Third-party only
You’ll need at least third-party cover to legally drive your van, but you’ll only be covered for damage done to another person, their property or their vehicle
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1 Accurate as of January 2023
Van insurance is a type of motor insurance you take out to protect your van – it’s separate from car insurance but works in a similar way. You can take out private van insurance if you use your van for social, domestic or pleasure reasons, but if you use the van for work then you’ll need business/commercial cover.
Like car insurance, you’re legally required to have at least third-party cover in place to drive on UK roads.
Van insurance policies come in three levels, just the same as any other motor insurance:
You’ll need at least third-party cover to legally drive your van, but you’ll only be covered for damage done to another person, their property or their vehicle
Third-party, fire and theft is the mid-level option for motor insurance, and it adds cover for your own van if it’s stolen or damaged by fire or an explosion
Fully comprehensive van insurance includes everything offered above, but also adds other policies to bolster the protection for your van
Van insurance offers the same levels of cover as car insurance, but class of use works slightly differently.
A private van insurance policy will only cover you for using your van for everyday things, such as:
Trips to the shops
Holidays
Visiting friends and family
A business van insurance policy is what you’ll need if, as well as the above, you also use your van for:
Commuting, even to a single place of work
Making deliveries
Transporting business equipment
"The way you use your van can have a big impact on the type of cover you need, it’s important to make clear whether you use your van for work, pleasure or both. There are several ways you can reduce costs such as not storing goods or tools inside your van, limiting your mileage, and shopping around for the best deal.
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The type of cover you need depends on how you use your van:
Cover for making deliveries of other peoples’ goods for payment, such as if you’re a delivery driver
Cover for if you’re making a single delivery of business goods over a long distance
Cover for if you use your van to transport your own goods, like tools you use for your business
Cover for multiple vans in a fleet being used for business under one policy with one provider
Cover for multiple vans under one policy, but not necessarily for business usage
Temporary cover you can take out for your van lasting anywhere from hours to days
Insurance you’ll need to take out if you want to cover a pick-up truck or van
Specialist cover you might need if you have a classic van, caravan or motorhome
The cost of van insurance will depend on a range of factors, including:
Your age: Younger drivers generally see higher insurance premiums for vehicles, as they’re seen by insurers as being at a higher risk of having an accident
Your occupation: Some occupations also carry high risks, so you’ll likely pay more for cover if you have what insurers see as a risky job
Your location: Some areas of the country also see higher rates of crime or road accidents, so insurance usually costs more in these locations
Your driving and claims history: If you have a history of motor insurance claims or driving convictions, this is likely to increase your premiums
Your van: Vans are sorted into insurance groups just like cars, and those in higher groups are usually more expensive to insure
Van insurance policies can become reasonably expensive, especially if you are regularly transporting commercial cargo. However, there are a few things you can do when searching for a van insurance policy to save money, such as:
Tell your insurer about the security measures you take, such as anti-theft devices, parking in a garage overnight, and making sure you don’t keep goods, tools or other possessions inside the van
The higher the voluntary excess you offer to pay, the lower your monthly premiums are likely to be. Just make sure the excess you opt for is affordable in the event that you do have an accident
Some insurers will reduce your quote if you cap the time or the distance you drive your van. The logic? The less time you spend at the wheel, the less likely you are to be involved in an accident
The best way to get a better deal is to compare your options. Insurers reserve their best prices for new customers, so if you auto-renew with the same provider, you may be charged over the odds
Van insurance can include optional policies like personal liability cover, which may be available elsewhere. For example, some banks offer breakdown cover as an incentive to open a current account
The cheapest available quote isn’t always the right choice. You should aim to balance the level of cover and how much you pay for it – some insurers won’t offer the add-ons that your business needs
Comparing and buying van insurance couldn’t be simpler. Follow these three steps to get covered:
Give us a few details about yourself, your van and all the things that you use it for
We’ll scour the market to find you the cheapest van insurance that offers the cover you need
We’ll show you the options that suit you the best, and you pick the one you like
There are a variety of extra policies you can take out with your van insurance policy to boost your level of cover. These aren’t useful for every van owner, but there’s something for everyone:
If your van breaks down on the road, breakdown cover will get your van repaired and help your continue on
Sometimes included with breakdown cover, this will give you a replacement vehicle while yours is being repaired
This will cover any legal costs that arise after an accident with your van that wasn’t your fault
Public liability cover covers business vans for costs when a member of the public is injured as a result of your actions
This can cover you against claims of negligence by your employees – useful if employ other people to drive
Especially useful if you use your van for work, as it covers the cost of replacing your damaged or stolen tools
This can cover your possessions if they’re stolen or damaged while in your van, but keep an eye out for exclusions
This covers the repair costs if you accidentally top your tank up with the wrong type of fuel
Many providers offer multi-van cover, which lets you cover two or more vans under a single policy
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.
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.
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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