A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR INDUSTRY
Repairing, selling and caring for vehicles creates different responsibilities. Start with the services you perform, the vehicles you hold and where the work takes place.
YOUR BUSINESS
Workshops may service engines, diagnose electrical faults or fit replacement components. The work undertaken, equipment used and number of customer vehicles kept overnight give a clearer picture than a workshop label alone.
Describe repair activities, vehicle values, key security and any road testing. Workshop property, responsibility for customer vehicles and allegations about completed work need separate review.
Collision repair can involve body work, welding, paint preparation and vehicles waiting for parts. A vehicle may remain on site well beyond the time spent repairing it.
Explain hot work, spray facilities, subcontracted tasks and vehicle storage. Review property and customer-vehicle arrangements alongside liability; correcting defective work and resulting damage are different questions.
Dealers may hold vehicles for sale, take vehicles on consignment or arrange demonstration drives. Ownership and responsibility can change between arrival, preparation and handover.
Identify stock values, storage locations, consignment arrangements and who drives each vehicle. Vehicles held for sale, customer vehicles and company vehicles should be distinguished when reviewing insurance.
Hand washing, polishing, interior cleaning and automated washing involve different equipment and handling. Staff may move customer vehicles or keep them while work is completed.
Describe the cleaning methods, chemicals, automated equipment and vehicle movements. Check the treatment of property being worked on and vehicles in your care; do not assume every washing method is included.
Selling parts is different from selecting, fitting or modifying them. A tyre or accessory business should explain whether it only supplies goods or also installs and advises on their use.
Set out the products, fitting services, sourcing and any imports. Stock and equipment questions sit alongside product and service liability; warranties and replacement of defective parts require specific review.
Mobile repairers carry tools and parts between locations and work in spaces they do not control. The activity may take place at a customer premises or another agreed work site.
Describe work locations, tasks, service vehicles and equipment carried. Review off-site activities, tools and vehicle use explicitly, rather than assuming arrangements for a fixed workshop follow every mobile job.
WHAT TO KEEP IN VIEW
MAKING THE CONNECTIONS
A Motor Trade Pack is a starting point for discussing automotive business insurance. Available sections and terms differ by insurer and activity. Review business property, customer vehicles, liability, equipment and interruption separately; the name does not establish cover for every operation.
Customer vehicles left for repair or cleaning, company vehicles and stock held for sale may need different arrangements. Explain road testing, vehicle movements, consignment and responsibilities before and after handover.
Defective work, resulting damage, rectification costs and delay losses are different questions. Washing methods, paint work, welding and off-site activities also need to be checked against the declared operations and policy terms.
IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
BEFORE WE TALK
Tell us what you do, what is changing and what you would like to understand. We can help organise the questions and the information needed for a meaningful insurance discussion.
