What is minibus insurance?
Minibus insurance typically covers multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) that seat between nine and 16 passengers. Minibuses are not typically covered by car or van insurance because these policies do not typically cover the higher risks associated with carrying multiple passengers.
Do I need minibus insurance?
You must hold minibus insurance if you own a category M2 vehicle or plan to drive a hired minibus for a day trip or during a holiday, in which case temporary minibus insurance may be the better choice.
If you fail to select the right type of cover for your minibus, you could end up personally liable in the event of an accident. For example, if you have been earning money transporting passengers but only hold personal use cover, in the event of a road traffic accident, personal property damage, or personal injury, your insurance could be void, and you would be responsible for all the associated costs.
What does it cover?
To obtain a minibus insurance quote, you must choose between third party, third party, fire and theft, or comprehensive cover. Next, you must ensure your insurance reflects how you use your minibus. This will typically fall under one of the following categories:
- Social, domestic, and pleasure – which covers personal journeys such as school runs, days out, and running errands
- Non-commercial group use – which covers the likes of care homes, charities, community groups, and sports teams that offer non-fare-paying transport
- Personal business use – for those businesses that use a minibus, but the minibus isn’t the main source of income
- Hire and reward use – for businesses that charge passengers a fee, such as taxi services. You can take out minibus fleet insurance to cover all your hire-and-reward minibuses under a single policy