Fleet managers are being squeezed out of the decision-making on fleet insurance policies.

A new report from LeasePlan in the UK has found that out of 500 fleet decision-makers more than a third were overruled on insurance policy or by other departments having a greater say in the decision process.

The report found that fleet insurance was commonly procured with other insurance products – such as public liability or buildings cover – which meant that responsibility often rested with departments that had no direct responsibility for the fleet.

Yet the report pointed out that fleet managers were an invaluable source of insight on the working conditions and needs of the vehicles and drivers for developing a bespoke insurance policy.

Perhaps more alarmingly, the survey questioned 250 commercial insurance decision makers and only 32% said they knew enough about fleets and drivers to provide the best fleet insurance.

Steven Kirwan, director of operations at LeasePlan Insurance, said: “The fleet insurance process clearly has its challenges, from first assessing your options all the way through to making claims. And the more challenging the process, the more important it is to have the right decision makers involved. In the case of fleet insurance, fleet managers should be your go-to. They’re the people most likely to have a clear and detailed understanding of fleet operations and know exactly which elements of an insurance policy could benefit their drivers most. To make the process even simpler and more efficient, decision makers should also work with a specialist fleet insurer who understands their operational needs.”

Fleet managers can download the research from LeasePlan here