Parking up while making deliveries could spell disaster for drivers, according to one leading cheap van insurance broker.
Commercial van insurance providers, Swinton Vans, say that drivers can find themselves swiftly transforming into crime victims in the wake of leaving their vans unattended for any length of time. People who leave their vans unlocked and their engines running while they step away from their vehicles can quite often become preyed upon by sharp-eyed criminals looking for an easy score, Swinton said, adding that what many of these drivers fail to realise is that they risk the invalidation of their budget van insurance by leaving their vehicles unattended.
The number of vans that are nicked on an annual basis due to drivers leaving their vehicles running was estimated at 30,000 on average, according to Swinton Vans. However, burglaries are as common as outright theft, with many making the mistake of leaving valuables on show and in easy reach of thieves.
Tablets, satnavs, and phones are all stolen quite often if placed down and left unattended in a place where passersby can abscond with them while a van driver goes about making deliveries. Making matters worse is that these objects are quite often crucial for conducting business, leading to it becoming essential for either hiding them or taking them with you when you exit the vehicle, the insurance broker told van owners.
However, delivery drivers are not altogether blameless victims. Many have fallen afoul of the law themselves, such as when they park their vans in restricted zones such as double yellow lines, and some may not have the expectation of being caught red-handed, many a delivery driver has found themselves in hot water on more than one occasion.