In this day and age, getting a hold of cheap van insurance can be hard work in itself. Assuming that aspects and the level of cover are the same, why pay more from one provider than another, whether you’ve historically taken out your van insurance with one brand all your working life, or not?
The reason many van drivers feel comfortable just renewing their van insurance without even comparing online whether there are other cheap van insurance providers who can provide the same – or better – cover for less is twofold:
1. They believe getting a van insurance quote online is difficult, whereas the truth is it has never been easier to get cheap van insurance online – in fact it actually increases your chances of reducing your van insurance quote;
2. They feel their existing van insurance provider is adequate or doing a good job because they’ve never had to actually make a claim from them.
However, according to one very recent report, there are circumstances where van insurance firms are not paying out, or paying out less than the value the policy holder believed they were entitled to, in light of their claim. The reasons listed are, however, all valid according to the brokers’ guidelines; so here’s a checklist of pitfalls to avoid when first making a claim on your van insurance policy.
When processing a claim, it is important to present as clear and concise a report of what happened during and leading up to the accident so that the insurance investigator can piece together your claim as accurately as possible. There is little point in you having a perfectly valid claim if you do not share all of the aspects that will help you receive the maximum award with the person who is going to fight your corner for you.
You must also be aware of what you’re entitled to claim in the result of an accident from your van insurance policy, itself. If, for example, your van is run off the road and subsequently your tools are stolen from the back, you have to put in two claims – one for the accident that led to you being off-road and a separate one for the retrieval/compensation of your work gear.
If there are points which seem ambiguous or obscure, leaving you in any doubt, call the support staff at your van insurance company. If you have a valid claim, they will help you win as much entitlement as you are allowed under the terms governing your policy.
If, after all of this you are still dissatisfied with the outcome, the Association of British Insurers will be able to point you in the right direction, whether it is to enlighten you where you have misunderstood certain aspects of your van insurance cover, or in severe cases of misrepresentation, they may even contact the Office of Fair Trading on your behalf.
In our article: van insurance what to do in the event of an accident, there is a downloadable, two page document that you can print off and keep on your clipboard or in your glove box detailing what to do and what basic information you need to take down as a result of a road traffic accident. Please feel free to take a copy.
And whilst you’re here, see if you could save a packet in minutes by comparing van insurance from 60+ firms using our easy-to-use 5-stage online form.