Van insurance

Van insurance is more expensive than car insurance due to a number of factors, including the relative size and weight. Vans also have bigger engines and larger storage capacity, and usually carry more valuable cargo. As vans are often used for commercial reasons, that also affects the cost.

Some van insurance providers offer policies that give you cover when you’re abroad, though the list of countries covered is likely to vary between providers. It might be a good idea to consider European breakdown cover if you’re driving abroad – you can either take it out separately or as part of your van insurance policy.

Commercial van insurance is cover you can take out if you use your van for any business-related reasons, while private van insurance is designed more for social or domestic reasons. If your van is used for commercial purposes, a private van insurance policy won’t be enough to cover you, even if you only use it for commuting to and from your work place.

Commercial van insurance comes in different forms, depending on how you use it. You’ll be able to choose from:

• Own goods: A carriage of own goods policy covers you for carrying certain items, such as tools for your business or stock you buy from a wholesaler
• Hire and reward: Hire and reward cover is a legal requirement if you carry goods or people that aren’t yours in exchange for payment – usually for one-off jobs, such as furniture removal
• Courier and haulage: If you use your van to make deliveries within a specific location, usually directly to the recipient of the goods, you’ll need a courier policy. However if you’re making commercial deliveries to one specific location, often over distances, a haulage policy will be more suitable

Many insurers offer multi-van policies that let you add cover for more vehicles, which is often a cheaper option than insuring each van under its own policy. Learn more with our guide to multi-van insurance.

You’ll also be able to include additional drivers in your policy, even if you use the van for business, though the specific details of the cover you can get will depend on the provider you use. This is called any driver van insurance.

Legal cover can be an important part of any policy, and with motor insurance it can be useful to have the legal support if you get into a car accident or incident. However if you’re driving your van for commercial reasons then you might also want to consider legal cover as part of a business insurance policy.

For example, you might be liable for any goods you’re carrying if they get damaged as a result of your driving. Having legal cover as part of a commercial van policy means you might be able to claim for legal costs and damages.

Depending on your provider and level of cover, you may be able to get a courtesy vehicle if your van is out of action – thought the replacement is more likely to be a small hatchback.

You may be able to get replacement vehicle cover, meaning a van suitable for your needs, while yours is repaired. However you may only qualify for a replacement if the accident wasn’t your fault.

Some insurers will cover younger drivers, but not all. Many have a cut-off point at 21 or even 25, while those who do insure younger drivers are likely to charge hefty premiums – as all insurers do for drivers under a certain age.

Yes. Job and employment status affects all driving insurance, including for vans. And given that many vans are used in high-risk occupations like construction or freight, the cost of your premiums will affect that.

Every van on British roads is categorised into one of 50 van insurance groups, which rate them from the cheapest to the most expensive to insure. The more powerful, expensive and rarer your vehicle, the higher the group it will be in.

No. You need a specific insurance policy for your van.

Many insurers allow you to use your no-claims discount on any vehicle, including cars, vans and motorbikes, though they may restrict your discount to one insurance policy at a time.

You can get black box, or telematics, insurance on your van. This is a device or app attached to your van which measures how you drive and adjusts your insurance premiums accordingly. Find out more about how telematics insurance works here.

Temporary van insurance is available if you want to drive a van for a short period of time, as an alternative to annual cover. It’s available as short-term, daily or monthly van insurance.

You may be able to drive your van with a car insurance policy – however it will depend on your provider and policy documents. It’s always best to check with your insurer to make sure.

It’s worth noting that car insurance policies that offer fully comprehensive cover for your car may also offer third-party cover for vans you add to the policy – again, check your policy documents for certainty. 

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