With the industry needing 200,000 new HGV drivers over the next five years, RHA Insurance Services is working with specialist insurers to help operators secure cover for younger and inexperienced drivers, offering an alternative to restrictive mainstream policies.
Recent debate around newly qualified HGV drivers has highlighted a familiar industry challenge: navigating the recruitment of new talent alongside insurance requirements linked to age and experience.
With the Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimating that the UK will need around 200,000 new HGV drivers over the next five years, the challenge increasingly lies in how the industry can attract and retain the next generation of drivers.
Insurance remains one of the most practical - and often least understood - parts of that transition. While some insurers continue to apply strict age or experience limits, others are taking a more flexible approach, considering factors such as driver training, fleet management standards and operational safety controls alongside experience.
RHA Insurance Services (RHAIS) is playing a key role in this shift, working with specialist insurers to help operators secure appropriate cover for young and inexperienced drivers, supporting businesses as they recruit and develop the next generation of industry talent.
This is already well established: 76% of vehicles insured through RHAIS include cover for young and/or inexperienced drivers as standard, with drivers aged 19+ often included at no additional premium, helping members bring new drivers into their businesses with confidence.
This comes against a wider industry backdrop of ongoing debate around restrictions imposed by major insurers, including the two-year licence rule, which continues to increase costs and limit access to roles for newly qualified HGV drivers.
By working with specialist insurers who understand the realities of the haulage and logistics sector, RHAIS can often help RHA members access cover where standard markets may be unable or unwilling to assist.
A lot of members tell us the same thing - they want to give younger and inexperienced drivers a chance, but they’re not always sure where they stand with insurance. RHA Insurance Services helps bridge that gap by accessing specialist insurers who help bring new entrants into the industry.
As recruitment increasingly relies on apprenticeships and structured training routes, efficiently moving drivers from qualification into employment remains critical to addressing long-term shortages. In the context of ongoing skills gaps across the logistics sector, enabling this transition has never been more important.
To find out more about bringing young and inexperienced drivers into your business, contact RHA Insurance Services
Liam Chatfield, development manager, RHAIS
