Don’t panic – you’re covered, keep it that way

Isn’t it just a conundrum? You scour the internet for the cheapest van insurance possible. Use comparison sites to shave that little bit more off even the very cheapest van insurance policy you can find. The hours spent deliberating your choice of broker for the perfect product to suit your business you acknowledge could be spent on more productive pursuits.

Then, once you pounce, part with your cash and feel satisfied that your van insurance policy can do no more for you…
…you hope against hope that you never have to use that cover, which may have had you tugging your hair out for hours to get just so.

However, there may come a time when you have no choice but to draw upon the resource, following an incident; here’s an insurance broker’s perspective on what you need to do, should you get that prang:

  • Turn off the ignition, kill the engine and turn on the hazards
  • Dial the emergency services; even if there is no obvious damage, you may need a crime number for your subsequent van insurance claim
  • If the accident involves another vehicle, take the driver’s details; you need to provide details of the other person, along with your insurance certificate, when reporting the incident to the police, which must be within 24 hours of the incident
  • After an accident, you are in no condition to judge who is at fault – never own up on the spot.
  • The more on-the-spot information you can provide, the swifter your van insurance claim can be adjudged and processed:
    • Take photographs, either with your phone or a camera, whichever is available
    • Use witnesses, if available, to corroborate number plates, weather and road conditions, and the speed, start and end positions of any vehicles involved in the incident and whether indicators or headlights contributed to the outcome
    • If factors, such as injury or shock, inhibit your ability to record events, return to the scene to re-run the accident and gather any evidence there may be remaining to corroborate your van insurance claim
  • When able, remove any obstruction to other traffic that may remain as fallout from the accident
  • Call your van insurance provider immediately; this is key to maintaining your van insurance validity and to forearm your broker should the other claimant inform their vehicle insurance provider beforehand; the more prepared your van insurance provider is, the sooner they can begin to defend your corner.

In the event of any incident, the sooner you can have your van legally back on the road, the less of an impact the unfortunate occurrence will have on your business. You did not spend all of that time tailoring your van insurance policy to have it deemed invalid due to a minor technicality.

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