Key Points
Managing several vehicles involves much more than controlling routes or maintenance. Each car, van or lorry is part of the company’s day-to-day operations, and any unexpected incident has a direct impact on activity. That is why understanding how fleet insurance works is key to optimising costs and simplifying the management of your business.
But can you take out fleet insurance if you only have a few vehicles? Does it cover international routes? At RibéSalat, we answer these and many other questions, helping you understand the usual options, cover and conditions before you decide.
Let’s look at what fleet insurance is, who can take it out, how many vehicles insurers usually require, how much it can cost and what a well-designed policy includes.
What is fleet insurance?
Fleet insurance is a policy that groups several vehicles under a single contract, usually linked to a professional activity, in order to simplify management and standardise coverage criteria.
In other words, instead of taking out and renewing a separate policy for each vehicle, fleet insurance allows a company, a self-employed professional and, in certain cases, also an individual with several vehicles to have a single master policy. This policy makes it easier to manage additions, removals and changes to the fleet through a more structured process.
What does it offer compared to individual policies?
- More centralised management: with fewer documents, fewer scattered renewals and more direct control over the fleet as a whole.
- More consistent conditions, as fleets usually aim to share similar levels of protection, with adjustments by vehicle where necessary.
- Potential savings through volume, as some fleet proposals promote discounts compared to individual policies.
Who can purchase fleet insurance?
Although it is naturally associated with companies, fleet insurance can also fit other situations, as long as there are several vehicles and a clear reason to group them together.
General requirements for the policyholder
Most commonly, the policyholder is a company or a self-employed professional who uses vehicles to carry out their activity, such as delivery, technical assistance, sales, transport, construction or services. The fleet approach is specifically designed for the professional use of multiple vehicles within the same organisation.
Professional use of vehicles
In company fleets, it is common for the focus to be on insuring vehicles assigned to employees, service vehicles or vehicles that form part of day-to-day operations. In some products, the policy can include different types of vehicle within the same fleet.
What about private individuals?
There are scenarios in which a private individual might consider fleet insurance, such as collectors or households with several vehicles, but this is usually subject to specific criteria and is not the standard situation.
How many vehicles are needed for fleet insurance?
In Spain, there is no single figure, since the threshold is set by each insurer and also depends on the type of fleet (SME, large account, vehicle dealership, renting, etc.).
Even so, it is worth noting that many insurers set a minimum of five vehicles to offer fleet insurance.
How much can fleet insurance cost?
Talking about price in fleet insurance requires caution, because the premium depends on the number of vehicles, their type (cars, vans or lorries), the use (delivery, sales or transport), the area of circulation, claims history and the level of cover (third party, third party plus or comprehensive, with or without excess). Even so, the following approximate ranges can be mentioned:
- Fleets with basic coverage and low risk profiles: in some cases, very low premiums per vehicle can be found, especially when vehicles have limited use or very standardised arrangements. In these cases, the annual cost per vehicle can start at just over €100, as a starting point.
- Fleets priced on a monthly premium basis: when communicated monthly, amounts start at several tens of euros per month, normally associated with entry-level cover and specific profiles. This format is useful for comparison, but it should be converted to annual cost and reviewed to see exactly what is included.
- Activities with higher risk or high claims frequency: in intensive use or greater exposure (for example, certain urban services or professions with heavy driving), premiums can multiply, reaching several thousand euros per year per vehicle under broad options such as comprehensive cover, especially if the claims context is unfavourable.
Common coverages in fleet insurance
Fleet insurance coverages are usually built from common blocks: liability, vehicle damage, assistance and legal defence. What changes are the scope, limits and included services.
Compulsory and voluntary civil liability
- Mandatory liability: covers, within legal limits, damage to third parties resulting from driving.
- Voluntary/supplementary civil liability: extends limits above the mandatory insurance, based on specific conditions.
Own damage
Own damage (such as “comprehensive” policies or damage guarantees) covers repairs to the insured vehicle due to accidents or other included contingencies. In fleet proposals, different levels of protection are offered to adjust these guarantees.
Fire and theft
These are two common coverages within fleet packages. They are usually cited as part of the basic guarantees in offerings from most insurers.
Roadside assistance
Assistance is critical when vehicles are working: a tow truck, on-site repair or replacement vehicle can prevent costly downtime. In fleet products, assistance from the very first kilometre is often highlighted, with variations depending on vehicle type and level of coverage.
What if the fleet travels outside of Spain?
Here it is advisable to separate two things:
- Validity of compulsory insurance in Europe: according to OFESAUTO, the International Insurance Certificate (IIC), formerly “Green Card”, is not required to prove mandatory insurance in countries of the European Economic Area.
- Countries where the IIC can be required: the same entity publishes lists and guides about countries and conditions, and reminds that for other destinations outside this framework, it may be required.
And separately is the assistance: in the market, it is considered that if some vehicles travel abroad, travel assistance guarantees for those vehicles can be extended.
Legal defence
Legal defence and claims (or legal protection) is repeatedly included as coverage in fleet proposals, to manage claims, procedures and legal support linked to driving.
Optional coverages based on activity
Depending on the type of company and how the vehicles are used, it is common to consider extras such as:
- Driver accidents
- Glass breakage, when impact risk is frequent.
- Replacement vehicle
Documentation required to take out fleet insurance
To request and take out fleet insurance, it is usual to prepare basic documentation to identify the policyholder, describe the fleet and assess the risk coherently:
- Policyholder details: company name or full name, tax ID, address, and main activity.
- List of vehicles: registration, make and model, version, year of registration, vehicle type (car, van, lorry), use (commercial, delivery, transport), and approximate annual mileage if requested.
- Driver details: list of regular drivers or driving criteria (for example, named drivers or any authorised driver), including birth dates and age of licence when applicable.
- Claims history: information on claims from recent years or a certificate if the insurer requires it to adjust the premium.
- Current policies: copy of existing policies and receipts, if you want to compare conditions or consider changing insurers.
- Special operations: if there are international routes, special cargo, goods or vehicles with fixed equipment, it should be indicated from the start.
Fewer surprises and more control for your vehicle fleet
As we have seen, a well-structured fleet insurance policy is essential to maintain business mobility, reduce administrative friction, and ensure that each vehicle is protected according to its actual use.
To obtain a tailored fleet insurance policy for your company or your professionally used vehicles, at RibéSalat we help you review your case, organise coverages, and explore options so that the policy reflects your needs. Get in contact with us, and we will guide you through the next steps to evaluate your fleet policy efficiently and without wasting time.
