Can I Get Part Time Motor Trade Insurance Working From Home?

The way people work in the motor trade has really changed over the years, and there are fewer full-time workshops, and more people fixing cars in the evenings, doing a bit of valeting on weekends, or buying and selling a handful of vehicles alongside another job. And with so much of it happening from driveways, garages, or even the kitchen table for the paperwork side, a big question comes up: is there such a thing as part time motor trade insurance working from home? The short answer is yes. But, like most things in insurance, the details matter, and getting those details right can be the difference between being properly protected or finding out you weren’t covered when you actually needed it. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more. 

What Part Time Motor Trade Insurance Actually Means

A lot of people think motor trade insurance is only for big garages with a dozen staff and rows of cars out front, but that’s not true, and in fact, part time motor trade insurance working from home is designed for people who only dip into the trade, or who combine it with other work. You might have another job during the week and do a bit of buying and selling at weekends, or you might just handle repairs for friends, neighbours, and a few customers here and there, and so on. 

The key is that insurers recognise this as a legitimate setup, and that means it doesn’t matter if the “premises” is a rented lock-up or your own driveway. What matters is that you’re engaging in trade activity, meaning you’re working on, selling, or moving vehicles as a business, even if it’s on the smaller side.

Can You Really Work From Home In The Motor Trade?

This is usually the sticking point. People picture “working from home” as sitting in front of a laptop in pyjamas, not fixing cars or cleaning them on a driveway, but in the motor trade, home working is actually pretty common. Think about it:

• Small-scale traders who buy cars at auction, do some light repairs, and resell them, often store vehicles at home.
• Mechanics sometimes set up in their own garage to take on side jobs.
• Valeting and detailing businesses often run from home, especially when they’re mobile and travel out to clients anyway.

 

So, part time motor trade insurance working from home is designed for exactly these kinds of setups - it acknowledges that you don’t need a giant workshop to be a trader, but you do still need proper cover.

What The Insurance Usually Covers

This is where it gets important. Part time policies often mirror full-time ones in many respects, just scaled to suit your needs, and they can include things like:

• Road risk cover: So you’re legally insured to drive customer vehicles on public roads, and that’s essential if you’re testing cars after repair, collecting them, or delivering them back.
• Liability cover: If something goes wrong with a vehicle you’ve worked on, or a customer gets injured on your property, you don’t want to face that bill yourself.
• Stock cover: If you’re buying and selling, even part time, you may need protection for vehicles you own as part of your trade.

 

The exact mix will depend on what you do. A valeter won’t need the same level of stock cover as someone who trades cars, for example, and someone who only works evenings won’t want to pay the same rates as a full-time dealership. That’s the whole point of part time policies - they flex with what you actually need.

Why Insurers Care About Accuracy

One of the biggest risks in arranging this kind of cover is under-declaring - insurers expect honesty. If you say you only trade a handful of cars a year, but in reality you’re selling dozens through your driveway, you’re just creating problems for yourself. The same goes for the “working from home” bit. If you’re using your home as the base, make sure you’re upfront about it. Some insurers may want to check the setup to be sure whether there’s space, whether it creates any risks, and things like that. Being vague might save you five minutes on the application, but it can cause huge headaches later.

Why It’s Not Just About Price Cheap policies may be low on cover.

It’s tempting to go straight to the cheapest quote, and pretty much everyone does it. But with  cheap part time motor trade insurance working from home, it’s worth looking at what you actually get. A cheaper policy might cut out liability cover, or limit the types of vehicles you can work on, and although that might not sound like a big deal at first, it might be if a customer drops off a car you technically aren’t insured to touch. The value here isn’t just in ticking the legal box  be mindful if you have a DR10; it’s about making sure your small business - even if it’s side income - doesn’t leave you financially exposed.

The Benefits Of Being Properly Covered

It’s not only about risk; having part time motor trade insurance working from home can actually help build trust with customers, and being able to say you’re properly insured is reassuring, even for something as small as a basic repair job.

It also protects your other assets because if something happens and you’re uninsured, your personal savings, even your house, can be on the line. The reality is that insurance separates your trade activity from your personal life, particularly if you live in London or Birmingham , and that separation matters when things go wrong.

How To Decide If You Need It

The easiest way to figure this out is to ask yourself: am I making money from working on, buying, or selling vehicles? If the answer is yes, even if it’s only a few hours a week, then insurance should be part of the setup.
Some people think they’re “just helping out mates” or “just selling the odd car now and then.” But insurers - and the law - often see it differently. As soon as it looks like trade activity, cover becomes necessary. It’s not worth the risk of assuming you don’t need it.

Final Thoughts

Part time motor trade insurance working from home isn’t a myth, and it isn’t reserved for people with big premises either; it’s there for the side hustlers, the evening mechanics, the weekend valeters, and anyone else mixing trade activity into their working life.

The important thing is not to treat it lightly - insurance isn’t just another piece of paperwork; it’s the thing that makes sure one accident doesn’t undo all the effort you’ve put in. Working from home in the motor trade is entirely possible, but only if you’re backed up by a policy that matches what you actually do.