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Haulage and goods in transit
Load theft is usually covered under goods in transit insurance, but claims commonly turn on whether the policy's parking, vehicle security and high-value goods conditions were met. It matters because freight crime is organised and rising in value, with NaVCIS putting 2024 losses at £111.5 million.
Part of: Haulage insurance
In short
Cargo crime in the UK cost an estimated £111.5 million in 2024 across 4,879 offences, according to NaVCIS figures published by the RHA. Common methods are curtain slashing, theft of vehicle and trailer, fuel theft and fraudulent collections by criminals posing as hauliers. Goods in transit insurance usually covers theft, subject to conditions on overnight parking, keys, security systems and high-value goods, and breaches of those conditions are a frequent reason claims fail. Theft by deception may need specific cover. Secure parking, tracking and subcontractor vetting reduce both the risk and the chance of a disputed claim.
The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), the police unit that collates freight crime reports, produces the main UK figures. They depend on the crime reports and intelligence NaVCIS collects from police forces and industry, so the full picture may be larger. The Road Haulage Association published the NaVCIS figures for 2020 to 2024 in March 2025:
| Year | Offences | Total loss value |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,468 | £95.7 million |
| 2021 | 4,448 | £73.2 million |
| 2022 | 5,103 | £69.6 million |
| 2023 | 5,370 | £68.3 million |
| 2024 | 4,879 | £111.5 million |
Offences fell in 2024 while the value stolen rose by about £43 million, which points to fewer but larger, better targeted thefts.
NaVCIS's Freight Crime Problem Profile (December 2022) describes the main methods:
The profile lists motorway service stations, lay-bys, on-street parking and industrial estates as common locations. In its release on 2020 freight crime, NaVCIS reported that more than 70% of offences take place at unsafe or insecure locations.
Insurers respond to that pattern with conditions. Goods in transit policies commonly require that a loaded vehicle left overnight is in a locked building, a secure compound or a parking site meeting a stated security standard, and some set lower limits or exclusions for curtain-sided trailers and high-value goods left unattended.
Drivers cannot always choose where to stop. Under the assimilated drivers' hours rules, a driver must take at least 45 minutes of breaks after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes of driving, and must take daily rest of at least 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours three times between weekly rests. The RHA cites a national shortage of about 11,000 lorry parking spaces. Route planning that builds secure stops into the legal schedule protects both the driver and the claim. See HGV fleet insurance for drivers' hours and tachographs.
| Reason | What typically happened | How to reduce the risk |
|---|---|---|
| Parking condition breached | Loaded trailer left overnight in a lay-by or unsecured yard | Plan secure stops; record why any unplanned stop was made |
| Keys or security | Keys left in the cab, alarm or immobiliser not set | Driver procedures and spot checks |
| Goods over limit or restricted | High-value or excluded commodity carried without telling the insurer | Refer target goods before accepting the job |
| Fraudulent collection | Load handed to an impostor using false documents | Verify collecting hauliers directly, not by email; check whether the policy covers deception |
| Late notice or weak evidence | Delay in reporting to police or insurer, data overwritten | Report straight away; preserve tachograph, telematics and camera data |
The Insurance Act 2015, section 11 prevents an insurer relying on breach of certain risk-reducing terms if the insured shows the breach could not have increased the risk of the loss that actually occurred. It may help where a breached condition had nothing to do with how the theft happened, but it does not help where the vehicle was parked in breach of the very condition aimed at theft. See terms not relevant to the actual loss.
Theft by deception sits awkwardly between policies. Some goods in transit wordings exclude goods voluntarily handed to someone who turns out to be a fraudster, while others offer it as an extension. Depending on the facts, misappropriation cover or commercial crime insurance may help.
Illustrative: a haulier posts a load on a freight exchange and accepts a subcontractor whose licence and insurance certificates look genuine. The driver collects the load and disappears. The haulier is liable to its customer, and whether its own policy pays depends on its subcontracting and deception terms. Checking the subcontractor's operator licence with the official record, and its insurance with the issuer, is a practical defence.
For international loads, theft abroad also raises CMR liability questions, and the transport cargo loss scenario shows how a claim develops.
If you start carrying a new commodity, move depot or change how you subcontract, tell your insurer before the work starts. The duty of fair presentation applies when cover is placed and renewed, and many policies also require notice of material changes during the policy year. A short email to your broker can save a disputed claim later.
Apex arranges haulage insurance and goods in transit cover for haulage firms and carriers of high-value goods. A broker reads each enquiry and comes back with options, with no fee for a quote, and cover is subject to the insurer's acceptance and the policy terms. To quote we need your business activities, turnover, location and claims history, plus the goods you carry, maximum values per vehicle, overnight parking arrangements, vehicle security and how you vet subcontractors.
Usually, but subject to conditions. Many policies require that a loaded vehicle left overnight is in a locked building, secure compound or approved secure parking site, with keys removed and security systems set. Theft from a vehicle parked in breach of those conditions is a common reason for claims being declined or reduced.
Damage to the curtain usually falls under the motor or trailer policy, and any goods stolen fall under goods in transit cover. Some transit wordings restrict cover for curtain-sided trailers left unattended overnight, so check the vehicle and parking conditions. Report the incident to the police and insurer straight away.
Call the police and get a crime reference, tell your customer and your insurer or broker straight away, and preserve tachograph, telematics, tracker and camera data. Write down the driver's account while it is fresh, including where and why the vehicle stopped. Do not admit liability before speaking to your insurer.
It depends on the wording. Some goods in transit policies exclude goods voluntarily handed over to someone using false documents, while others include deception as an extension or require specific subcontractor checks. Crime or misappropriation cover may also be relevant. Check the position before you subcontract loads through freight exchanges.
NaVCIS reports that offences commonly happen at motorway service stations, lay-bys, on-street parking and industrial estates, and that most occur at unsafe or insecure locations. Vehicles parked independently overnight are especially exposed. Using secure parking within drivers' hours limits is the main practical defence.
Tell us what your business does, your turnover and any claims. A broker reads every enquiry and comes back with options. No fee for a quote. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Start a commercial enquiry Request a callbackApex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
