Be prepared for a lot more vans on the road over the coming month.
That’s the message from those in the know in the retail sector at any rate. With more vans comes the need for more van insurance policies, so, as well as a visible increase in activity on the roads, as shoppers order their gifts online across the UK over the internet, there will be much online van insurance processing as demand is expected to exceed deliverability in the run up to Christmas.
A report from UK courier company Hermes UK on the way that Volkswagen are integrating telematics into with a new partner from 2013 hints that there are already 3,000,000 vans on UK roads, with the likelihood of more being employed as we approach December.
It seems that anyone with a van may be able to pick up extra work as a further report by Eptica Christmas 2011 Retail Experience Study suggests that 46% of UK shoppers intend to order gifts for delivery in the week leading up to the end of year celebrations. However, if you are tempted to explore this avenue of extra income, make sure that you have up to date van insurance – with so much extra congestion, there are likely to be more incidents, meaning more claims.
The last thing you want, if you’re looking to earn a bit of spare cash for Christmas, is to be shelling out simply because you didn’t take a van insurance policy. In most instances, the cover you have for your domestic vehicle does not stretch to a commercial one.
But, don’t fret; unlike car insurance, which is usually an annual policy, when looking for very cheap van insurance, most brokers offer short-term or 28-day cover. Many people take out this type of commercial vehicle cover when moving home, so the brokers can accommodate you if you are looking to pick up a few extra hours this yuletide.
In order to stay safer, one internet insurer hinted at a couple of precautions UK van drivers can take. Even though we have had a dry, mild autumn, icier roads are expected for the third successive year. Two of the main problems in these conditions are insufficient tread and poor visibility. With those factors in mind, and to reduce the amount of van insurance claims come winter, a spokesman for the firm reminded van drivers to fit seasonal tyres and to ensure that windscreen wiper fluid contains anti-freeze, as well as your radiators. Just those two advance preparations will reduce your chances of having to claim against your van insurance considerably, whether you are a regular van driver or purely seasonal.
Whatever the cost issue, the underlying message is, as always, stay safe on the road this year, and ‘winterproof’ your van!
Author: News Desk
Cheap van insurance guide – part four
It’s true enough to say that we don’t very often prise much from the claws of insurance brokers. Ever seen a poor one? Didn’t think so. That’s why it’s imperative to get the cheapest possible van insurance from the outset.
Even when you do make a successful claim, you often walk away feeling as if you have had to justify your very existence, not just be recompensed for that which you have paid you dues, by way of premium instalments, in advance.
One of the reasons we do begrudge making a claim, which does have a massive bearing when looking to renew and get cheap van insurance, is that by going through your insurance broker to resolve a motoring incident with your commercial vehicle you will negate your no claims bonus.
It matters not if you were completely innocent, nor what the size of the payout was (for which you may have had to pay the excess). The fact that the insurance firm has paid out on your policy will strike out any opportunity of getting a reduction on your renewal, when it is time to do so.
That is why so many people, especially if they have only incorporated the compulsory excess, who are involved in minor incidents where a repair or replacement of goods damaged will amount to less than the excess and/or subsequent costs, will often prefer to settle any differences in cash.
No claims bonuses can differ from provider to provider, but the ethos that affects your search for cheap van insurance is pretty similar throughout the industry.
A ‘no claims bonus’ will be discounted from your renewal if you have made no claims during the period of the previous or existing policy. Most van insurers will increment the discount relative to consequent years in which you have not made a claim. The percentage off the full premium can go as high as 60% for long-term driving without (claimable) incident. Once you reach that maximum discount, many brokers will give you the option to protect that amount (for a small increase in your premium), year on year. Without this protection, the no claims will become invalid after a gap of two years. In the search for very cheap van insurance, consistent safe and incident-free driving is one of the largest single factors to be taken into consideration.
If you are an existing customer with an insurance firm for your domestic vehicle, you may be able to factor any no claims on that policy into your van insurance policy; however, this rule may differ from broker to broker. It is always worth asking as a provider who assumes your loyalty may not point this fact out up front, without prompting.
Steering towards cheaper van insurance
In our S.I.L.V.E.R. series, we are looking at elements that you can affect in your search for cheap van insurance. Age, gender, even location of your business are static factors that have a bearing on the cost of your premium that you cannot change. however, there are security and pre-emptive measures that are looked favourably upon by brokers that are cost effective, simple to implement and can knock pounds off van insurance quotes.
Today, we are looking at the S, which, in our case, is for steering lock; whether that is a simple column lock or more advanced wheel lock, both are effective deterrents to any would-be van thief. These are additional devices to the steering lock, which was introduced in the late sixties as an integral part of the steering column. They can be disengaged by either ignition key or electronics and software, depending upon the age of the van. This component on its own has no affect on obtaining cheap van insurance quotes, as all makes and models have one type, or another.
steering locks good starting point when driving down the cost of your van insurance
If you are starting out in business and cannot afford to stretch to full immobiliser installation, then these are a good starting point if you’re searching for cheap van insurance for young drivers.
The steering column lock is a device which enshrouds the column in a casing which, by design, provides a barrier between thief and ignition switch. The steering wheel lock is simply a progression from that device, with an additional bar that slips through the steering wheel to prevent the wheel turning, even if the column lock is breached.
Neither could be described as an achievement in finesse and, at first, they can be cumbersome and take some getting used to to engage every time you get in and out of the car. The fact that they are bulky and extremely visible (often painted a luminous colour) can work to the van owner’s advantage. Just the sight of one through the windshield can be enough to put off the casual car thief.
Of course, the less often your van is attacked, the longer your no claims bonus will remain in tact, helping you achieve very cheap van insurance in the long term. For the investment, they will pay for themselves over time and they are a good starting point when it comes to proving to your broker that you are serious about driving down the cost of your commercial vehicle cover.
Van insurance factors beyond your control – part 1
When it comes to obtaining cheap van insurance quotes, there are things you can do to increase your bargaining power with your chosen broker, and there are things you can’t.
The factors that you can incorporate into your business, or apply directly to your commercial vehicle, to help drive down the cost of your van insurance renewal quote we are covering in S.I.L.V.E.R. series. These are the cost-effective, security conscious features such as fitting immobilisers, locking your van away in a secured area, having a steering lock to hand and being able to track your vehicle.
All are simple one-step processes that show your broker that you are serious about safety, have evaluated recommendations and are working with them to drive down the cost of your van insurance.
Aside from those factors, there are elements that will affect the price of your premium that you can do nothing about, but it doesn’t do any harm to be aware of what they are. If nothing else, it will save you the embarrassment of actually fainting when next you come to renew your commercial vehicle insurance.
First and foremost is your age. At seventeen, you may consider yourself to be the safest driver on the road. Fresh from passing your test, free of habits that can creep into your driving over time and with the latest driver’s theory exam question still clattering around your skull, you may think that to be penalised in this way is a tad unjust.
There are policies tailored towards this scenario, but finding cheap van insurance for young drivers can be an uphill slog. The only way to ensure you are not being totally ripped-off if this is a concern is by comparing van insurance policies and filtering out those that stretch your budget too far. If you are under 25, be prepared.
And, like everything in life, size matters. All other factors being equal, the general rule of thumb is that the bigger the van, the higher the premium. Not only can a larger van carry more cargo, but also insurance brokers see them as more cumbersome to handle. Hence, the smaller your van is, the better the chance you have of picking up cheaper van insurance.
Van insurance factors beyond your control – part 2
Cheap van insurance policies are not a thing of urban myth. If you are armed with the right information and know where to look, even very cheap van insurance is within your grasp. In our S.I.L.V.E.R. series, we are looking at that the aspects of your commercial vehicle fleet which you control that will help you drive down the cost of your van insurance.
In this mini-series (part one here) we are looking at the factors over which you can do little or nothing about, but know what to look out for and how those elements affect the price of your policy. In part one we looked at age and size.
In part two, we will conclude this overview with a few of the less-obvious factors, but nonetheless will play a part in obtaining an accurate, if not cheap, van insurance quote.
Cheap van insurance for women does exist and is more catered for now than it ever has been. However, it is not so cut and dried as female car insurance. Everyone knows that the fairer sex often get better deals on car insurance than their Neanderthal counterparts. Brokers see women as more attentive, less likely to travel long distances and, if they do have an accident, it is more likely to be a bump than a write-off. All of these factors count towards reducing the domestic vehicle premium. Even though the same can be said of all of those factors when it comes to driving commercially, the difference, if any, is less noticeable when obtaining van insurance quotes for women.
The type of load you envisage transporting may have an impact on your van insurance premium, too, depending upon the type of cover you opt for. If you are going for third party (with or without fire and theft), the load is unlikely to be insured, in any case. However, for fully comp van insurance quotes, if your cargo is likely to be ‘precious’, you may find your quote more expensive.
Location, too, places a role in deciding your final premium. Not only where you’re based, but where you’re likely to roam. If you are living in an area with a propensity to little crime, then you stand more chance of obtaining the cheapest possible van insurance than your counterpart who lives or works in a high crime-rate region.
Also, if your job takes you abroad, you can expect to pay a reflective amount to cover this, although this option often comes as an extra, or bolt-on to the main policy.
There we have it; you may not be able to change them, and you certainly won’t like them if they mean a higher premium, but if your policy seems a little steep, just remember to check all of the details in this mini-series and make sure your broker has got the information right.
Cheap van insurance guide – part three
One of the key factors that impact the cost of your van insurance is the amount of excess you are willing to pay. Not that you have a choice in the minimum amount that an insurance broker will accept, but you can pay more. So, why would you want to?
It grates to think that, even though you have paid your not-so cheap van insurance premium, brokers want you to stump up the deposit, if you like, on any claim you should subsequently make against the policy. And, like a deposit, it is non-refundable – once it’s paid, it’s paid.
No matter whether you pay a high price or whether you’re lucky enough to find cheap van insurance, the onus will be on you to find the excess should you ever wish to make a claim.
There are two types of excess in any van insurance quote: compulsory and voluntary.
As examples of compulsory excess, if you were unlucky enough to have your vehicle stolen or it was set ablaze, and you were to make a claim on your fire and theft van insurance policy, you would be expected to pay the first £100 in repair or replacement, whichever was applicable. Likewise, if you were to crack your windscreen and it needed replacing, you would have to pay the minimum of £50 towards the bill.
Those figures quoted are the usual expectations of a policy, but may be higher if you have taken out very cheap van insurance. The exact figures will be in your policy.
And, if you want to leave those figures at the minimum rate set out in your van insurance policy, that’s fine, but you will probably pay a higher premium for doing so.
If, however, you were prepared to pay a higher excess, using the examples above say £200 towards fire-damage or £100 towards a replacement windscreen, your van insurance would attract a smaller initial premium.
This works wonderfully well if you do not make a claim for the life of your premium. If, however, you do have to claim, you will have to honour the amount of voluntary excess you indicated you were prepared to pay for any claim when you filled in your van insurance application before the insurance company will settle the balance, on your behalf.
Amounts do vary, from broker to broker, so it is worth obtaining several comparison prices, before taking the plunge. It can be a gamble, so choose wisely.
Immobilise increases in your van insurance policy
Today, we look into the I of our S.I.L.V.E.R. preparation guide for obtaining cheap van insurance, swiftly and simply, using the internet as your platform.
The I is for immobiliser. This is simply an addition to your van, that can range from a basic twist and lock type fitting to a fully integrated system which safeguards your van, even if you leave the motor running – so long as you activate it, of course!
The cheapest type of immobiliser is literally like a plug and play device; you can even mount it externally if it is a sports car you want to enhance the protection of. Probably more suited to a vehicle that you may want to immobilise say, on your drive over the weekend, as it doesn’t work with a running motor, this type of device is a one-turn key fitting, simple to install and even available from e-bay, so you have no excuse not to have one, as you do not even have to leave the house to order one!
Nonetheless, for the sake of a fiver, it is another weapon to arm yourself with in your quest for the cheapest possible van insurance.
A more advanced device, that will require a level of installation as it has its own power supply and wiring, is the ‘key out’ immobiliser. This does run with the keys out of the ignition, as the name suggests. The main advantage of this configuration is that, if you need to leave ancillary devices running and leave the van unattended just for a few minutes – perfect for conserving fuel, rather than stopping and starting the engine every five minutes if you’re on a multi-drop run – you can. With its own power supply, you are less likely to run the battery down, too.
Another winning addition to your safety profile in the battle with the broker for very cheap van insurance.
If, however, you really want to impress the van insurance people, you can opt for an immobiliser that has driver recognition built in. Not only can you leave the van ticking over, but the system will immobilise the engine the minute an unauthorised person attempts to even move the vehicle!
This is a more sophisticated get-up, but is absolutely top of the tree when it comes to fighting van theft, and your van insurance broker will recognise this. The ‘eye’ scans the driver – even if the keys are left in the ignition with the engine idling, if the software doesn’t like the look of the person behind the wheel, it will shut down the van immediately the moment the handbrake is disengaged. In addition, the brakes are vented so that the wheels, in effect, have an air-lock. Any attempt to re-start the engine and the van will make like Herbie, with flashing lights and honking horn, until the rightful owner returns to disengage the immobilising software.
Now, tell me, which insurance firm is not going to offer you cheap van cover on that basis?
Cheap van insurance guide – part two
As part of your on-going drive to cut costs and prove that there is cheap van insurance out there if you look in the right place, we continue the guide by looking at the type of commercial vehicle you’re looking to insure and what purpose it will play as part of your business.
First of all, the van itself. Insurance companies look at your vehicle in a way that we, as commercial vehicle owners, don’t. That won’t surprise anyone, but it does help us to know where they’re coming from so we’re forearmed in our search for the cheapest possible van insurance.
There are three major aspects that brokers take into account when assessing your application. Like everything else in life, size matters. Your attempt to achieve knock-down van insurance is no different. Assuming that the second and third criteria, those being value and cost of repair, accrue at the same rate as the size, then the premium is usually more expensive the less likely you are to secure cheap van insurance.
Once you have to hand the details of size, value and cost of repair, there are three possible usages that insurance brokers see as your van’s purpose, to add to the equation.
1. Transport of your own products.
• This is the choice if the goods you plan to carry are your property until you deliver to your customer; this is also the option if your profession carries your tools of the trade, such as heating engineer, plumber or builder. You will be covered for use of the van for some personal use, outside of work hours;
2. Haulage or courier service
• If you are carrying someone else’s product from a to b and you are being paid for the transportation only; you have no input into the product you are carrying nor its intended purpose;
3. Social and domestic purposes only
• If you are only using for fun, and will never utilise its capacity for work purposes, this is the option to choose.
And that really is all there is to it for that part of your drill-down into cheap van insurance. The choices are straight forward enough, but now we know what criteria our van insurance is base upon, we can either choose wisely in our choice of commercial vehicle at the outset or budget accordingly, thereafter.
Cheap van insurance guide – part one
We all, for some reason, exhibit trepidation when it comes to renewing our commercial vehicle insurance. However, with the information gathered around us beforehand, even the least ‘tech-savvy’ of us can quickly and easily obtain a cheap van insurance quote from the internet, in minutes.
In this multi-part guide, we are going to outline all of the aspects to take you from an online van insurance newbie to a forearmed buying machine that will have your broker begging him to pay you for your business. Well, not quite, but it will enable you to obtain the cheapest possible van insurance quote, based upon your circumstances.
First and foremost, then:
What type of van insurance does your vehicle need?
There are three main policy options, all providing differing amounts of cover; the obvious up-front cost to your business will be reflected in the choice of van insurance you opt for:
(fully) comprehensive van insurance
- as the name suggests, this is comprehensive insurance and is the most substantial of all policies offered. It covers for damage to your vehicle, either accidental or malicious, as well as the benefits of third party, fire and theft
third party, fire & theft van insurance
- this option covers you against damage to or loss of your vehicle as a result of any of the following circumstances: theft, or attempted theft, lightening, fire and explosion. Also, you are covered against third party only:
third party only van insurance
- this is the absolute minimum cover requirement, under UK law, by which you can drive a van on the road. If damaged is caused by a.n.other, a ‘third party’, you are covered, but you are not insured for loss or damage to your vehicle, even if you are the perpertrator.
Those are the basic essentials, but there may or may not be additional benefits provided by an insurance broker to entice you to place your business with them.
In the past, you may have been used to a courtesy car, as part of your policy, if your own vehicle was being repaired; some may have even taken you from door-to-door. This aspect is a bonus, or sales gimmick and not a legal requirement; if that element is important to you, look for the that option in the ‘additional’ section when obtaining your cheap van insurance quote.
Likewise, windshield road-side mending may be included in some comprehensive policies, but not in others; do take care to check the small print.
Tracking down cheap van insurance
When it’s that time of year again to search for cheap van insurance quotes, there are various aspects that brokers look for to enable them to give you the best deal. To put yourself in the best haggling position, you can refer to our back up as a quick overview to arm yourself, as you go into battle.
Over the course of this week, we are going to link to each of the S.I.L.V.E.R. components and take a look at them in more depth. We understand that each one has a value when it comes to negotiating cheap van insurance, but what practical purpose does each element offer you, the businessman or woman?
In no particular order, let’s start with Vehicle Tracking.
There are plenty of different manufacturers on the market and cheapvaninsurance.co.uk does not align itself with any of them – this is not a sales page, purely an overview of what you should expect when you install Vehicle Tracking Software.
Corporate benefits of real-time vehicle tracking
The first reason why insurance brokers are more likely to offer cheap van insurance if you have Vehicle Tracking fitted is because the likelihood of discovering the vehicle after a theft increases dramatically. The wireless communication protocols used to transmit data from the vehicle back to the hub or mainframe where these digital signals are converted into human-friendly reports and graphics stretch the length and breadth of the UK.
No matter where your vehicle is on the mainland, the police will be able to trace its whereabouts. Insurance companies obviously like the idea of not having to fork out to replace a reported missing van but, when it comes to renewing your van insurance policy, there are far fewer fraudulent claims to take into consideration with Vehicle Tracking in place, protecting the price of your premium; in theory, anyway.
Another reason why you, the entrepreneur, should fit your fleet of commercial vehicles with GPRS/GSM/GPS technology is, purely and simply, the R.O.I. that is delivered straight back to your bottom line. Drivers are a lot less likely to be tempted into stray pastures if they know Big Brother is watching them, improving efficiency to such an extent that these devices may pay for themselves, in the long term.
And you do not have to have a fleet to harness this ‘real-time’ traceability. There are plug-and-play variations available for single-van operations, too.
The manufacturers have worked hard with tracking devices to reduce their impact on your server. Most come with a single, easy use password protected website (perfect to point your broker to when haggling for very cheap van insurance) with no complicated or dedicated software packages to install and maintain. The monthly fee is usually ‘what you see is what you get’, with no hidden costs nor maintenance issues that could lead to extortionate IT labour rates.
And the best of it is, all of the information can be turned into hard-copy reports for future budgets. History patterns of slow or idle traffic may help you to negotiate bespoke delivery times for customers outside of peak traffic hours to suit them and you, all wrapped up in a way it looks like you’re doing them a favour.
Around the clock (usually one-minute interval) updates allow you to relate to your customers if a delivery is held up in slow-moving traffic. Plus, there is always the ‘emergency collection’ – with tracking, you have immediate visibility to which driver is best suited to be diverted and make that pick-up, promoting you as a hero to your customer.
Vehicle tracking is an absolute must in today’s very real supply and demand market; you can see why insurance brokers are prepared to offer cheaper van insurance to those companies wise enough to go that extra mile and install it.
