.

Everybody is entitled to their opinion. But an Uber ride isn't the best place to get into a heated debate! If your passenger starts talking about sensitive topics (things like politics or religion), try to steer the conversation towards something lighter. Keep it friendly.

Do higher rated Uber drivers get more rides?

Uber drivers with higher ratings tend to get more rides. That’s because passengers are more likely to use them over drivers with low ratings.

Think about choosing a restaurant you find on Google or TripAdvisor. You’re more likely to pick a place with good reviews over one with bad reviews. Same thing applies here.


Does Uber deactivate drivers for low ratings?

If your Uber driver rating falls below a certain level, Uber can deactivate your account. Some reports say that accounts with a rating below 4.6 can be deactivated, so it’s best to keep it as high as you can.


To check your Uber driver rating, open the Uber app. From the homescreen, tap the main menu in the top left corner then select your profile picture at the top. This will open your Uber driver profile — your Uber rating is shown there.

You can tap your rating to see how many ratings you’ve received from riders over the last 500 trips.

Uber ratings below 4.7 are considered to be below average. So a rating of 4.5 isn’t very good. If your rating falls below 4.6 for a long period of time, there’s a risk that Uber will deactivate your account.

If your Uber driver rating is low, and hasn’t shown signs of improving, you might need to make some changes.

Try to think why your passengers might be giving you low ratings: Does your vehicle need to be cleaned? Are you picking the best routes? Is there something else giving passengers a bad experience?


Look at any reviews or comments from your Uber riders and try to find out what’s wrong. With a few simple changes, you may be able to grow your rating quite quickly.

No, tipping doesn’t affect your Uber rating. Uber states that tips aren't tied to 5 star ratings. In fact, Uber riders have to rate their trip before they can add a tip.


A perfect 5 star Uber rating is quite rare. Your Uber driver rating is calculated using feedback from your last 500 trips, so it only takes a couple of bad reviews to nudge your overall rating down.


But follow the tips above and you could be on track for a place in the top bracket!


What insurance do I need as an Uber driver?

As an Uber driver, a high rating can mean more passengers and more earnings. Here are our top tips to help you improve your Uber rating.

How to Improve Your Uber Rating (Rider & Driver Tips 2022)

Insurance is past the point of utility. It’s a valuable business asset.

So, when Blue Sky Logistics Ltd - a delivery service partner for Amazon - joined our Risk Management Academy, we approached our collaboration with a specific goal to help optimise their business and take control of their fleet.

For a courier like Blue Sky, providing a timely service is crucial to their success, so keeping vehicles on the road and moving is key.

The issue is: drivers would often equate delivering jobs on time with taking more risks to arrive as quickly as possible. That fuels high-risk driving behaviours which put the drivers, the vehicles and the company reputation at risk. Rushing to complete the jobs led to more frequent accidents and, as a result, continuous damages to the vehicles.

In partnership with Blue Sky and their insurance broker, 

, we set ourselves on the goal to tackle these challenges through multiple touch points, using the behavioural data our telematics had generated on the fleet’s performance.

Our Risk Management Academy provides fleet managers with insights on fleet performance, giving key action points to inform driver training, improve behaviours and make safer trips.

So, when Blue Sky joined our Risk Management Academy - the focus was on finding some powerful insights to drive change in the drivers’ behaviour.

By presenting Blue Sky with data on their fleet performance, for the first time, we’ve enabled their business to get an in-depth look into their fleet’s mobility and their drivers’ behaviour areas of improvement.

Our telematics data enabled them to analyse their performance at both a driver and vehicle level, which sparked meaningful behavioural conversation between the business and the drivers overall: good drivers gained more recognition, whereas more high-risk drivers were given additional training to improve their performance.

“The actual risk management part has been brilliant because it’s pure information that you can react to that’s given on a week by week basis.

That’s enabled us to get consistent figures as to how those drivers are driving and which drivers are going around corners too quickly.

It’s a one-off snapshot which you can use to give back to your drivers and always at the back of your mind”

- Leigh Cotterill, Managing Director at Blue Sky commented.

Our telematics technology enabled Blue Sky to see both the individual performance of their drivers, but also get an overall picture of how their fleet’s performance is changing. The ability to see incremental changes gave the business power to make more informed operational decisions.

“The overall score gives you a very rounded overview of the performance of the driver – some telematics data only tells you about one specific moment whereas Zego’s data is continuous. That is the power of this management system. It’s more complete and provides an overview of everything”.

The big breakthrough for Blue Sky was when, through the data we’ve collected over time, they found a direct link between their individual fleet vehicle maintenance cost and the individual drivers’ performance score.

“It saves me and the company a great deal of time as the figures are there. We can be proactive with that, train off the back of it and see how we’re doing on a week by week basis”.

Blue Sky successfully aligned with their drivers on what a “good driver” is and what kind of behaviour was encouraged. With help of our insights-driven education, Blue Sky shifted the “good driver” perception from being “rush the get the job done” to “drive smoothly - it’s beneficial for us all”. It sparked meaningful and encouraging conversations:

“We say that smooth driving is what we’re after; we gave them feedback and shared a rough outline of how they were performing. So they then wanted to drive themselves forward and become the best.

It was treated in a positive waywhere the top-scoring drivers were rewarded, and the drivers who needed to improve started feeling eager to become better”.

Blue Sky started incentivising their top-scoring drivers to keep them motivated and aligned on the “good driver” vision at all times:

“The good drivers were rewarded with vouchers, which were massively well received, we made a big song and dance of that and said a big well done. They then all understand what it takes to be a good driver”.

Blue Sky ensured that the fleet’s drivers have access to the training needed to improve their driving score.

"Every week, we have a meeting with our drivers and we always have a training spot. It’s allowed us to have a system in place where we’re monitoring our drivers. It’s so so valuable”.

Blue Sky is a great example of how engaging with risk management data to drive effective behaviour changes can directly translate into business results.


Reduced by 75%. Meaning that the number of accidents and vehicle damages significantly dropped resulting in reduced claim numbers.


Reduced by 21.1%. Meaning that the number of claim-reporting vehicles dropped by one fifth.


Reduced by 57.6%, which will positively impact Blue Sky Logistics’ insurance price at renewal.



*The results are valid for the month of June 2022

The Blue Sky’s biggest challenges of ongoing van damages and rushing the jobs by drivers are very much behaviour-based. However, without the evidence to support their theory, it was very difficult to make the case for better driving practices to their drivers.

So, once we equipped them with our tech and brought clear, actionable data around their fleet’s performance to the table - the operational solution emerged in no time and so did the results.

We helped Blue Sky effectively tackle their biggest pain points and set them on a path for growth and continuous improvement. But most importantly, the fleet company took a proactive role in harnessing the power of the data-driven insights and driving positive change for their business. Cooperation was key in this case.

“We’ve been given the right motivation and boost to get us on the path of getting better and better. We can use telematics data to make sure that we’re always driving to be better than we are today with health and safety”.

Learn more about our behaviour based insurance and risk management 

Reducing Claims & Vehicle Damage

Under The Hood: Top 5 Fleet Portal features (so far)

The Zego Fleet Portal is more powerful than ever!

In October, we released some exciting new tools and features to help you control and optimise your fleet performance. It’s all part of our mission to save you time and money.

Lack of visibility of your drivers’ behaviour on the road can be frustrating. As a fleet manager, you need to know what’s happening on every trip, so you can support your team and help prevent accidents. 

So we built the new Harsh Events on a map feature. It allows you to view full trip details for each of your vehicles, see any harsh events that might occur, and also identify risky areas where accidents are more likely to happen.

Our goal is to help you reduce the number of accidents among your fleet, reduce your claims, and therefore lower your insurance costs. This feature gives you all the data and control you need to identify risky driving patterns, and help your drivers become safer on the road.

Now you have all the data you need. But how can you help your drivers improve?

The new Harsh Events Insight feature provides you with insights and handy tips from our team of risk management experts. You can now learn how harsh events occur, their potential consequences, and how to prevent them.

To help you have more productive conversations with high-risk drivers, and support them in improving their performance on the road.

Speeding can cause severe accidents. Not only can it lead to expensive claims, it can also result in loss of life. As a fleet manager, you need to know how your drivers behave on the road, so you can put measures in place to help your drivers avoid speeding.

The Speeding Events feature allows you to see which drivers break local speed limits, and the insights you need to help them slow down.

Also, speeding now affects your overall risk score. This makes your fleet's risk score more accurate, giving you a better view of how your fleet is performing.

So you can easily identify drivers exceeding speed limits, and to give you insights that can help reduce the risk of severe accidents.

For those in your fleet who are already driving well, what’s the best way to identify and reward them?

Say hello to the Platinum Band! It’s a new risk category that highlights your best-performing drivers — those with a risk score of 95 or more.

The goal of reaching a place in the Platinum Band is a great way to motivate your drivers, encouraging healthy competition throughout your fleet. The more vehicles in the Platinum Band, the less likelihood of accidents and claims.

In October, we released some exciting new features on the Fleet Portal to give fleets more powerful tools to control and optimise their performance, saving them time and money on insurance. Let’s have a look.


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