Skip to content

HGV and truck insurance

44 Tonne Truck Insurance

cover for articulated outfits at the top of the weight range, on trunking and long distance work

Cover for an articulated outfit operating at the highest permitted gross weight. The tractor unit and each trailer are listed separately on one schedule, with the load insured alongside.

  • Units and trailers on one schedule
  • Long distance work
  • Own goods and haulage
  • FCA authorised and regulated

Quick answerInsurance for an outfit running at the maximum permitted weight covers a tractor unit and the trailers behind it. At the top of the range the vehicle is worth more, the load is worth more and the consequences of an incident are larger, so the underwriting is more searching than on a rigid. Tell us the units, the trailers and the work, and specialist UK brokers can quote.

Running a lighter rigid? Our 32 tonne truck insurance page covers those.

At a glance

Maximum Weight Outfits, in Brief

Six things that shape the terms at the top of the weight range.

The plate is the ceiling
Axle count decides what is permitted
Unit and trailer are separate
Both listed, both rated
The work is long distance
Trunking rather than local delivery
Loads are worth more
Goods in transit limits rise
Experienced drivers are expected
Terms reflect it
Overnight parking is conditioned
Loaded trailers are targeted

The basics

What Maximum Weight Changes on a Policy

The sections are the familiar goods vehicle ones. What changes at the top of the range is the scale of everything: the vehicle, the load and what an incident costs.

Third-party cover

Injury and damage to others.

The tractor unit

Comprehensive damage cover.

Trailers

Listed individually on the schedule.

Goods in transit

Arranged alongside, at a higher limit.

Long distance use

Declared, including any European work.

Driver terms

Age, experience and endorsements.

How it works

How 44 Tonne Cover Is Actually Arranged

The information is the same every time: what an artic at maximum weight is, who drives it, what it carries and where it sleeps.

  1. The vehicle is written down

    Weight, body type, value and equipment.

  2. The drivers are agreed

    Categories held and years behind the wheel.

  3. The use is settled

    Trunking, contract haulage, own goods or subcontract work.

  4. The cover is chosen

    Level, excess, add-ons and payment terms.

What it covers

What a Maximum Weight Policy Actually Covers

The usual sections, applied to a larger and more valuable outfit. The trailer arrangement is the part most worth understanding, because it is not automatic.

The sections of a policy for an artic at maximum weight
SectionWhere it sitsWhat to know
Liability to other peopleEvery levelInjury and damage you cause
Theft and fireThird party fire and theft upwardsSecurity conditions apply
Damage to an artic at maximum weightComprehensive onlyRepairs, or a settlement if written off
Glass coverCommonly includedOften a lower excess than the main one
Breakdown assistanceAdd-onRoadside, recovery and sometimes a replacement
Motor legal protectionAdd-onFor recovering uninsured losses
The loadNot on this policyGoods in transit cover is bought separately

Trailers are not automatically covered. A tractor unit policy insures the unit, and each trailer needs listing with its own value, so an unlisted trailer is an uninsured one.

What it leaves out

What a Maximum Weight Policy Leaves Out

What a policy will not do is cover an artic at maximum weight in a shape, a use or a pair of hands it was never told about. A third party is still paid in those cases, and the insurer then looks to the operator for the money.

Unlisted vehicles

If it is not on the schedule, it is not insured.

Ineligible drivers

Anyone outside the licence and age conditions.

Freight for other people

That is hire and reward, and it is declared.

Conversions the insurer has not seen

Bodies, cranes and equipment all count.

What is on the back

The cargo needs its own cover.

An unlisted trailer

Each one needs its own entry on the schedule.

Kinds of maximum weight outfit

Six-Axle Combinations, Tri-Axle Trailers and Specialist Outfits

Reaching the top of the weight range depends on the axle configuration, and the combination chosen tells an insurer about the work.

Six-axle combinations

The standard maximum weight outfit.

Tri-axle trailers

Spreading the load across three axles.

Curtain-sided outfits

General palletised freight.

Tanker and bulk outfits

Liquid and powder at weight.

Container outfits

Skeletal frames at full weight.

Refrigerated outfits

Temperature-controlled trailers.

Pulling containers? See skeletal truck insurance.

Who it suits

Who Runs at Maximum Weight

The heaviest outfits move the largest volumes, which puts them with the hauliers, the networks and the manufacturers running their own distribution.

General hauliers

Contract and spot freight.

Pallet network members

Overnight trunking.

Manufacturers

Own goods distribution.

Bulk hauliers

Tanker and tipper work.

Container hauliers

Port and terminal runs.

Owner drivers

One unit on subcontract.

One unit on subcontract? See owner driver operators insurance.

Maximum weight or lighter

Running at the Ceiling vs Running a Lighter Outfit

The lighter outfit is cheaper to run and insure; the heavier one moves more per journey. The right answer depends on the freight rather than the premium.

A maximum weight artic and a lighter outfit compared
Maximum weightLighter outfit
Payload per journeyThe most permittedLess, but more flexible
AccessRestricted on small sitesEasier into tight places
Trailer swappingRoutineNot applicable on a rigid
Typical workTrunking and bulkRegional and multi-drop

Comparing with a rigid? See 26 tonne truck insurance.

Cost

What Sets the Price at Maximum Weight

Unit value, trailer count, the freight carried, annual mileage, driver terms and the claims record. We do not print average premiums.

Why mileage matters here

Trunking outfits cover very high annual distances, and exposure scales with miles, so the declared mileage does more work in the rating than it does on a local rigid.

Why driver terms tighten

At this weight insurers commonly set minimum ages and minimum periods holding the category, because the consequences of an incident with a heavy outfit are simply larger.

What the quote is rated on

The main factors

  • Unit valueThe tractor being insuredBase
  • Trailer countEach listed with its valueRate
  • Annual mileageUsually high on trunkingRate
  • Freight carriedGeneral, bulk or high valueRate
  • Driver termsAge and experience minimumsAdjust
Telematics and camera systems can change the terms offered

List every trailer

An unlisted one is uninsured.

Fit telematics

High mileage fleets benefit most.

Use secured overnight stops

Loaded trailers are targeted.

The details

Four Things an Artic Operator Should Confirm

What decides a claim here is generally what the insurer was told beforehand. These four catch people out.

  1. Get the description right

    A body or conversion left out is a claim left open.

  2. Confirm what drivers may drive

    Category, age and any endorsements.

  3. List every trailer on the schedule

    Unit cover does not extend to them automatically.

  4. Tell the insurer about incidents

    Including the ones you intend to pay for yourself.

Quote checklist

What a Broker Asks at Maximum Weight

A broker pricing an artic at maximum weight needs six things, and having them together shortens the job considerably.

Vehicle details

Registration, weight, body and value.

Driver details

Categories held and years of experience.

What it does

Trunking, contract haulage, own goods or subcontract work.

Weight carried

Gross weight and typical load.

The overnight base

Depot, network hub, secured yard or a trailer park.

Your claims history

Every incident in recent years.

Comparing

Reading Two Quotes on the Artic Terms

Compare on four things, not one. What is covered, what you pay first, who may drive, and whether the policy matches the work.

What is covered

  • Cover level
  • Breakdown and recovery terms
  • Glass cover

What you pay first

  • The compulsory part
  • The voluntary part
  • Anything vehicle-specific

Who may drive

  • Categories accepted
  • Experience required
  • Casual and agency drivers

The load and the work

  • Trailers listed and valued
  • European use permitted
  • Driver age and experience terms

Ask whether every trailer is on the schedule. Unit cover does not reach them by itself. Unfamiliar terms are explained in our plain English jargon guide.

Cutting costs

Bringing a Maximum Weight Premium Down Over Time

The levers are telematics, driver continuity, secure parking and a clean record. We publish no savings figures.

Accept telematics

High mileage makes the data count.

Keep drivers long term

Turnover is visible in the claims.

Plan secured stops

Lay-bys rate badly for good reason.

Keep the schedule current

Trailers come and go.

Manage axle weights

Offences read badly at renewal.

Compare every year

Heavy haulage appetite varies between insurers.

Glossary

Heavy Outfit Terms, Explained

The words that come up when the outfit is running at the top of the weight range.

Load cover
A goods in transit policy, bought separately from the motor cover.
Carriage of own goods
Moving your own materials rather than other people’s.
Carriage for hire or reward
Moving goods for payment, rated and written differently.
O-licence
The operator licence a goods vehicle business holds.
Plated weight
The maximum weight the vehicle is permitted to run at.
Unit and trailer
An articulated combination, insured as a tractor unit plus a trailer.
Payload
What the vehicle can carry once its own weight is taken off.
Driver hours
The recorded pattern of driving and rest.
Compulsory excess
The part of a claim the insurer sets and you cannot remove.
Risk address
Where the vehicle is kept overnight, as declared.

Why MyMoneyComparison.com

Why Artic Operators Compare Through MyMoneyComparison.com

MyMoneyComparison.com is an FCA-authorised UK comparison service that introduces operators to specialist brokers. We do not sell insurance and we do not give advice: the broker you choose arranges the policy. Using us is free.

1

One form, one vehicle

Describe the vehicle once, instead of repeating yourself to each broker.

0

Advice given

We are an introducer, not a broker. We do not sell policies and we do not recommend one insurer or product over another. Read our editorial policy.

FCA

Authorised and regulated

MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd appears on the FCA register under FRN 916241.

2013

Incorporated

A UK company since 2013. FCA authorisation is separate and later; the register carries its date.

Read our customer reviewsSee what people say about us on Trustpilot

FAQs

44 Tonne Truck Insurance FAQs

Answers on axle configurations, trailer cover, long distance work and driver terms.

Are trailers insured with the unit?

Only where they are listed. A tractor unit policy insures the unit, and each trailer needs its own entry with a value, so a trailer left off the schedule is not covered.

Do I need a particular axle configuration?

Reaching the highest permitted weight depends on the axle count across the outfit. It is a licensing and plating question rather than an insurance one, but insurers ask because it describes the vehicle.

Is European work covered?

Not automatically. Continental use needs declaring and often an extension, and the terms can differ from domestic cover, so raise it at the quote rather than before a first trip.

Are driver terms stricter at this weight?

Usually. Minimum ages and minimum periods holding the category are common, because the consequences of an incident with a heavy outfit are larger than with a rigid.

Can I swap trailers with other hauliers?

It happens constantly in networks, and the insurance needs to reflect it. Pulling somebody else’s trailer raises a liability question that should be settled before it becomes a claim.

Does high mileage make cover expensive?

It raises the exposure, because more miles means more chances of an incident. Against that, a well-run trunking operation with settled drivers and telematics data often compares better than the mileage figure alone would suggest.

Is the load insured by this policy?

No. Goods in transit sits alongside the motor cover, and at this weight the limits need to match what a full trailer is actually worth rather than a default figure.

Can one policy carry units and rigids together?

Yes, and most growing operators end up there. Each vehicle type is rated separately inside one schedule, with a single renewal date across the fleet.

Does the policy insure what we are carrying?

It does not. Motor cover stops at the vehicle. Goods in transit cover insures the load, and where the cargo is valuable it is worth arranging properly rather than assuming the motor policy stretches.

Own goods or hire and reward: which are we?

If the goods belong to your business, that is own goods use. If you are paid to move somebody else’s, that is hire and reward and it needs its own cover. Insurers treat the two very differently.

What licence category do our drivers need?

It follows the weight of the vehicle, not the shape of the body. Insurers ask which category each driver holds, how long they have held it and what is on their record.

What should we compare on two quotes for an artic at maximum weight?

The cover level, how the excess adds up, the recovery terms when the vehicle is loaded, the licence and experience required of drivers, and what the policy says about equipment fitted to the vehicle.

Can this go on a policy with our other vehicles?

Usually. A mixed schedule is normal once a business runs more than a couple of vehicles, and each type is rated on its own inside the one policy, with a single renewal date for all of them.

How much does the overnight address matter?

Enough to be worth thinking about. It is where the vehicle spends most of its life, so the postcode and the security both feed the rating. Describe the gates and lighting rather than simply calling it a yard.

How do we add a vehicle part way through the year?

Through a mid-term adjustment, priced for the months remaining. Contact the insurer before it goes on the road, because telling your broker you intend to buy something does not put it on cover.

Should we add recovery?

It depends what a breakdown would actually cost you. The question to ask is whether recovery lifts a loaded vehicle or leaves the load where it is, because the second is not much help.

Ready when you are

Get the Artics Quoted

Tell us the units, the trailers and the work. Specialist UK brokers can then come back with quotes. Free to use, with no obligation to buy.

  • Tractor units and trailers on one schedule
  • Free to use, no obligation
  • FCA authorised and regulated

Free to use · No obligation · UK brokers

About this page

This page explains UK cover for articulated outfits running at the maximum permitted weight: what insures the unit, how trailers sit on the schedule, and what long distance work changes. It is general information rather than advice. Policies differ between insurers, so read your own documents and put the questions raised here to your insurer or broker.

How we approached this page

  • Published UK goods vehicle policy summaries
  • Unit and trailer schedules, axle configurations and long distance terms
  • Financial Ombudsman material on commercial motor complaints