| Is van insurance dramatically different from car | | | | you, subject to the facilities they have available |
| insurance? In many ways no insofar as the | | | | from Insurance companies. Please remember no |
| primary types of cover are concerned, e.g. Third | | | | one broker will be able to cover the whole |
| Party, Third Party fire and Theft and Fully | | | | market although they may infer that they can. |
| Comprehensive. | | | | Even with the Internet being to some all singing |
| But because most vans are designed to primarily | | | | and dancing an Insurance Broker who is not tied |
| carry goods and not people alone, save for the | | | | to one or two Insurance companies alone on their |
| driver and possibly a passenger, the cover is | | | | ‘panel’ but has access to substantially |
| applied differently with the Insurance companies | | | | more will clearly become apparent. |
| worrying equally about the human factor and the | | | | That might sound obvious, but the deal you get |
| ‘goods in transit’. They particularly want | | | | will improve the greater the competition available |
| to know where the goods will be left overnight. | | | | it is perfect street level economics. |
| And what might appear surprising the minimum | | | | Certainly there is a market off screen where |
| age of the driver as well as the driver’s | | | | Underwriters can be dramatically more |
| capabilities. | | | | competitive on pricing and cover and where they |
| As with cars the younger you are the higher the | | | | specialise more so than others. |
| premium you will have to pay. It seems very | | | | In truth, only a good Insurance Broker will know |
| unfair but the statistics do show that ‘under | | | | where to access the best rates, making the |
| 25’ van drivers are a much higher risk than | | | | Internet in some instance singularly redundant. As |
| those over 25 and here the insurance companies | | | | a service facility it is brilliant but as a user you will |
| have evidence that is beyond doubt. | | | | know unless you ask eth right questions it gets |
| Where the van is not part of a fleet, i.e. a group | | | | you nowhere. |
| with a minimum count of 3 vehicles, the rates will | | | | A good broker is reliant on repeat business and it |
| vary dependent on whether the van is used for | | | | is of no value to give poor service as the Client |
| single stop deliveries or multi-stop. Clarification on | | | | will go elsewhere, such is the level of competition |
| the vehicles security system is integral and some | | | | in today’s market place. |
| Insurance companies may even insist on armour | | | | So given the van may be your livelihood, and with |
| plating, yes really! | | | | it off the road you could be subject to serious |
| If it’s being used by a building contractor for | | | | financial loss. It’s always best to check that |
| example, where will his/her work tools kept at | | | | bit further or use your Broker to save you the |
| night and will the place where they are stored be | | | | time and effort and most importantly money to |
| secure and insured? | | | | get you the right deal. |
| Another problem with vans is whether they are | | | | Finally remember that the premium you pay for |
| multiple or individual locking? Are they being used | | | | cover can be affected by increasing the |
| as farm vehicles or off road? The permutations | | | | ‘excess’ you pay before the insurance |
| can be endless, so whilst we all think it is being | | | | company is committed to pay. |
| used for business just as where it will be parked | | | | What you must be mindful of is that there are |
| overnight i.e. in a garage, on or off road, the | | | | two types of excess. The ‘compulsory’ |
| nature of the business will generate substantial | | | | one and the ‘voluntary’ one. The |
| differences on what applicable rate of insurance | | | | compulsory one is set in stone; it is the voluntary |
| cover will be required. | | | | one that can vary. Added together they take the |
| There are schemes where No Claims Bonuses are | | | | onus off the Insurance company to a substantial |
| transferable from private cars and vice versa. So | | | | degree and place it firmly back onto the paying |
| the more information that can be supplied prior to | | | | Client. |
| purchasing cover, the better, and by definition the | | | | So please be careful assuming what you think you |
| greater the opportunity to establish economic | | | | might be saving when you pay for your insurance |
| rates. | | | | cover. Internet sites have been very bad at not |
| The Insurance Broker you chose to use should be | | | | making this integral point clear and unfortunately |
| able to discuss all the various permutations with | | | | many more. |