CoverMapWhy normal bike insurance doesn’t cover delivery work
A standard motorbike or scooter policy covers social, domestic and pleasure use, usually shortened to SD&P. Some add commuting. None of that covers carrying food or parcels for money.
That work needs hire and reward cover. INSHUR says food delivery insurance is “also commonly known as hire and reward insurance or carriage of goods insurance”. The names differ, but the point is the same: the insurer knows you are being paid to deliver and has priced that in.
Deliveroo puts it plainly on its rider support page: “Your SD&P insurance does not cover you for your food delivery work with Deliveroo.”
If you only want general cover for riding to work and at weekends, our motorbike insurance guide explains cover levels and prices. This page is about the extra layer you need once you start delivering.
What Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat and Amazon Flex require
We have only used each platform’s own pages here. Broker summaries of platform rules are often out of date, so check the platform’s help pages before you sign up.
| Platform | Motorbikes and scooters? | Insurance the platform asks for | What the platform provides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deliveroo | Yes (motorised scooters and cars named) | SD&P plus hire and reward, fast food delivery, or “carriage of goods, including food, for hire and reward” cover | Personal injury and income protection for all riders; public liability for scooter riders only while walking to collect or drop off |
| Uber Eats | Yes (car, motorbike or scooter) | A certificate that “covers food delivery, or hire and reward not excluding food delivery” | Partner Protection with Allianz (injury and sickness benefits, not motor cover; launched 2018) |
| Just Eat | Yes (scooter, moped, motorcycle, car) | Document must show “Hire and Reward”, “Carriage of Goods” or “Food delivery” | Its courier page says it does not provide insurance |
| Amazon Flex | Not listed – cars, vans and e-bikes only | Cars: hire and reward plus at least SD&P | Not stated |
Source: Deliveroo Rider Support, Uber “Certificate of Motor Insurance and Uber”, Just Eat courier application guide (updated 3 August 2026), Amazon Flex requirements page. Checked October 2026.
Platform cover is not motor insurance
Some platforms give you personal cover, which is easy to confuse with vehicle insurance. Uber’s Partner Protection, launched in June 2018, pays benefits such as injury and hospital payments. Uber states that it “does not provide commercial motor insurance nor is it a substitute for your compulsory motor insurance.”
Deliveroo also provides personal injury and income protection, but it still requires scooter and car riders to hold their own SD&P and hire and reward cover.
Uber also notes that a delay in renewing and uploading your certificate “will delay your ability to go online”. Set a reminder before your policy ends.
Pay-as-you-go, 30-day or annual cover
Delivery insurance for bikes comes in three main shapes. Zego, which Deliveroo and Uber both name as a partner, offers each of them.
- Pay-as-you-go (hourly): Zego charges by the minute, with a one-hour minimum. It covers hire and reward use only and is third party only. You must also hold a separate SD&P policy for the rest of the time. Zego advertises it from “as little as £0.50 per hour” for scooter riders.
- 30-day: Zego sells combined SD&P and hire and reward cover for 30 days; INSHUR also offers renewable 30-day policies.
- Annual: combined cover for 12 months. Zego says it is “cheaper to purchase an annual policy than to renew your 30-day cover for 12 months”.
The trade-off is simple. Hourly cover keeps costs tied to the hours you actually work. If you ride most days, the hours add up. Zego warned in 2022 that for heavy users pay-as-you-go may end up “more expensive overall than the cost of an annual policy”.
Eligibility rules to check
Each insurer sets its own limits. Zego’s scooter and motorbike delivery page, for example, lists:
- Riders aged 21 to 65
- A full UK or EU licence, or CBT for bikes up to 125cc
- Bikes of 500cc or less, and 125cc or less for pay-as-you-go
- No more than two claims in the past three years
- Riding in England, Scotland or Wales
Just Eat accepts a provisional licence for scooters and mopeds as long as you also have a CBT certificate. If you are still on L-plates, our learner motorbike insurance guide covers CBT and licence categories, and our scooter and moped insurance guide covers 50cc and 125cc machines.
How much does delivery rider insurance cost?
We found no insurance prices published by the delivery platforms, and the main insurers quote individually. Zego says: “There is no single price, because your premium is built around you, your bike and the delivery work you do.”
The published figures we found are:
- Annual cover: broker SimplyQuote estimates “a 125cc scooter courier policy costs £900 to £2,200 annually depending on your age and urban density” (page updated August 2026). That is a broker estimate, not market data.
- Hourly cover: Zego advertises pay-as-you-go hire and reward from £0.50 an hour for scooters, on top of your SD&P policy.
- Excess: INSHUR lists a standard excess of £350 for scooters and motorcycles. Other insurers set their own.
Your age, postcode, bike, licence, claims history and the hours you ride all move the price. Prices checked October 2026; get live quotes before you decide.
Theft is a cost risk too. The ten most stolen models in the year to May 2026 were all lightweight commuter scooters, according to FOI data on DVLA theft reports obtained by Anglo Scottish Finance and reported by Wheels Alive (July 2026). Our motorbike theft and security guide covers locks, trackers and the security conditions insurers apply.
What happens if you deliver on SD&P only?
If your policy doesn’t include hire and reward, you are not insured for the delivery. GOV.UK says the police “could give you a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points if you’re caught driving a vehicle you’re not insured to drive.”
If the case goes to court, GOV.UK lists:
- An unlimited fine
- Possible disqualification from driving
- Police powers to seize, and in some cases destroy, the vehicle
Zego adds that the endorsement code is IN10, that police use number plate recognition cameras to check vehicles against the insurance database, and that a claim on your existing policy “might not be valid”. Zego says that if you crash while delivering you could be personally liable for injuries and damage, and describes how “a single uninsured trip can easily turn into a five-figure bill”.
The platforms will also stop you working. Uber says a delay in uploading your insurance will delay your ability to go online, and Just Eat asks for your insurance document when you apply.
Food delivery on a bicycle or e-bike
Deliveroo and Just Eat don’t require work motor insurance for bicycles, and Amazon Flex asks e-bike riders for public liability and personal accident cover instead. Amazon Flex says e-bikes must meet EAPC standards. See our bicycle insurance guide.
Checklist before your first delivery shift
- Check your platform’s own help page for the exact wording your certificate must show.
- Make sure you have SD&P cover for riding outside shifts, either as a separate policy or combined.
- Choose hourly, 30-day or annual hire and reward based on the hours you expect to ride.
- Check the insurer’s age, licence, engine size and claims limits.
- Note the excess and any security conditions for theft claims.
- Upload your certificate to the app and set a renewal reminder.
If you move up to parcel deliveries in a van, the rules are similar but costs and cover options differ. See our courier van insurance guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need hire and reward insurance to deliver food on a scooter?
Yes. Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat all require cover that includes hire and reward or food delivery for scooters, mopeds and motorbikes. Standard SD&P cover does not cover delivery work.
What insurance does Deliveroo require for motorbike and scooter riders?
Deliveroo's rider support page asks for SD&P insurance plus hire and reward, fast food delivery, or carriage of goods for hire and reward cover. Deliveroo provides personal injury and income protection, but not motor insurance.
Does Uber Eats provide insurance for delivery riders?
Uber's Partner Protection with Allianz pays injury and sickness benefits to eligible couriers, but Uber says it is not a substitute for compulsory motor insurance. You need your own certificate that covers food delivery.
Does Just Eat provide insurance for couriers?
Just Eat's courier application guide says it does not provide insurance. Scooter, moped, motorcycle and car couriers must show a document stating Hire and Reward, Carriage of Goods or Food delivery.
Is pay-as-you-go delivery insurance cheaper than annual cover?
It depends on your hours. Hourly cover only charges while you work, but Zego said in 2022 that heavy users may find it ends up costing more than an annual policy. You also still need a separate SD&P policy.
Can I use a scooter with a provisional licence for Just Eat?
Just Eat says a provisional licence is acceptable for scooters and mopeds if you also have a CBT certificate. Your insurer may set its own age and licence rules.
What happens if I get caught delivering without hire and reward cover?
GOV.UK says police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 points. In court you could face an unlimited fine, disqualification, and your vehicle could be seized.
Sources
- Deliveroo – What insurance do I need?
- Uber – Certificate of Motor Insurance and Uber
- Uber – Partner Protection (2018)
- Just Eat – Courier application documents (Aug 2026)
- Amazon Flex UK – Requirements
- GOV.UK – Driving without insurance
- Zego – Scooter, moped and motorbike insurance
- Zego – Options for scooter delivery riders
- Zego – What insurance is needed to deliver food (2022)
- Zego – Caught without courier insurance (Apr 2026)
- INSHUR – Food delivery insurance UK guide (Mar 2026)
- SimplyQuote – How much is courier insurance (Aug 2026)
- Wheels Alive – Britain's most stolen motorbikes (Jul 2026)