Do I need insurance to deliver on a bicycle?
Not legally, but public liability cover is worth having. There is no compulsory insurance for a pedal cycle the way there is for a motor vehicle.
Last checked 12/09/2026.
There is no legal requirement to insure a pedal cycle, so no, not in the way a car needs cover. That is the whole answer to the legal question.
Public liability cover is still worth thinking about. If you injure somebody or damage property while working, the claim comes to you personally, and a sole trader has no company to hide behind.
Some platforms include a limited accident or third-party cover for riders while on a delivery. Read what it actually covers, because these are usually narrow and often exclude the ride to and from the zone.
An electric bike that meets the rules for an electrically assisted pedal cycle is treated as a bicycle. One that does not, because it is too powerful or has a throttle beyond the limit, is a motor vehicle and needs registration, tax and insurance like any other.
For tax, a bicycle used for work is claimed at 20p a mile.
Related
Can I claim mileage if I deliver by bike?
Yes - 20p a business mile for a bicycle, with no 10,000-mile threshold.
Mileage & expensesUpdated 19/08/2026
What is hire and reward insurance?
Cover for carrying goods or passengers for payment. An ordinary social, domestic and pleasure policy does not include it, and delivering without it invalidates the policy.
InsuranceUpdated 20/08/2026
Riding for Deliveroo: the full guide
How Deliveroo works for a rider: what you need to join, how each fee is worked out, the pay floor agreed with the GMB union, when the money arrives, the insurance Deliveroo gives you for free, and the parts that are left to you.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026
What each platform insures, and what it leaves to you
Several apps give you free accident cover, and some pay out when you are ill or have a baby. None of them insures your car. Here is what each platform provides, when it applies, and the policy you still have to buy yourself.
InsuranceUpdated 29/09/2026
Private hire or food delivery: which is worth doing?
Private hire pays more per hour and costs far more to get into. Food delivery you can start this week with the car you already own.
Earnings & profitabilityUpdated 20/08/2026
Starting on Amazon Flex: requirements, insurance and pay day
What you need before your first Amazon Flex block: the right car, or an e-bike where it is offered, the two insurance policies Amazon asks for, the checks, how blocks are booked, and the day the money arrives.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026