Home » Van Insurance

Van Insurance

Compare Cheap Van Insurance Quotes

  • Compare over 60 van insurance brands
  • Cheap quotes for UK and NI drivers
  • Any driver van insurance cover available
van

Excellent: 4.9/ 5   ★★★★★   based on 949 reviews

Why do you need van insurance?

If you drive a van – regardless of whether it’s for work, pleasure, or a third party – then you’ll need insurance. Just as it’s illegal for a car, motorhome, and riders of motorbikes to go out on the road without insurance, the same applies to van drivers.

And, similar to car and other drivers, van drivers also have the choice of whether they want to take out third-party insurance, third-party fire and theft, or fully comprehensive. Choosing the latter means you’ll be covered for repairs to both your van and that of another vehicle should you be responsible for an accident.

It also covers court costs and compensation. The other two policies only cover costs for the other vehicle and that driver’s injuries (although fire and theft will also cover your vehicle in the event it suffers fire damage or is stolen).

The type of van insurance you take out in the UK or Northern Ireland depends, of course, on how the van is used i.e. for social or business use, etc. We compare all top van insurance providers including Post Office, AXA, Rac, Tesco, Lloyds, Gladiator, Swinton, Churchill, Hastings Direct, Swiftcover, and more.

Types

Carriage of own goods – Self-employed or contract builders, plumbers, and other workmen who use tools and materials in their everyday lives at work would undoubtedly require this type of policy.

Carriage of goods for hire or reward – Delivery drivers such as parcel delivery vans, fast food deliveries, florists, etc would require this since it means that the goods, as well as the van, would be covered should you be in an accident.

Haulage – This form of commercial van insurance applies to truckers i.e. long-distance lorry drivers delivering goods from abroad or one end of the country to the other, such as supermarket foods, furniture, etc.

Temporary van insurance – If you only use the van now and again such as for taking items to the tip or helping a friend move home, then it will be far less costly to take out temporary cover rather than insurance for a whole year.

Employers liability insurance – This is necessary if you are an employer with your own business and have courier drivers working either permanently on the payroll or a contract basis.

The panel of van insurance NI and the UK providers can help with the following insurance:

  • Citroen van
  • Company van
  • 3.5-tonne van
  • Courier van
  • Flatbed insurance
  • Renault van
  • Modified van
  • Private van
  • Any driver van
  • Over 50s van
  • Haulage and courier van
  • Pick up van
  • Mitsubishi van
  • Convicted driver van
  • Nissan van
  • Fleet van
  • Electric van
  • Multi van
  • Specialist van
  • Vauxhall van
  • Tipper van

Tips on getting the cheapest van insurance guaranteed

  • Always shop online and compare quotes between different companies. You may be amazed by how much the price can vary
  • Read the small print to make sure that you don’t buy ‘add-ons’ which you don’t need since they may already be covered in your main policy
  • If you don’t use the van a lot then capping the average miles you do can result in lower premiums. This is because the insurance company deems you less of a risk (i.e. someone who does five times as many miles is five times more likely to get into an accident)
  • Get a van that is in a lower insurance grouping. The larger and heavier the van then the higher the insurance group and the more expensive it’ll be for coverage.
  • Get the best security systems that you can afford for your vehicle. This will pay for itself over time in reduced premiums
  • Try and park your van in a locked garage overnight, or at least in an enclosed driveway (rather than out in the street)
  • If you can wait until you reach the age of 25 before you drive a van. That’s because insurance is always higher for younger drivers (regardless of the vehicle type); age 25 is the cut-off point. Insurance gets less expensive after this milestone birthday.
  • If you need breakdown coverage too then you can pay to take it out at the same time as your insurance policy to benefit from a discount from the insurer.
  • Don’t ask for named drivers to be put on the insurance policy as this will increase the cost of your monthly premiums considerably (especially if they are under 21).
  • If you can afford it, try and pay off your insurance in one annual payment. That way you’ll save on paying admin costs for monthly direct debits.
  • Concentrate on building up a good no-claims bonus. For every year that passes without you making a claim, that bonus should increase.
  • Pay as high a voluntary excess as you believe you can afford should you be unfortunate enough to get involved in an accident.

Frequently asked questions

Will I still be insured if I drive my van in Europe?

It depends on your policy but most will give you a grace period of 30 days. After that, you’ll have to speak to your insurance company.

What is considered an uninsured loss?

Depending on your policy, this could be anything from the cost of a hire van, the policy excess and medical expenses for yourself. It could also include legal costs.

What do you mean by Telematics insurance?

The insurance company works out your premium based on how you drive. They can tell this by installing a black box device in your car which will record not just how often you drive but how well. It can, for instance, record when a sudden movement is made.

Why is a pick up a van for insurance purposes?

Simply because of the truck’s weight and longer wheelbase. Some 4×4 vehicles also have to be classed as vans because of this.

I have a no claims bonus for my car. Can I use it for my van?

Unfortunately it’s not transferable. You may get a discount on your good driving record depending on who your insurance company is so it’s always worth asking.

What if I change my mind or find a better van insurance policy elsewhere?

Most insurance companies will allow you to cancel without charge provided you do so within their ‘cooling off’ period. This is usually around a fortnight.

I have been told my pick-up truck comes under van insurance. Is that correct?

Yes. Just enter your vehicle registration, model and make etc under van insurance online.

Related insurance