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Why Public Liability Insurance Is Crucial for Car Forecourt Traders
As a car forecourt trader, youโre not just selling vehicles; youโre inviting potential buyers onto your premises, where they interact with yourโฆ
Car dealer insurance, also called car trader insurance, is a motor trade policy for people who buy and sell vehicles. It lets you drive stock, trade-ins and customer cars on the road, allows test drives, and can cover vehicles on your premises, plus public, products and employersโ liability.
Selling cars for profit on a personal policy? It wonโt cover trade use, you need motor trade insurance
Your car dealer insurance depends on:

Whether you sell a few cars a month or run a showroom, the right car trade insurance depends on where and how you trade.
Cars, vans, trucks and pickups can all be covered on one dealer policy.
Tell us the vehicle types and values you trade so your stock and road risk limits are set correctly.
Insurers rate car dealers by how they trade. Choose the option closest to your business.
Motor trade policies only cover drivers and uses listed on your certificate. Choose named drivers for tight control, or any-driver cover for staff, and add demonstration cover for customer test drives.
Which cover does a car dealer need?
Which cover does a car dealer need?
Road risk is a legal requirement to drive stock on the road, and so is demonstration cover if customers drive your stock on a public road. Employersโ liability is often a legal requirement if you have staff. The other covers protect against the claims car dealers face most.
Road risk is a legal requirement to drive stock on the road, and so is demonstration cover if customers drive your stock on a public road. Employersโ liability is often a legal requirement if you have staff. The other covers protect against the claims car dealers face most.
| Type of cover | Legally required? | Why dealers need it |
|---|---|---|
Road risk insurance | Yes, to drive stock on the road | Collections, deliveries and viewings |
Demonstration cover | If customers drive on public roads | Customer test drives of your stock |
Stock on premises | No | Theft, fire or damage to cars on site |
Public liability | No | Customers injured on your forecourt |
Products liability | No | Claims linked to vehicles you sell |
Sales indemnity | No | Losses from cars with finance or theft markers |
Employersโ liability | Often, if you employ staff | Sales, prep and valeting staff |
Legal expenses | No | Disputes with customers over cars sold |
Top Tip
Run a full history and finance check on every car before you buy it. Cars with outstanding finance or a theft marker can be repossessed, leaving you out of pocket.
Insurance protects your business, but good selling practice prevents many claims and customer disputes in the first place.
Good practice checklist

Car trader insurance has no fixed price. It depends on your postcode, how many cars you sell, your stock value and where itโs kept, whether you trade part-time or from premises, your driversโ ages and experience and your claims history.

How to get car trader insurance
How to get car trader insurance
Getting car trader insurance takes four steps: tell us how you sell, confirm stock values and drivers, let us compare motor trade insurers, then choose your policy and start trading.
Getting car trader insurance takes four steps: tell us how you sell, confirm stock values and drivers, let us compare motor trade insurers, then choose your policy and start trading.
Tell us how you sell
Home, part-time, forecourt or showroom, and how many cars a year.
Confirm stock and drivers
Share your typical stock values, drivers and test drive needs.
We compare insurers
We search specialist motor trade insurers for car dealer cover.
Start trading covered
Choose your policy and receive your documents straight away.
Trusted by car dealers and traders across the UK
Trusted by car dealers and traders across the UK
From part-time home traders to busy forecourts and showrooms, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to get the right cover and expert support when it matters.
From part-time home traders to busy forecourts and showrooms, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to get the right cover and expert support when it matters.
Car dealer guides
Car dealer guides
Practical advice for car traders on cover, compliance and selling safely.
Practical advice for car traders on cover, compliance and selling safely.
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Car dealer insurance FAQs
Car dealer insurance FAQs
Straight answers on car trader insurance, test drives and selling cars from home.
Straight answers on car trader insurance, test drives and selling cars from home.
Car trader insurance is a motor trade policy for people who buy and sell vehicles. It covers you to drive stock, trade-ins and customer cars on the road for your business, and can add demonstration cover, stock on premises and liability cover.