Fleet Insurance
Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Canberra

A fleet schedule is more useful when it explains use as well as registration numbers. Separate vehicles used for sales visits from those carrying tools, delivering goods or travelling to remote work sites. Identify trailers, specialist bodies, fitted equipment and modifications. Explain where vehicles are kept overnight and whether employees take them home. A vehicle that moves from local travel to long distance work may present a different exposure even though its owner and registration remain unchanged. Include that change in the insurance discussion, along with the territories and conditions in which the vehicle is expected to operate.

Driver arrangements should reflect how keys are actually allocated. Some fleets use named drivers, others have a shared pool, and some rely on casual or temporary personnel during busy periods. Explain the process for checking licences, authorising drivers and dealing with restrictions. If vehicles are hired, leased or borrowed to fill a gap, ask how those arrangements are treated. Customer vehicles and goods being carried raise separate questions from damage to your own fleet. Mapping those responsibilities helps prevent a motor policy from being assumed to cover every item or liability associated with a journey.

Review the basis on which each vehicle would be valued after a loss and compare it with finance and replacement arrangements. The outstanding loan balance, the vehicle’s market value and the cost of a suitable replacement may differ. Fitted refrigeration, cranes, tool storage or communications equipment can also affect the declared value and repair options. Ask whether accessories are included, separately scheduled or subject to limits. Keep purchase records and details of significant modifications. A general description such as utility vehicle may not adequately explain a specialised unit that the business depends on for its daily operations.

Transport and service contracts may allocate responsibility for loading, unloading, towing, hired vehicles or damage at a customer’s site. Review those provisions with the insurance arrangements rather than assuming they sit entirely within fleet cover. Ask about the treatment of non-owned trailers, recovery costs, temporary replacement vehicles and the use of subcontractors. Where several policies could be relevant, clarify which exposure is being addressed by each. A cargo loss, a damaged vehicle and lost trading income can arise from the same event but involve different cover requirements and different evidence when a claim is considered.

Give drivers a clear reporting process they can use away from the depot. After immediate safety needs have been addressed, useful information can include the location, time, vehicles involved, photographs where appropriate and details of witnesses or attending services. Record the condition of any load and fitted equipment separately from visible vehicle damage. Drivers should know who arranges towing and how the insurer or broker can be contacted. Keep repair approvals and the policy’s requirements in mind before committing the business to work, while taking appropriate steps to address immediate hazards and protect property.

At renewal, review additions and disposals against finance and asset records so vehicles are neither omitted nor left on the schedule after sale. Look at recurring incidents by route, task and vehicle type rather than only counting claims. A pattern of low speed damage at a particular customer site may call for a different practical response from theft at an overnight parking area. Consider how the business would cope if its most specialised unit were unavailable for an extended period. Any replacement vehicle or interruption provision should be checked for its actual scope, waiting periods and limits before being relied on.