Motor trade insurance · Based in Macclesfield, serving the North West and beyond
Motor trade insurance for traders across the North West and beyond
From road risks for part-time traders to full combined cover for busy garages, we'll find a motor trade policy built around what you do.
- Road risks only or full combined
- Full-time and part-time traders
- Premises, tools and liability options
Speak to Steve and the team
01625 682 765Get a quick quote
Four quick details and we'll call you back promptly during office hours, or on the next working day.
What is motor trade insurance?
Motor trade insurance covers the risks that come with handling vehicles you do not own. Driving a customer's car to an MOT station, road-testing after a repair, moving stock around a forecourt or taking a part-exchange home for the night are all everyday jobs that a normal motor policy will not touch.
The trade is broad, and so is the cover. A mobile mechanic working evenings needs something very different from a body shop with six bays, a paint booth and four employees. We spend time on the detail: how many vehicles you handle, who drives, where they are kept overnight, and what happens on your premises.
Insurers look closely at security, experience and claims history in this sector, so presenting your business properly matters. We know what underwriters want to see and we put your case forward in the right way, rather than pushing a form through a portal and hoping.
Reviewed by Steve Milner, Cert CII · October 2026
A starting point for your cover
Which motor trade insurance cover do I need?
Question 1 of 3
This is a quick guide, not advice. We'll confirm the right cover when we speak to you.
Who we insure
The businesses we work with
Service and repair garages
Combined cover for your workshop, tools, customers' vehicles and road testing.
Car sales and dealers
Road risks, forecourt stock and demonstration cover for independent dealers.
Body shops
Cover for paint booths, equipment and customers' vehicles while they're in your care.
Mobile mechanics
Road risks and liability for mechanics working at customers' homes and workplaces.
Part-time traders
Road risks cover for traders buying and selling alongside another job.
Breakdown and recovery
Cover for recovery vehicles, the vehicles you carry and your work at the roadside.
- MOT centres
- Valeters and detailers
- Tyre fitters
- Breakdown and recovery operators
- Classic car restorers
Your cover
What can motor trade insurance cover?
Every policy is built around your business, so yours may include some of these and not others.
Core cover
Road risks
The core cover that lets you drive vehicles in your custody for trade purposes. Social, domestic and pleasure use can usually be added. Cover is available third party only, third party fire and theft, or comprehensive.
Combined cover
Road risks bundled with your premises, stock and liability in a single policy, usually the right shape for a garage or dealership.
Premises and stock
Buildings, contents and the vehicles you hold for sale or repair, whether inside the workshop or on a secured forecourt.
Tools and equipment
Ramps, diagnostics, air lines and hand tools, on site and in transit, including cover for specialist equipment.
Public and employers' liability
Protection if a customer or member of the public is injured on your premises, and the employers' liability cover you must hold if you employ staff.
Demonstration cover
Lets prospective buyers test drive vehicles you hold for sale, subject to the insurer's driving criteria.
Levels of cover
Third party only
- IncludedInjury to other people
- IncludedDamage to other people's property
- Not includedFire damage to vehicles you're insuring
- Not includedTheft of vehicles you're insuring
- Not includedAccidental damage to vehicles you're insuring
Third party, fire and theft
- IncludedInjury to other people
- IncludedDamage to other people's property
- IncludedFire damage to vehicles you're insuring
- IncludedTheft of vehicles you're insuring
- Not includedAccidental damage to vehicles you're insuring
Comprehensive
- IncludedInjury to other people
- IncludedDamage to other people's property
- IncludedFire damage to vehicles you're insuring
- IncludedTheft of vehicles you're insuring
- IncludedAccidental damage to vehicles you're insuring
Road risks vs Combined
Road risks
- Driving vehicles in your care for trade purposes
- Choice of cover level
- Suits mobile mechanics, vehicle sales, breakdown and recovery operators, home-based and part-time traders
Combined
- Everything in road risks, plus:
- Premises
- Vehicles held for sale or repair
- Tools and equipment
- Public and employers' liability
- Business interruption options
- Suits garages, body shops and dealers
Optional extras
- Demonstration cover
- Trade plates
- Higher limits for customer vehicles
- Goods in transit
- Legal expenses
- Business interruption
- Breakdown
- Social, domestic and pleasure use
Not usually covered
- Drivers outside the insurer's age or experience criteria
- Theft where keys were left in the vehicle
- Wear and tear
Cover is subject to the insurer's acceptance and policy terms.
How cover can help
Illustrative examples. Whether a claim is covered depends on your policy terms and the insurer's assessment.
Illustrative example
A road test goes wrong
A vehicle is damaged on a road test after a repair.
Road risks covers driving vehicles in your care, with damage cover depending on the level chosen.
Illustrative example
Stock damaged
The forecourt is broken into and stock is damaged.
Combined cover's stock section can respond.
Illustrative example
A workshop visitor is hurt
A customer slips in the workshop.
Public liability can respond to an injury claim.
How much does motor trade insurance cost?
Every quote is individual, so we don't publish prices. These are the main things insurers look at.
What affects the price
- Type of trade
- Full or part-time
- Number and maximum value of vehicles
- Drivers' ages and experience
- Premises security
- Claims history
- Trade experience
- Cover level
Ways to keep your premium down
- Secure compound, CCTV and a key safe
- Limiting named drivers
- Keeping trading records
- A higher excess
- Building a no-claims record
What you'll need for a motor trade quote
- Your home and trading address
- Proof of trade (sales invoices, trade accounts or advertising)
- Maximum value of vehicles held at any one time
- Drivers' licence details
- Premises postcode and security
- Claims and convictions
- Your current policy or renewal date
Don't have everything? We can help fill in the gaps.
Call us now, or request a callback and we'll call you back promptly.
01625 682 765How it works
Getting insured with M&B is SO simple
- 1
Tell us about your business
Fill in a short form or give us a call. We only ask for what we actually need to get started.
- 2
We do the legwork
We approach insurers on our panel and compare cover, not just price. We'll call you back promptly, or on the next working day.
- 3
You choose, we sort the rest
We explain your options in plain English, arrange your policy and stay with you for renewals and claims.
Why M&B
Why choose M&B for motor trade insurance
Motor trade is a specialism, not a sideline
It is one of the covers we know best, and we are comfortable with the questions underwriters ask about it.
Part-time traders taken seriously
Small and part-time operations can be hard to place online. We know which insurers will look at them properly.
Local, and available
If a job is on hold because a certificate has not landed, you can ring us in Macclesfield and speak to someone straight away.
Your broker
Steve Milner
Co-Founder & Director · Cert CII
Steve has over 20 years' experience in insurance, leading teams and departments at regional, national and global brokers. He's Cert CII qualified, started his career in Bollington and lives in Macclesfield with his family.
Steve leads a small team based together in our Macclesfield office, each with over 10 years' insurance experience.
“I want to build a broker that puts the customer at the heart of everything we do, with the personal touch and genuine service I feel is missing in the industry today.”
- Macclesfield local
- Over 20 years in insurance
- Cert CII qualified
FAQs
Motor trade insurance questions
Get your motor trade quote
Request a quote
Tell us a little about your business and we'll get to work.
Prefer to talk?
Call 01625 682 765, Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm.
Related cover
Commercial insurance
Protect your business assets, premises and company vehicles against everyday trading liabilities and financial losses.
Get a quoteStill not sure which cover you need? Read our insurance FAQs or talk to the team.
Ready to make your insurance SO simple?
Speak to Steve and the team on 01625 682 765, or request a callback and we'll contact you promptly.