Do Direct Line and Churchill do delivery insurance?

As of January 2026, Direct Line remains a major insurer that does not directly provide Hire and Reward (H&R) cover for food delivery or courier work. However, following Direct Line’s acquisition by Aviva plc in July 2025, policyholders must be especially vigilant; while Direct Line has traditionally been one of the few top companies to permit supplemental top-up H&R policies, their new parent company, Aviva, has historically rejected such arrangements to avoid dual-insurance confusion. Drivers should confirm that their existing permissions haven't been phased out under new ownership.

Does Direct Line cover delivery or courier driving?

No, Direct Line does not generally cover delivery driving. Direct Line policyholders can potentially engage in paid delivery or courier work so long as they buy top-up Hire & Reward (H&R) insurance elsewhere—and get approval to do this from Direct Line. This applies to both cars and vans.

H&R insurance is a legal requirement for anyone paid to deliver goods. While the most recent average cost for standard car insurance in the UK has softened to £551 annually (as of late 2025), delivery drivers and couriers continue to face much higher financial hurdles. Due to the increased risk profiles of high-mileage urban driving, Hire & Reward premiums can exceed £4,000 per year, making top-up insurance a vital tool for maintaining affordability.

Top-up H&R cover works in parallel with a motorist's social, domestic & pleasure (SD&P) policy, with each covering one aspect of driving.

What about Churchill, do they cover delivery driving?

Churchill is part of the Direct Line Group, and they follow the same set of rules when it comes to delivery driving. Churchill won't cover delivery driving.

Can I make deliveries without hire & reward cover?

It is illegal and financially dangerous to make deliveries without H&R cover. Driving without valid insurance not only risks vehicle seizure and a £300 fixed penalty, but also leaves you personally liable for damages in a market where there are over 28,000 serious injuries and 1,500+ fatalities on the road every year (per 2025 DfT data). Without H&R cover, an accident while on shift could result in your standard policy being voided, leaving you with life-altering financial liabilities.

If you're interested in learning more about this, read our in-depth guide to delivery driving and food delivery insurance.

Where to buy top-up hire & reward cover

Specialist options for top-up H&R include Zego, which remains the market leader as of January 2026. Zego has solidified its position by becoming a key member of the official Uber UK insurance panel, providing seamless integration for drivers who alternate between food delivery and private hire work.

You can read our full Zego review to learn more about the company and the product. Or ask your fellow delivery drivers or couriers—they'll surely have useful advice and experiences to share.

The way Zego top-up hire & reward cover works is that a driver has a regular SD&P car insurance policy (with, say, a company that accepts it) that covers their personal driving, and then they buy Zego PAYG top-up H&R insurance that covers their delivery driving.

What to look out for if you buy top-up cover

IF you have social, domestic & pleasure driving, the top-up H&R insurance will cover your delivery driving—but who covers your commute back and forth between home and work? It depends. Investigate whether or not the top-up insurance will cover your commute; if it doesn't, you'll need to declare and pay for commuting on your Direct Line policy.

And be sure to check your certificates of motor insurance. Commuting should be listed on one of them, but not both, as this could lead to confusion regarding who was liable if you have an accident while on your way to or from home.

Final thoughts

While Direct Line has traditionally been one of the few top companies to permit supplemental top-up H&R policies, their new parent company, Aviva, has historically rejected such arrangements to avoid dual-insurance confusion. Drivers should confirm that their existing permissions haven't been phased out under new ownership.