Okay, enough already. We hear you, constant reader (how dare I para-phrase the great Stephen King?!) – we do not show biased to van insurance brokers, even though it is the cheap van insurance quotes we provide that draws you to our site, so neither should we show favour to commercial vehicle manufacturers.

We recently ran an article for Mercedes Benz Commercial and the beginning of a transition of their commercial vehicle fleet to electric and hybrid powered vans. It is only fair then, Papa, to mention their French counterparts Renault, who are no slouches in this department, either.

This is good news for those interested in going green with their delivery vehicles but may have been dissuaded by expensive van insurance premiums in the past. It is simple logic – the more competition, the more available spare parts so, when a van does break down, the sourcing of the replacement component does not become a factor when calculating the price of your van insurance renewal policy. Theoretically brilliant, but let’s see how and when that does actually have an impact on your next van insurance quote, eh?

This has just been one issue persuading business owners not to turn their fleet to electric juice – speed, fuel availability – many factors have deterred van drivers in the past, but that is all changing. And Renault firmly believe that, with Euro III Emission legislation and the London Low Emission Zone kicking in next month (January 2012), many UK business owners will be tempted by their Kangoo ZE model.

Mercedes have struck the first blow with their zero-emission vehicles coming off the production line, already. But they are also focusing on a hybrid series. Renault have approached it differently with the Kangoo ZE. Whereas Toyota undoubtedly ruled the roost with hybrid technology, they want to do the same with 100% electric power, leaving the Germans to dabble in both but, if you like, be a Jackboot of both trades, rather than the master of either.

Following tests, Renault have found that once the 9,000 milestone has been breached, the new model is much more cost efficient than its diesel rival – especially when you eliminate the £100/day fee for non-compliant vans in the LEZ. What’s more, they are bringing the van to market at approximately half the cost of its electric competition. Shocking!

And for business owners worried about constantly replacing components, Renault will change the battery once its power has depleted by 25% – that’s a staggering eight years, from new. If that remains an issue, Renault are offering both outright purchase and also rental options. They do this as their belief is that, before the end of this decade, one tenth of all UK vehicles will be electric or zero-emission powered.  Nous serons l’Anglais verts, mes amis!

When we reach that point, there will be no excuses for anything other than very cheap van insurance policies for all business owners who go for the greener option.

We all know what the primary reason of our commercial vehicle is going to be when we purchase it, or them if you entertaining running a fleet of vans. However, many organisations use their vans for purposes other than collecting and delivering products for re-work or stock. It is important that your van insurance policy will provide you an umbrella when it decides to rain and you’ve walked out without your mackintosh, as is often the way.

And, unless you have a renewal date for your van insurance that coincides with an anniversary, it can be easily forgotten, especially if you have not noted in your calendar or personal organiser your renewal date. The advantage of logging the renewal date for your van insurance, other than not forgetting to obtain a new policy, is that you can add notes to the journal entry as the year goes by. If you do find that you are using your van for other purposes than originally perceived or have perhaps wished you’d named multiple drivers on the policy, make a physical note so you are armed next time.

In business, we never know what’s around the corner. The next big contract, expansion, sales meetings abroad – anything is possible. Compared with obtaining a cheap van insurance quote, these aspects obviously hold more sway in shaping the future of your business. In that regard, it can be an easy mistake to make to pick up the existing policy, with the annotations made during the course of the year scribbled on the envelope, and simply call your existing provider and get covered for the next year with the ancillary products tagged on.

van insurance is a two-way street

But what an opportunity that is you’re missing. Firstly, because you have not gauged the market to see what the competitors of your van insurance broker are offering. And secondly, as you well know having that entrepreneurial streak, no one likes to see a customer leave without having the chance to retain them.

Even if you do not eventually go with a new van insurance provider who may offer a cheaper renewal quote for a ‘like’ policy, your existing provider is more likely to offer you a reduction to retain your business if you have the documentary evidence that you can obtain said ‘like’ cover through another broker. Not only that, but also that one savvy act may be documented on your van insurer’s records, augmenting automatically cheaper renewal quotes in the future.

Of course, if they do not react, you are still a winner as you can ultimately decide to renew with the cheaper van insurance broker’s quote.

Slowly but surely the powers that be are recognising that we need to improve all aspects of our lives in order to preserve natural fuels for our future generations. The one way we can all do a little more is by using renewable fuel, wherever possible. However, switching from traditional petrol and diesel to electric powered commercial vehicles has been a step too far for many businesses, to date.

Irrespective of the low group cheap van insurance quotes that you can obtain with these eco-friendly models, there are many positive aspects that impact less upon the environment than the traditional fuelled vehicles that we are used to.

There are many smaller names in the motor industry that have been working incessantly to bring electric vans to the fore, but the more recognised power houses of the motoring industry are now investing millions of euros in research and man hours into the possibility that we will all be driving renewable fuel vehicles sooner rather than later.

Mercedes roll out electric vans

When you think of innovation and reliability in motoring, there aren’t many names that spring forth before Mercedes Benz. Leading the way in sports cars, technology and comfort, making them one of the most sought after brands in the world of motoring as this German company has for decades, it is perhaps no surprise that they are amongst the first of the big boys to bring this technology to the production line. Hopefully, as well as cheap running costs, with larger scale production methods and increased knowledge in the field of electric van mechanics, this should drive down the initial cost and enable even cheaper van insurance in the long term.

Two of Mercedes’ recent accomplishments in this field endorse their arrival as a major player in this field.

The Spanish-manufactured Vito E-CELL is the first assembly-line van in its class, with zero emission and is practically inaudible, so noise-pollution friendly, to boot. Its powerhouse lithium ion batteries give it a range of 130km, twice the average daily mileage for commercial van driving, and a top speed of 80km/h. With a maximum ay load of 900kg, it is perhaps no surprise that this van won the Green Commercial of the Year award.

They also snapped up the same award in the hybrid category, with the Atego BlueTec taking the honour. This model combines a four-cylinder diesel with a water-cooled electric motor and as such, has been chosen for integration into the Electric mobility promotion program to prove its suitability as a common-or-garden commercial vehicle.

As these tests prove successful and the viability of this mode of van is realised, it can only mean that costs from the initial purchase, to daily running to the cost of repair and subsequent cheap van insurance policies are better for the environment, consumer and business owner, all around.

In our attempts to go green, as well as recycling our waste, paper, even cds and dvds, we still have a long way to go before we can consider the earth a safe haven for our future generations. One aspect that has been slower to catch on than others in our attempts to bring environmentally friendly theories to the workplace is transport. But we are moving forwards, slowly, as some of the best-known global vehicle manufacturers are bringing their years of research to fruition, there are talks of more electric pumps being stationed at roadsides and van insurance providers have policies specifically tailored towards domestic and commercial electric-powered vehicles.

The milk industry has harnessed the power of electricity to drive its flotilla of floats for decades; however, the stigma attached to the speed and design are the first things that spring to mind when one thinks of electric vans. But the models, pure electric and hybrid, being built by production line methods are taking the series to a whole new level; so much so, that the Green Commercial of the Year awards are recognising the contributions of these vehicles to the planet’s plight.

There are features within each electric van insurance policy that may not be applicable to other commercial van cover that you may find. When searching for electric van insurance quotes, whether they are for your fleet of floats or you are taking the plunge and converting your whole range of commercial delivery vehicles to green fuel, here are some of the elements you may want to consider.

special aspects for electric van insurance

Legal expenses and costs should be covered, in the event of any claim. Usage of the vehicle outside of work, as electric power does attract many hobbyists and enthusiasts, should be a requirement if this aspect interests you.

In order to utilise the efforts in your company’s environmentally friendly drive to the best of their ability, marketing can be boosted by inclusion of your green prowess; as such, you will want your electric van insurance to include your European green card cover.

And finally, perhaps tailored to the milk van drivers of the world, over and above the personal accident cover that you can add as an ancillary to the base policy, you can also insure yourself for outbursts of road rage that you may incur. When you’re knocking off your shift and driving back through the early-morning rush hour, if you incite the wrath of that office-wallah late for the board meeting, you need to know that you are prepared for the worst.

If you’re not sure whether cheap van insurance really does exist, there may be a few aspects that you’re not considering if you’re finding the same results coming back from comparison sites, all of which were more expensive than you ever thought possible.

The problem with van insurance quotes are that, for every business, there are combinations of variables that suit them best. Therefore, when you enter scant details of what you’re looking for from your van insurance policy, it is extremely possible that the not-so cheap van insurance quotes your query is returning are using different aspects to calculate your price.

You may be being charged for ancillary products, components added on but not necessarily part of the basic essentials to get you legally on the road, that you may not require. In order to get the most appropriate and cheapest van insurance possible to suit your exact requirements, you will want to know what you are looking out for that you can delete from your policy.

aspects to save you money on your van insurance quote

Tools, for those who create or repair for a living, are one thing that cover providers have very varied views of. Some van insurance brokers provide a minimal amount of cover in a fully comprehensive policy; any less comprehensive policy may not incorporate any cover whatsoever for the tools of the trade. The point is, if you are using your van purely to transport third party parcels, do you need any cover for tools if you have a breakdown product tagged on to your main van insurance policy? Probably not.

Are you declaring any safety features that you have added to your commercial vehicle? Van insurance providers look kindly upon businesses and individuals who go out of their way to protect their vans from the threat of theft. These features can be simple to obtain and install and extremely cost-effective; steering wheel and column locks are basic components that can be picked up from any vehicle accessory outlet and will put off the opportunist thief more often than not. Immobilisers and vehicle tracking stretch the budget further but pull favour with van insurance providers; all three security features can save more than they cost, not only in the act of obtaining your cheap van insurance quote but also to help avoid the hassle of having to make a claim if they prevent the crime from happening the first place.

With winter fast approaching, it would seem that all of the big guns in the van insurance market are preparing for the worst. Given the extent of the payouts from claims caused by the intolerable conditions the UK was subjected to over the prolonged cold snap in 2010 all of the commercial vehicle insurers are warning us of the dangers of driving in the snow and offering hints and tips of staying safe in the snow this winter.
On top of the snow, or rather, laying beneath, black and compacted sheets of ice are equally as treacherous – standard tyres simply do not stand a chance if braking too sharply and the possibility of your van gliding out of control is all too real. With the fitting of snow tyres, offering substantially improved chances of stopping in inclement conditions than your dry-weather slicks, you are less likely to damage the chances of a repeat cheap van insurance policy by having to make a claim via a weather inflicted accident.
With e-bay recently estimating that UK shoppers are likely to spend £31.5bn in the run up to Christmas, there is likely to be a whole lot more commercial delivery activity on our roads. If you are looking to take on some of the delivery work as a courier service over the festive period, first and foremost ensure that you have the correct van insurance policy to cover you during this period. You should be looking out for the ‘transport of goods only’ policy, i.e. you are neither the supplier or end user of the product, just the third party involved in getting it from a to b. And, if this is not your usual occupation, choose the 28-day cover – you needn’t opt for a longer duration. Filtering these two options should help you to get the cheapest possible van insurance policy for your requirements.
Secondly, a few more driving tips. Braking distance is massively increased on icy roads – leave at least double the space between you and the vehicle in front of you that you would under normal circumstances.
Stay in a higher gear to give you more traction when cornering but in lower gear when decelerating, allowing the van to slow of its own volition, to save having to brake sharply and risk going into slide.
Snow is white. Yep, it is. Glare can be a problem, both night and day. Dip your headlights at night-time; wear shades during low, bright sunshine in the day to keep yours and other drivers visibility at optimum levels. And whilst we’re talking visibility, ensure your water bottle is topped up with anti-freeze and you have de-icer to hand. Do not pour hot water onto your windscreen, otherwise you will be making a claim on your van insurance policy; cold glass and hot water is a perfect recipe for a cracked windscreen.
And lastly, be prepared for a breakdown. It will matter little that your van insurance covers you for roadside assistance in blizzard conditions – you may get stranded in an inaccessible location, so have a torch, mobile phone charger (but watch your car battery!), food, drink, blankets and plenty of layers of clothing. Anything that may get you through the night will help if you’re caught short up a snowy lane, in winter.

We recently commented that, for young drivers looking for cheap van insurance, one of the considerations when starting out was to go for a second hand motor, rather than buy one hot off the production line. There are, however, exceptions to every rule; to back that up, the US has given us a story that runs along very different lines.

With any commercial vehicle, there are ancillary products that you can add on to the basic policy so that your van insurance cover reflects the nature of your business. That is one area in which van insurance providers are flexible; however, it would have to be one heck of a lenient policy that you were able to add on the component that Charles Preston, from San José, found in the Chrysler he picked up to feed the poor in his home town.

Having paid £10,000 for the van second hand, the psychologist proceeded to ride around in the vehicle performing the good deeds he subsidised from his own pocket, paying little attention to the window that wouldn’t roll down the whole way. For his money, he’d got power steering, air-conditioning and boss tinted windows, so he wasn’t going to jeopardise his no claims bonus on his van insurance policy for the sake of this slight inconvenience.

After twelve months of relatively trouble-free driving otherwise, the van developed an issue with the brakes; the window he could live with, but for a critical component like stopping the vehicle, he was taking no chances, so went to the garage to get the problem checked out. If it was minor, he would pay for it; if it was a major issue, he had the option of taking it back to the sales outfit he bought it from, to help protect his cheap van insurance policy.

claim on van insurance policy a wind up?

With the car under inspection, Preston nonchalantly mentioned the window problem to the mechanic whilst he was checking out the brakes. The mechanic’s first assumption was that the insulation packaging had come out of alignment, beyond the panel in the door. In order to correct the issue without damaging the interior upholstery, the correction necessitated stripping the panel from the door, which he proceeded to do.

What they found beyond got them on to the police immediately; after further investigation, they found fourteen ‘insulation’ packs behind the panel in total – full of cocaine! In addition, there were five further packs behind the wheel configuration. It’s no wonder the car didn’t want to stop – it’s a wonder it wasn’t flying!

The value of the haul was estimated at half-a-million pound, perhaps a little more than your common-or-garden van insurance policy is likely to cover you for. Needless to say, with that much raw coke unclaimed, Mr Preston swiftly returned the van from whence it came, before he had a crack at being The Good Samaritan, again.

We’ve all seen the advertisements for Driving Test Instructors that encourage people with a license to pass on what they’ve learnt by going into business themselves and teaching people how to drive.

The hours can be anti-social, you must have an account with Debenhams underwear department for continual replacements, be on first-name terms with petrol station attendants and your car or van insurance premium must be astronomic. But other than that, it pays well.

However, there may be an even better opportunity for those wishing to teach the ways of the road, only this time around from a purely commercial sense.

Come September 2014, new EU regulations come into force, which will govern passenger transport, lorry and van drivers who want to tout their trade on home and foreign shores. As things stand, with a lack of training centres inaugurated, the Freight Transport Association are mindful of a) ingratiating the sector with trainers who are savvy with the new regulations b) not only finding enough drivers who will have to have relative ancillary products on their van insurance to cover them on the continent but will also need to attain the relevant qualification, gleaned from appropriate instruction courses.

EU roads will be safe driving haven?

In order to qualify for the European Driving License, without which commercial vehicle drivers may as well forget about earning any more no claims bonuses towards their next van insurance policy, an extensive, recognised assessment must be undergone and satisfactorily passed.

The duration for the modules which make up the new Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) is approximately 35 hours and can be sat over a maximum stretch of five years. Obviously, if you wish to carry on driving your van in 2014, that window of opportunity is closing more rapidly than the maximum course allowance, so you need to act sharply.

At current examination rates, it is estimated that less than two thirds will have successfully attained the DCPC in time for its introduction. The very real worry is that, by the time the industry realises its in trouble, there will be insufficient trainers to train that remaining 100,000 professional drivers. And it is a concern globally – UK distribution outlets, van insurance providers, public transport services – so many areas that rely on qualified drivers will have their bottom line threatened by a lack of available talent.

So, yes – vehicle driving instruction does have its drawbacks, with the worry-lines, alcohol depravation when you need it most and a van insurance premium equivalent to a premier league player’s weekly wage packet, but the foundations have been laid by the EU to make it a very prosperous venture, if you step up to the commercial plate.