Why your normal car insurance won't cover gig delivery work
Every private car or van policy in the UK is sold against a declared 'use class' — social, social and commuting, or social and business. None of those include carrying goods for payment. The moment you collect a McDonald's bag for a Deliveroo customer or load a parcel onto a Flex route, you've stepped into hire and reward use, and your annual policy is effectively void for that journey. The consequence isn't just a refused claim. The Motor Insurance Database shows you uninsured, you can be charged with driving without insurance (IN10, six points, unlimited fine), and the vehicle can be seized at the roadside. Hire and reward cover is not optional — it's the legal floor for paid delivery work.
Food courier vs parcel courier — different policies, different prices
Food courier cover (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat, Stuart) is the cheaper end of the market. Trips are short, vehicles are mostly small cars or mopeds, and the average claim size is low. A 25-year-old on a Saturday-night Deliveroo shift can expect to pay £18 to £30 for a day's cover on a small hatchback. Parcel courier cover (Amazon Flex, Evri, DPD, owner-drivers for Hermes-style networks) is materially more expensive. The vehicles are larger, the daily mileage is far higher (200+ miles is not unusual), and theft of cargo is a real exposure. A week of full parcel-courier cover on a small van typically lands between £120 and £180.
What 'hire and reward' actually means on the policy
Hire and reward (often shortened to H&R) is a use class added to the policy. It tells the insurer you'll carry goods or passengers in exchange for payment. Without it, you have private cover only. Short-term courier policies sold for food and parcel work include H&R by default. Some policies also include 'public liability' (cover if you cause injury or damage while delivering, not while driving), but many do not — read the wording. Goods-in-transit cover for the value of the parcels you're carrying is almost never included as standard and is sold separately by the platforms or by specialist brokers.
Practical buying tips for new gig drivers
Always buy the policy before you accept your first delivery on the app. Most platforms run insurance compliance checks before paying out earnings — Amazon Flex in particular has been increasingly strict about asking for evidence of H&R cover. For short stints (a single shift, a peak weekend) a daily policy is usually the right shape. For anything over 14 days you'll often find an annual courier policy works out cheaper per day, especially with the cancellation fees that the short-term providers charge. And keep a copy of the policy schedule on your phone — police and platform checks both want to see proof, not just a confirmation email.