At first glance, a fleet quote is a table full of numbers – and the eye jumps straight to the premium line. But the premium is only comparable if it covers the same content. This quick guide shows what to look at before the premium, in five steps.
- The first step is always the content of the cover: what it applies to, at what level, and with what limits the quote covers.
- Deductibles can also differ by vehicle category – a difference in premium is often really a difference in deductible.
- Exclusions and territorial scope are the most important lines in the fine print.
- The fleet-specific questions: rules for adding and removing vehicles, how the claims record is handled, a fleet portal, claims settlement practice.
Steps 1–2: content and deductible
First, read the list of cover: alongside MTPL, what casco level, what add-ons, with what limits. The same word “casco” can cover very different content. Second, the deductibles: how large is the percentage and minimum deductible, and does it differ by category. Behind the premium difference between two quotes there is often simply a difference in deductible – this isn't a trick, but you do need to see it.
Steps 3–4: exclusions and territorial scope
The list of exclusions and grounds for exemption tells you when the insurer won't pay – competition-type use is a typical exclusion; drink-driving, licence issues and gross negligence are typically grounds for exemption. For international haulage and trips abroad, also read the line on territorial scope: where casco is valid, and what the position is with the Green Card – the claims abroad article covers this in more depth.
Step 5: the fleet-specific lines
In a fleet, everyday life is decided not by the premium but by the administration: how and with what notice period vehicles can be added or removed, how the claims record is managed, whether there's a fleet portal, and what the claims settlement practice is. These lines are rarely highlighted – in our comparison table they're separate criteria, as the comparing quotes article shows.
The method: ask questions
If a line isn't clear, that's not your fault – a good quote can be explained. As a broker, this is exactly what I do: I bring the quotes that come in into a common structure and show the differences, with the source page number. That way the decision isn't a matter of trust, but of comparison – and the decision is always yours.
A typical reading mistake – and its lesson
The most common mistake I see with quotes: comparing the premium lines when the underlying deductibles and cover levels differ – in other words, comparing apples and pears. In that case, the “cheaper” quote often simply contains less, and that comes to light at claim time. The second most common: skipping over the rules for adding and removing vehicles – even though this shapes the fleet's everyday life more than anything else. The lesson from both is the same: quotes need to be brought into a common structure before you can decide between them. That's exactly what I do when running a tender: the quotes that come in go into one table, with the same rows – so the difference becomes content, not typography. The comparing quotes article shows the structure of the table.
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