Business and Commercial Van Cover

Business van cover : Compare quotes from UK-based insurance companies

Some businesses simply couldn’t function without a business van (plumbers, landscapers, florists or glaziers, for instance), while other business owners purchase a van for the company simply because of the additional convenience it affords them. But whatever your reason for owning a van, if you use it for business purposes you’ll need business van insurance.

You may already be aware that van insurance often costs more than car insurance, but unfortunately insuring a van for business use will also cost more than you’d pay to insure that same van for private use.

That’s why small business owners should use Quotezone.co.uk’s unbiased price comparison service when they’re ready to insure their business van, which could help them find a cheaper quote by comparing prices from over 50 different van insurance providers in just a few minutes.

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Insuring a business van: a straightforward guide

Why does it cost more to insure a van for business use than it would if I was taking out private van insurance?

If your van is a key part of your business operations you’ll usually find that it spends more time on the road than a private-use van would do, and also clocks up many more miles – two factors that usually result in higher van insurance premiums because the more you’re on the road and the more miles you cover the more likely you are to be involved in an accident at some point.

Business vans are also more likely to have been modified or converted in some way than a private-use van, and insuring a modified van is usually more expensive.

Even if the modification is fairly simple and straightforward, such as installing racks inside the van, adding a wheelchair ramp to the rear of the vehicle or installing roof bars on the top, if the vehicle has been modified to better meet your business needs those modifications will need to be declared to the insurance provider and could result in higher insurance quotes.

Is it true business vans have a higher risk of being targeted by thieves?

Yes, business vans do have a slightly higher risk of being targeted by thieves, who may be hoping there will be valuable tools or equipment inside the vehicle.

This is particularly the case if the van has company signage, branding or a vehicle wrap, which could alert thieves to the nature of the business – and therefore the nature of the tools that might be stored inside the van.

Many vans also have a higher scrap value than cars, which could also make them a target for vehicle thieves.

What’s the lowest level of cover I can take out when I’m insuring a van for business use?

When you’re looking for less expensive van insurance for your business you might assume that third party cover will be the less expensive option, and sometimes that will be the case.

However, some van insurance companies have started hiking the premiums for third party van insurance because they know that that level of cover is often favoured by higher-risk drivers (young van drivers, for instance).

That’s why we always recommend that business van drivers compare quotes for all three levels of cover and then opt for the policy that offers the best cover at the fairest price, because you just might find that fully-comp business van insurance is just as reasonable as third party cover.

Does business van insurance cover damage to my stock or other goods?

If you’re using your van to transport your business’s stock or other goods you’ll want to make sure you’re covered for ‘carriage of own goods’, which could help with the cost of replacing those products if they are damaged during an accident.

When you’re taking out a business van insurance policy you’ll specify what the van will be used for, and if you choose the “business use for carriage of own goods” option then both the goods you transport in the van and the van itself will be covered.

How can I find cheaper quotes when I’m insuring a van for business or commercial use?

First and foremost, you should use Quotezone.co.uk’s insurance comparison site to compare business van insurance quotes each time your policy is due for renewal, because your existing provider’s renewal quote is rarely the cheapest option.

Beyond that, the following steps could help to reduce the cost of insuring your business van:

• Adding “How’s my driving?” stickers or decals to the back of your van – Some insurance providers will offer business van drivers a better quote if they have a “How’s my driving?” sticker on the rear of their vehicle, because data suggests those drivers are involved in 22% fewer road traffic accidents.
• Parking your van off the road – Vans that are parked on the roadside when they’re not in use have a higher risk of being damaged by a passing car or targeted by thieves, so if you have off-road parking this could result in lower business van insurance quotes.
• Installing an alarm or engine immobiliser – If your van didn’t come with a manufacturer-installed alarm or engine immobiliser you could benefit from lower insurance quotes if you get them installed.
• Paying annually – Paying for your insurance on a monthly basis might be more convenient, but it’s also a little more costly. Opting to pay for the full year upfront should result in better premiums.
• Agreeing to a higher excess – Agreeing to a higher voluntary excess should reduce the upfront cost of your small business van insurance, although it does mean you’ll have to shoulder a larger proportion of the expense yourself if you have to claim on your insurance.