Food & Drink Vans
At CMTIA, we understand the dedication that goes into running your food and drink van. Whether you’re serving up hot drinks at a local market, dishing out street food, or catering at festivals, having the right insurance is essential to keep your business protected.
Trusted by 99% of customers, CMTIA offers Food and Drink Van Liability insurance from only £65* per year, giving your catering van business the protection it deserves.
Quick and easy online
application
Cover for food poisoning
automatically included as
standard
Easy to add Employers’ Liability when you employ people
Why Choose CMTIA for Food and Drink Van Insurance?
- Apply online in just 2 minutes, with your documents sent directly to your inbox within 20 minutes
- Two levels of Public and Products Liability cover to choose from
- Option to add Employers’ Liability cover if you have staff
- No excesses, ensuring you’re not out of pocket when making a claim
- Enjoy flexible coverage with no limits on the number of events, festivals, or markets you can attend throughout the year
- Chosen by thousands of food and drink van traders across the UK to protect their businesses
- UK based expert support available on the phone whenever you need it
Case Studies
Jack sells hot drinks at a traditional weekly street market on a Thursday and from a different market on Friday and Saturdays. He has Public and Products Liability insurance from CMTIA with a £5,000,000 limit of indemnity. This one policy covers Jack for all the markets he attends as they take place on different days.
Ed sells Chinese dumplings seven days a week at a London market, and he already has Public and Products Liability from CMTIA with a £10,000,000 limit of indemnity. Ed has recently taken on his first employee who is going to run another stall four days a week in a different part of London. To ensure he is correctly covered, Ed will need to add Employers’ Liability to his existing policy and also purchase a second policy with Public and Products Liability only.
Employers' Liability
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Public & Products Liabilty
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Need to make a claim on your insurance policy?
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ViewFrequently Asked Questions
Food and Drink Van insurance is a specialised type of liability insurance designed to protect businesses that operate mobile catering vans to sell food and drink from a licensed pitch. This can include food trucks and trailers, burger vans, ice cream vans, coffee vans, and other mobile catering units.
CMTIA’s comprehensive liability insurance covers Public and Products Liability, and Employers’ Liability, ensuring your business is protected against claims for injury, illness, or property damage caused by your operations.
Public Liability covers you if someone, other than an Employee, holds you legally liable for death, or injury suffered, or property damage caused, because of your business activities. For example, if a customer slips on a spill near your food van and injures themselves, they could file a claim against you. This insurance helps cover legal fees and compensation costs, ensuring your business is protected from unexpected incidents.
Products Liability covers you if, someone, other than an Employee, claims they were harmed by food or drink you’ve sold. For instance, if a customer suffers food poisoning after eating a meal from your van, or has an allergic reaction despite clear labelling, they may hold your business liable.
If you employ staff, even on a temporary or part-time basis, Employers’ Liability Insurance is legally required in the UK. It protects your business if an employee becomes injured or ill due to their work. For example, if an employee burns their hand while handling hot equipment in your van, or trips over cables inside the van and breaks their ankle, they could make a claim against you. This insurance covers the legal costs, and any compensation owed to the employee.
The annual premium for £5,000,000 Public and Products Liability is £65.00.
To include Employers’ Liability, the premium will be £97.50.
If you would like higher limits of indemnity for Public and Products Liability (£10,000,000) prices increase to £78.00 and £110.50 (with Employers’ Liability).
Our One Day Public Liability policy is £27.00 for £5,000,000 Limit of Indemnity or £33.00 for £10,000,000 Limit of Indemnity.
All prices quoted are inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 12% and a £6 administration fee.
You can renew your policy online here or call us on 0208 102 9400 to renew and pay for your policy over the phone.
All claims are dealt with by your insurer, AXA Insurance UK plc. To report a claim, please contact them directly on 0345 900 4185 (option 3).
You will need the following details which can be found on your certificate of insurance:
- Scheme policy number (this begins BL BDX, followed by 7 numbers)
- Policy number (this begins SMT, followed by 5 numbers)
- Name of the insured
Yes! If you’re only operating your food truck at a single event—such as a festival or market—you can purchase One-Day Food Truck Liability insurance that provides coverage just for that event. This typically includes Public Liability and Products Liability to protect against any claims during the event.
Yes! If you’re operating at different markets or events throughout the week, CMTIA’s Food and Drink Van Insurance can provide coverage across multiple locations under one policy. Whether you’re serving coffee at a local market one day and burgers at a festival the next, our flexible policies ensure you’re covered wherever you go.
No, road accidents, and claims related to your catering van or vehicle, are usually covered under a separate commercial vehicle policy (motor insurance). While catering van insurance covers risks related to your business operations (such as public liability and product liability), you’ll need commercial vehicle insurance to protect against accidents while driving the van.
Yes, if you want to operate a market stall, you’ll need to apply for the appropriate licence from your local council. Depending on how and where you trade, you will generally require either a market stall licence or a street trader licence.
- Trading without the correct licence can result in prosecution for illegal trading.
- If you’re running a food stall, you must also register with your local authority’s environmental health department to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
It’s important to check with your local council for specific requirements and ensure all necessary licences are in place before you start trading.
Yes, you can sell street food in the UK. The street food scene is thriving, with growing demand for diverse and sustainable options. To get started, you’ll need to register your business with your local authority and obtain the necessary permits and insurance. For more information on how to stand out in this competitive market, check out our Street Food Trends & Trader’s Guide.
CMTIA and Combined Market Traders Insurance Association are trading names of Hayes Parsons Limited, an independent, Chartered Insurance Broker based in Bristol. If you call or email us, you will speak to our experienced market trader team in the Hayes Parsons office. You can find out more about Hayes Parsons here.
Yes, you can have up to three business partners or family members named on the policy. If you employ people, you will also need to purchase Employers’ Liability insurance. Employees are not named on the policy.
You may cancel your policy within 14 days of receiving your policy documents if you are dissatisfied for any reason or the policy does not meet your requirements. A full refund will be issued if you cancel within this period.
If you cancel your policy outside of the 14-day period, you will get a pro rata return of the policy premium paid. This return premium will be subject to a £10 cancellation fee.
Should a claim have been paid or be outstanding when you wish to cancel, there would be no return of the premium paid.
If you wish to cancel your policy, please email us on [email protected] with your policy number (this can be found on your certificate of insurance), address, post code and date of cancellation. We will get back to you ASAP to confirm the cancellation and any refund due.
