Whether you use your van for commuting to work, the odd camping trip or to deliver goods for your business, you need to make sure you have the right level of insurance coverage. Your policy needs to accurately reflect the way in which you use your van. <\/p>
If it doesn’t, you could run into problems in the event of a claim. <\/p>
Van insurance is\u00a0designed specifically for commercial vans or vehicles used for business purposes. It provides financial protection against various risks associated with owning and driving a van. <\/p>
Van insurance works similarly to a car insurance policy, insuring you against a plethora of different risks associated with your van. Vans aren\u2019t often covered by your typical car insurance policy, particularly if you use it for commercial use or other business reasons.<\/p>
Van insurance can cover third-party costs should you have an accident. It can also pay out to cover the costs of repair to your van. In some cases, it can cover you against filling up with the wrong fuel or even losing your keys, depending on your policy.\u00a0It typically covers losses due to\u00a0accidents, theft, fire and vandalism. It also includes third-party liability, ensuring owners are protected from potential financial losses.\u00a0<\/p>
The level of cover and premiums vary due to several factors, such as:<\/p>
Van insurance is a legal requirement for businesses and individuals using vans for commercial purposes. It\u2019s required even if you only use your van for work on a part-time basis to ensure you\u2019re adequately protected against unexpected expenses.<\/p>
Van insurance is a legal requirement to drive a van on Irish roads. It is to protect any person or property that your van may cause damage to. Every van insurance, therefore, includes third-party protection as a minimum.<\/p>
Apart from that, your van insurance can give you coverage for:<\/p>
Van insurance has some exceptions and exclusions when it comes to coverage. Even fully comprehensive van insurance doesn’t cover certain cases.<\/p>
You’re likely to not get coverage for the following in your van insurance:<\/p>
Your van insurance coverage is affected by various factors, such as types of van insurance.<\/p>
Private van insurance would be suitable if you use your vehicle purely for social, leisure and domestic purposes such as doing the weekly food shop, driving to the coast for a weekend away or transporting your surf gear. Essentially, anything that’s not considered to be work-related. <\/p>
One of the grey areas in the world of van insurance is that even driving to a single place of work on a regular basis is considered to be a business activity. If you use your van for the daily commute, you will need business cover because private won’t be enough.<\/p>
Business van insurance is the best bet if you use your van for any purpose that’s related to work, including part-time jobs. Even if you’re a part-time DJ or window washer, using your van to transport equipment or tools on a regular basis, it pays to purchase business insurance to make sure you’re properly covered.<\/p>
Another area that confuses van owners is whether using their vehicle to sell at car boot sales is classed as a leisure activity or a business activity. If you go to car boot sales occasionally and otherwise simply use the van for private use, private insurance should be fine as it could be argued this is a social activity. <\/p>
However, if you’re a regular trader at these events, consider purchasing business insurance as this could be deemed as business use. If in doubt, check with your insurer.<\/p>
Classic van enthusiasts can count their interest as a leisure activity as this hobby isn’t considered to be a form of commercial use. But it’s worth investing in specialist insurance if you own a vintage or classic van so you get a guaranteed value policy that’s in line with the worth of the model.<\/p>
This type of insurance is suitable for anybody who uses their van to carry tools and materials to jobs, which is usually the case for tradespeople. Examples might include a joiner or a self-employed plumber who uses a van to carry their tools to and from their jobs. While tradespeople will be covered while taking their tools between jobs, the tools and materials themselves don\u2019t tend to have coverage under this policy. <\/p>
The same goes for any other contents in your van. If you are looking for protection for your materials or the contents of your vehicle, consider taking out a goods-in-transit policy, too.<\/p>
This type of cover is often suitable for anyone who delivers goods to multiple different destinations and along differing routes. The goods don\u2019t belong to the driver, but rather the customers. Insurance for the carriage of goods for hire or reward also tends to cover the goods inside your van.<\/p>
This type of cover is specific to delivery drivers who deliver single items\/orders, typically over long distances, to a set location, such as expensive machinery. A haulage policy also tends to cover the goods you are delivering as well.<\/p>
This type of policy covers the cost of damages to another person, their vehicle or their property which is the result of you driving your van. An example might be rebuilding costs if you reverse into somebody\u2019s garden wall or the cost of replacing somebody\u2019s wing mirror if you knock into it while parking. <\/p>
The third-party-only cover excludes any damage to your own vehicle.<\/p>
Third-party, fire and theft cover insures you for the same events as third-party only cover, but it also covers the loss or damage to your own vehicle. This is the event that the damage is caused by fire, lightning, self-ignition, explosion, theft or attempted theft. <\/p>
If you cause any accidental damage to your own van, this would not be included on the TPFT cover.<\/p>
This type of policy covers your van for any accidental damage, as well as third parties and their vehicle and property if you have an accident. Comprehensive cover tends to include any fire damage and can cover some of the costs if your van is stolen.<\/p>
Customised deals make a little change in the policy to make it better suited for you and your van. Here are some popular examples of customized deals:<\/p>
Add-ons are additional covers that can be included in your policy, at an additional price, depending on your needs. Some examples of add-ons in van insurance are:<\/p>
The average van insurance premium in 2019 was \u00a31,698.79, according to Confused.com. Generally, van drivers can expect to pay significantly more than they would for standard car insurance. There are several reasons for this:<\/p>
How much you pay will largely depend on the level of coverage for which you opt. Third-party-only cover is typically the cheapest option. However, many insurers consider this a low level of protection, and may not be suitable for everyone.<\/p>
What you use your vehicle for, and where, are also significant factors which play into the cost. If you operate in urban areas with high crime rates, your insurance is likely to be more than if you work in a more rural area. All these factors increase the risk for the insurer, which is why they bump up your price.<\/p>
The cost of van insurance can vary depending on several factors, such as:<\/p>
Van insurance can be expensive, no matter how old you are or how much experience driving you have. However, those hit with the highest premiums are younger, inexperienced drivers, sometimes having to pay double the price of an experienced driver. <\/p>
According to the road safety charity Brake, 23% of motorists aged between 18-24 have involvement in a crash within the first two years of passing their test. These statistics mean that any type of vehicle insurance, but especially van insurance, is even more expensive for younger drivers.<\/p>
Some insurance providers now offer specific policies tailored to younger drivers to help them find insurance at a reasonable price. Most insurance providers consider anyone under the age of 25 to be a young driver in the UK.<\/p>
This type of policy provides insurance for two or more vehicles owned by the same business.\u00a0Fleet insurance\u00a0is a handy type of insurance for business owners who want to deal with the insurance for their vehicles under one policy with a single renewal date and ensures a consistent level of coverage for each vehicle.<\/p>
Under this type of policy, you can usually insure different makes and models of van, provided you inform the insurance provider of the details of each vehicle. How many vans you can insure under a fleet insurance policy varies between providers, but can be up to the hundreds, or even thousands.<\/p>
Business owners tend to opt for a fleet van insurance policy as it\u2019s easier to keep track of all their insurance policies for multiple vehicles in one place. Aside from the convenience, fleet van insurance tends to be cheaper than insuring all the vehicles individually \u2013 particularly if a company has tens or hundreds of vans to insure. Not only that, but many fleet policies include coverage for any drivers, meaning any of your employees will be able to drive any van in the fleet, reducing the hassle for business owners. However, as the insurer has no information about the drivers they\u2019re insuring, this typically boosts your premiums.<\/p>
Most insurance providers will allow you to insure a variety of van types on a fleet policy, including:<\/p>