Catering van insurance built for kitchens on wheels
A catering van isn't just a van: it's a kitchen, a shop and your income, all on one set of wheels. We arrange specialist policies that cover the vehicle, the cooking equipment bolted inside it and the liability that comes with feeding the public.
- Fire cover included as standard on hot food vans
- Fixtures and fittings, including ovens, fryers and grills, covered as standard
- Public and product liability up to £5 million available
- Vans, trailers, catering bars and electric Tuk Tuks accepted
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Catering van cover at a glance
What you get
- Comprehensive, third-party fire & theft, or third-party only
- Fire cover included as standard for all hot food vans
- Fixtures and fittings, including ovens, fryers, grills, bain-maries and refrigeration, as standard
- Public and product liability up to £5 million available
- Employer's liability up to £10 million available
- Modified catering vans accepted
What's not covered
- Personal use, unless social, domestic and pleasure is declared
- Vehicles used for hire and reward
- Items left unattended outside the locked van
- Wear and tear or mechanical breakdown
- Food spoilage, available as an optional add-on
Running a team of drivers delivering hot food to customers? Those vehicles need a separate fast food delivery policy; we arrange that too.
Why standard van insurance doesn't work for catering
An ordinary van policy insures a van that carries things. Yours cooks in them. Hot food preparation, gas bottles, fryers running for hours at a market pitch: these are risks a standard commercial van policy simply wasn't written for, and a generic insurer can decline a claim the moment they discover a griddle in the back.
The policies we arrange are built for mobile food businesses from the start. Fire cover is included as standard on every hot food van, not sold back to you as an extra, and permanently installed equipment sits under the fixtures and fittings section: ovens, fryers, grills, bain-maries and refrigeration units. Optional extensions include breakdown and recovery, legal expenses, business interruption, loss of stock and frozen food cover.
Liability: the part that protects the business, not just the van
Serving food to the public carries its own risks, separate from anything that happens on the road. A customer scalded at your hatch or made ill by something you sold can bring a claim that dwarfs the value of the van itself. Public and product liability cover up to £5 million is available on our catering policies, and we'd recommend it to any food business serving the public.
If you employ anyone, even one part-time or seasonal helper at weekend events, employer's liability insurance is a legal requirement in the UK. Cover up to £10 million is available on the same policy, so the whole operation is handled in one place.
Every kind of catering unit, mobile or static
Burger vans, fish and chip vans, sandwich vans, kebab vans, hot dog vans, coffee vans, catering trailers, mobile catering bars, even eco-friendly electric Tuk Tuks. Whether you tour festivals and markets or trade from a fixed pitch, the insurers on our panel understand the mobile food industry and rate accordingly. Policyholders aged 21 and over are accepted, and flexible payment options are available.
- Both mobile and static catering vans covered
- Replacement keys and locks cover up to £300
- Signage cover up to £500: your branding is part of the business
- Fleet discount for two or more catering vehicles
From enquiry to insured in three steps
Tell us what you need
Fill in the two-minute form with the cover you're after and when to call you, or ring us directly on 01323 416706.
We search our panel
Our brokers match your details against a panel of UK insurers and call you back at your chosen time with the options and prices.
Covered the same day
Happy with a quote? We arrange the policy there and then, and email your documents the same day.
Questions drivers actually ask
Straight answers from the team that arranges this cover every day. Anything else? Call 01323 416706 and a human will pick up.
See all FAQsWhat is catering van insurance?
A commercial vehicle policy designed specifically for mobile food businesses operating from vans or trailers. It covers the vehicle and the fixtures and fittings inside it, and can extend to public liability, employer's liability and stock cover. Call 01323 416706 and we'll quote your setup.
Is my cooking equipment covered?
Yes, permanently installed equipment is covered as standard under the fixtures and fittings section. That includes ovens, fryers, grills, bain-maries and refrigeration units. Fire cover is also included as standard on all hot food vans, which matters when you cook with gas.
Do I need public liability insurance for a catering van?
It isn't a legal requirement, but we strongly recommend it for any food business serving the public. Our catering policies offer public and product liability cover up to £5 million: protection if a customer is injured or made ill in connection with your business.
I have seasonal staff. Do I need employer's liability?
Yes. If you employ anyone at all, even part-time or seasonal staff, employer's liability insurance is a legal requirement in the UK. Cover up to £10 million is available on your catering van policy. Call 01323 416706 to add it.
What types of catering vehicles do you insure?
All of them: burger vans, fish and chip vans, ice cream vans, hot dog vans, sandwich vans, kebab vans, coffee vans, mobile catering bars, catering trailers and electric Tuk Tuks. Mobile and static units are both covered. Tell us what you run and we'll find the right policy.
What isn't covered on a catering van policy?
Personal use unless social, domestic and pleasure is declared, hire and reward use, items left unattended outside the locked van, and wear and tear or mechanical breakdown. Food spoilage isn't covered as standard either, but it's available as an optional add-on; ask when you quote.
Get your catering van insured properly
Fire and fixtures covered as standard. Two minutes on the form, a callback at your chosen time, documents the same day.