Messy van could cost you £100

The common van mistakes that could invalidate insurance

Van drivers and tradespeople have been warned their business branding and even vehicle mess could leave them uninsured. 

Motoring experts from Quotezone.co.uk have revealed common reasons drivers could be invalidating their insurance. 

Perhaps the most unusual but one of the most dangerous is a messy van. If the police pull over a vehicle and feel the mess is a hazard or a driver ends up in an accident because of a messy vehicle, they could be fined £100 and given three penalty points – if it’s a serious crash or incident, it could be a £5,000 fine and a maximum of 9 penalty points. 

The insurer may even deem the insurance invalid, due to lack of care from the driver as it is a constant requirement of insurance that the vehicle be kept in a roadworthy condition.

The mess not only acts as a distraction while driving, any loose objects can also become lethal when caught up in an accident, research suggests a 20 pound object could have as much force as a 1000 pound object when travelling at 55mph* – so van drivers need to ensure inside the van is clean and tidy with loose objects securely fastened.

Modifications can also invalidate insurance, including adding business branding and signage without letting the insurer know.

These common mistakes can void or invalidate insurance for tradespeople, including the wrong use, if a van is being used for business purposes, the insurer needs to be informed. 

Motor insurance is a legal obligation and drivers without it risk a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points. Uninsured vans could also be seized from the driver and destroyed by the police. 

Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, Greg Wilson, said: “Aside from being a legal obligation, motor and van insurance protects van drivers and companies from accidents, damage and theft. 

“It is essentially a financial safety net and is vital if using a van for work, especially if there are expensive tools involved – without proper cover, tradespeople are risking major losses, hefty fines and even a threat to their livelihood. 

“Many people are unaware that simple mistakes, even the likes of not providing accurate information to insurers on mileage or occupation, could make a policy invalid meaning they are driving illegally. 

“Additionally, any drivers found deliberately misleading the insurer to help make insurance premiums cheaper, for example, saying they park a vehicle in a garage when they leave it out on the street, could also be convicted of fraud.”

Quotezone.co.uk’s common mistakes which could invalidate van insurance:

1.Vehicle mess:

If a van driver ends up in an accident because of a messy vehicle, an insurance company might refuse to cover the claim as the driver was not looking after the vehicle properly, showing a lack of care that made the vehicle unsafe to drive.  They could also face fines, penalty points and the risk of serious harm from flying projectiles that were not secured properly amongst the mess.

2.Signage and branding:

Adding signage and branding to a van can increase the risk of break-ins, make it more vulnerable to vandalism and theft, and make it more expensive to replace and repair. Sign writing or branding is classed as a modification and insurers could increase insurance premiums or void insurance if they are not told about it. 

3.Class of use: 

Anyone who uses a van for commercial purposes, even if it is only occasionally, should have business van insurance. If a tradesperson opts for ‘social, domestic and pleasure’ for the class of use and is found to use it for business purposes, the policy could be invalidated.

4.Location: 

Parking locations impact the likelihood of a van being involved in an accident, broken into or stolen. Drivers must be honest about where they operate and park. A van is more likely to be targeted in larger cities, and if it is parked on the road instead of a driveway or garage. 

5.Personal Information:

Failing to correctly disclose certain information including age, occupation and driving record on an insurance policy could lead to a claim being refused and the policy cancelled.

Quotezone.co.uk helps van drivers compare and save on all sorts of products such as van insurance, breakdown cover and even fleet insurance. 

Reference:

*https://www.dkinglaw.com/loose-objects-cars-accidents/#:~:text=Objects%20Become%20Dangerous%20Projectiles%20in,of%20a%20crash%20test%20dummy.