Insurance is boring, but here’s what happened to my mate Dan in his second month.
He was polishing a BMW 3 Series. His polisher caught an edge, burnt through the clearcoat, and left a dinner plate-sized patch needing a full respray. £800 to fix. No insurance. He paid it from two months of profit.
Don’t be Dan.
Public Liability Insurance (The Non-Negotiable One)
This covers damage to customer property or injury while you’re working. It’s non-negotiable before your first job.
What it covers:
- Damage to customer vehicles
- Damage to customer property (driveway, garage door, etc.)
- Injury to customers or the public
- Legal costs if someone sues you
Cost: £150-300/year for £1-2 million cover
I pay £180/year through Simply Business. I’ve never claimed and hope I never do. But if I crash a polisher through someone’s windscreen, I’m covered.
Some people skip this. “I’ll be careful,” they say. Dan said that. I said that when I put a bucket mark on a new Audi. Insurance covered the £200 repair. I paid £150 excess. Could’ve been much worse.
When you need it: Before you detail your first customer car.
Where to get it: Simply Business, Superscript, or Protectivity (detailing-specific). Get quotes from all three - prices vary wildly.
Tool and Equipment Insurance
Your pressure washer, DA polisher, vacuum, bottles of ceramic coating - add it up. Mine came to about £3,000 when I started. If someone breaks into your van or your garage floods, that’s all gone.
Most home insurance won’t cover business equipment. You need specific tool insurance.
What it covers:
- Theft from vehicle or premises
- Accidental damage (if you drop your polisher)
- Fire, flood, etc.
What it costs: £100-200/year depending on equipment value
I pay £140/year for £5,000 of cover. I list all my main kit (polishers, extractors, pressure washer, IPA, compounds) and update it when I buy new stuff.
Alternative: some public liability policies include tools cover as an add-on. Check before buying separately.
Goods in Transit Insurance
This one’s specific. If you’re carrying customer belongings in your vehicle - like if you collect a car, detail it at your unit, then return it - you might need goods in transit insurance.
I don’t have this because I only work on-site at customer locations. But if you’re offering collection and delivery, look into it.
What it costs: £80-150/year
Most detailers working mobile don’t need this. If you’re building a unit-based business with collection service, add it to your list.
Vehicle Insurance (Business Use)
Here’s one that catches people out. Your normal car insurance probably says “Social, Domestic, and Pleasure” with maybe “Commuting” added. That doesn’t cover you driving to customer sites with all your equipment in the boot.
You need “Business Use” added to your policy. It usually costs an extra £50-100/year.
When I started, I just called my insurer (Admiral) and said “I’m starting a mobile detailing business, I need business use cover.” They added it for £65/year extra.
If you’re using your vehicle daily for work and you haven’t declared this, your insurer can refuse a claim. That includes if someone hits you - they might not pay out because you weren’t insured for business use. Not worth the risk.
If you get a van: You’ll need full commercial vehicle insurance. I pay £850/year for my Caddy, but I was 24 when I bought it (young driver premium). Most people pay £400-600.
Professional Indemnity Insurance (Probably Don’t Need It)
This covers you if you give bad advice that costs someone money. Like if you recommend a certain product and it damages their paint.
I don’t have this. Most detailers don’t. It’s more for consultants and advisors. If you’re just detailing cars, public liability is enough.
Employer’s Liability Insurance (Only If You Hire People)
If you employ anyone - even part-time, even your mate who helps on Saturdays - you legally need employer’s liability insurance. It covers you if they get injured while working for you.
What it costs: £100-300/year depending on number of employees
I didn’t need this until I hired someone in year two. If you’re solo, skip it for now.
What I Actually Pay (Real Numbers)
Here’s my annual insurance costs now:
- Public liability (£2m): £180
- Tool insurance (£5k cover): £140
- Van insurance (commercial): £850
- Employer’s liability: £180
Total: £1,350/year (£112.50/month)
When I started mobile on my own:
- Public liability (£1m): £165
- Tool insurance (£3k cover): £120
- Car insurance business use add-on: £65
Total: £350/year (£29/month)
That’s the reality for a beginner. Under £30/month to be properly covered. If one claim saves you from a £500+ repair bill, it’s paid for itself.
The Policies I Skipped (And Why)
Business interruption insurance: Covers lost income if you can’t work. Seems good in theory, but the premiums were high (£200+/year) and the payout conditions were so specific I decided to just build an emergency fund instead.
Key person insurance: Only relevant if you employ people and losing one would hurt the business financially.
Cyber insurance: For online businesses handling sensitive data. Overkill for a detailing business.
How to Actually Get Insured (Step by Step)
Here’s what I did:
- Went to Simply Business website
- Selected “Car Valeting/Detailing” as my trade
- Filled in turnover estimate (I put £15k for first year)
- Listed equipment value (pressure washer, polisher, chemicals)
- Got quotes from multiple insurers
- Picked the cheapest one that covered what I needed
- Paid monthly (£16.50/month instead of £165 upfront)
Took 20 minutes. They emailed my certificate immediately. I saved it as a PDF and keep a copy on my phone to show customers if they ask.
What Customers Actually Care About
Some customers ask to see your insurance before you start work. This happens more with higher-end cars - Porsche, Range Rover, new Mercedes. They want peace of mind that if you mess up, you’re covered.
I’ve been asked maybe 10 times in hundreds of jobs. Each time, I just show them the certificate on my phone. It’s reassuring for them, and it makes me look professional.
If you can’t show insurance, some customers won’t let you touch their car. Fair enough - I wouldn’t either.
The One Time I Nearly Claimed (And Didn’t)
Last year I was doing a paint correction on a Tesla. Customer’s kid ran into the garage and bumped my arm while I was polishing. Polisher caught the panel edge and left a small burn mark. My heart sank.
I could’ve claimed on insurance (£150 excess, insurance pays the rest). But the paint touch-up only cost £120, so I paid it myself to avoid making a claim and potentially increasing my premiums.
But here’s the thing - I had the option. If that burn mark had been bigger, if it needed a full respray at £600, insurance would’ve handled it. That’s what you’re paying for - protection from the big mistakes.
Don’t Cheap Out Here
I’ve seen people try to save money by either:
- Not getting insurance at all
- Getting the absolute cheapest policy without reading what it covers
The first one is stupid and possibly illegal (if you’re working on customer property without liability cover). The second one bites you when you try to claim and find out your £80/year policy doesn’t cover machine polishing, only hand washing.
Read the policy. Check what’s excluded. Make sure it covers everything you actually do - machine polishing, ceramic coatings, interior work, whatever.
The Bottom Line
Starting cost for proper insurance: about £300-400/year.
That’s one wash and wax job per month at £30-40. Build it into your pricing. I charge enough for my services to cover insurance, equipment depreciation, and still make profit. You should too.
If you’re not sure what to charge to cover your costs, I break down my pricing structure on my services page. Everything’s there - might help you figure out your own numbers.
Next Steps
- Get quotes from Simply Business, Superscript, and Protectivity
- Start with public liability (£1-2m) and tool insurance
- Call your car insurer and add business use
- Save your insurance certificate as a PDF
- Add insurance cost to your business expenses spreadsheet
Do this before you detail your first paying customer. I’m serious. One mistake without insurance can end your business before it starts.