Tag: October

Van Drivers Hit By Soaring Theft Costs

Posted on by News Desk

Instead, they drag their feet, forcing you to wait for a payout.The Alarming Numbers You Need to Know

To begin with, a new report reveals that theft from vans is draining a staggering £264 million every single year.

Even worse, a study commissioned by van-insurance company Honcho discovered that each van break-in costs tradespeople an average of £5,584.

As if that weren’t alarming enough, thieves break into a van somewhere in the UK every 23 minutes.

Some Insurers Respond Fast — Others Don’t

So what does this really mean for you?

For starters, while some insurers act quickly — often providing 24-hour replacement services for stolen tools — so van drivers and tradespeople can return to work almost immediately, others simply don’t.

Instead, they drag their feet, which means you’re left waiting for a payout.

Consequently, as the delays mount, you’re forced to watch valuable jobs — and crucial income — slip away.

The True Cost Of Delays

Unfortunately, the impact doesn’t stop there.

On average, these delays can put a tradesperson out of work for roughly an entire month.

Worse still, if you’re a sparky or a plumber and thieves hit your van, you could lose nearly two months’ wages just replacing the stolen tools.

Clearly, the financial hit can be devastating.

Shocking Gaps In Cover

But here’s the real shocker…

Despite the risks, 89% of van drivers still skip full cover for goods stolen from their vehicles.

In addition, 84% go without a courtesy van in their policy, leaving them stranded when theft strikes.

What You Can Do Right Now

So what should you do now?

First of all, it’s essential to strengthen your van’s in-vehicle security.

Therefore, consider installing lockable storage boxes and reinforced locks on every entry point.

Moreover, if your existing policy doesn’t include these crucial extras, it’s definitely time to shop around.

After all, choosing a comprehensive new van-insurance policy could save you weeks of downtime — and protect you from an even bigger financial loss.

Van Drivers Face Tax Hike Double Blow: Fuel Duty Rise And NI Increase On The Horizon

Posted on by News Desk

Double Trouble For UK Van Drivers

Brace yourselves, van drivers across the UK.

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has hinted at a double hit of tax increases heading your way next year.

And it’s not looking pretty.

Fuel Duty Freeze Could Soon Be History

Let’s start with fuel duty.

It’s been frozen for more than a decade, holding steady at 57.95p per litre since 2011.

But that’s about to change.

In an effort to recover the massive cost of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chancellor is reportedly considering lifting the freeze.

And here’s the kicker:

The proposed rise is between 3p and 5p per litre.

That means your average fill-up could suddenly cost you a lot more from April onwards.

Already Struggling? This Just Makes Things Worse

Let’s face it—this couldn’t come at a worse time.

The pandemic has already squeezed household budgets, especially for tradespeople and delivery drivers.

Many are still recovering from the loss of work and income during lockdowns.

So naturally…

Any increase in fuel duty is likely to hit van drivers the hardest.

Especially those who rely on their van for day-to-day income.

Self-Employed? Expect Higher National Insurance, Too

But wait — there’s more.

If you’re self-employed, you could soon be paying even higher National Insurance contributions.

At the moment, you pay 9%.

But from next year?

That could jump to 12%, putting you on par with employees.

Here’s the problem:

The self-employed don’t get the same benefits—no sick pay, no paid holidays, no redundancy.

So understandably…

The proposed rise is facing serious backlash.

What’s The Real Cost For Van Drivers?

Let’s break it down.

  • Rising fuel costs will eat into your take-home income.
  • National Insurance could increase, without giving you any extra rights in return.
  • Little government support exists for the newly self-employed.

Many van drivers feel the government is punishing them for working hard and staying independent.

But There’s Still A Way To Save

Here’s some good news at last.

At Cheap Van Insurance, we’re committed to helping you cut costs where it matters most.

While you can’t control the Chancellor’s next move…

You can still lock in great value on your van insurance.

So before next year hits your wallet harder than ever…

Make sure you’re not overpaying on insurance.

Because if these changes go through?

Every penny will count.

Van Driver Heroes

Posted on by News Desk

You know here at CVI, we’re always doing our bit to celebrate you, the unsung heroes of the UK, the relentless van drivers who get out there come rain, shine or COVID 19 to get things done. And what a lot of grafters you are. 

But it isn’t just us who want to celebrate the great British van drivers of the UK. What Car? Magazine have teamed up with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to find those great British van driver heroes that we all know and love. 

We know you’re a modest lot, but friends and family can also nominate you, and as a thank you, the best 10 van driving heroes will be chosen and their achievements and examples of going above and beyond will be celebrated across social media for their commitment to getting it done. 

The competition is fronted by TV personality Edd China and he too, will be sharing on his socials those winners, giving them a great bit of free publicity and of course, the recognition that they deserve. 

Getting involved is easy – just send in up to 300 words explaining why you, or a van driver you know, deserves the recognition and any supporting photos or video and send them using this link. But you need to move fast – entries close this Friday, 9 October. 

This has been quite an extraordinary year, so what better time to celebrate those extraordinary van drivers of any trade or profession who have done their bit and made a difference?

A Haunting Tale About Van Drivers in a Post-Apocalyptic Brexit World

Posted on by News Desk

Brexit. 

If like 99.9% of the UK population, you’ve given up trying to understand what the hell happened, what is going to happen and what’s real or not real, like the rest of us, you’re probably over it, and resigned to whatever will happen, will happen.

Let alone trying to understand what any of it actually means.

If you’re a UK van driver who drives their van… well, in the UK, the answer is that to a large degree, Brexit won’t affect you if it does actually happen on October 31st.

If you drive abroad, we hope you’ve looked into the implications in a little more detail, as it’s potentially the stuff of nightmares. 

The customs implications for importing and exploring in and out of Europe are many – there is the extra time it takes to prepare and procure the correct paperwork. There’s the expense of paying for customs charges, most of which will be charged back to the client, but will add extra costs onto your bottom line. Then there’s the time of waiting at borders to have your goods checked in and checked out. If you’re delivering fresh food items for a client – this could be a massive blow to them – and you.

Basically – you’re buggered. 

There is an action in place to try and ensure that if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, that both sides agree a continuation as things are until the end of the year, while a solution is sought, but this still has sticking points if you’re travelling through non-EU countries such as Switzerland and there will be restrictions on the number of deliveries that can be made under this agreement.

Added Van Insurance Costs

If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also need to ensure you have a foreign use extension to over any countries you deliver to. And a green Card driving permit to drive in the EU post-Brexit (currently not charged for by your insurance company, but give it time…) These Green Cards are only valid for a maximum of 90 days, so you’ll need to be sure you’re on top of renewing these to keep driving legally abroad. And you should already have one, but you need to be sure you’re not driving on a UK standard license – you’ll need an international driving permit.

While we wait with bated breath to see what happens, we at CVI can’t see how Brexit’s going to be a good thing for our international van driving friends. All you can do, is ensure you have a really good van insurance policy, that your paperwork is in order, and that you pack extra sandwiches for the inevitable long queue at customs. Sweet dreams all, don’t have nightmares. 

The Rise of White Van Woman

Posted on by News Desk

Last week, we reported on how dogs are becoming ever more ubiquitous in the passenger seat of white vans and taking on unpaid labour at the expense of your typical white van man.

If that isn’t bad enough, there’s more doom and gloom for your stereotypical WMV. 

While the reputation of the white van man is well known throughout the UK, it’s a fact that there is another force on the rise in our green and pleasant land.

White Van Woman is here, hear her roar! (Or at least hear her tell you to get your feet off the sodding table).

Back in 2017, a third of all vans were owned by women, but that was just the beginning.

Last year, the number of female van drivers surged by a whopping 52%, meaning that our trusty WMV could soon become an endangered species.

Cheaper van insurance for women

If that wasn’t bad enough, female van drivers pay less for their van insurance than men, sometimes by less than £1,000.

(They’re taking our jobs)!

“What is fuelling the increase in white van women?” I hear you ask.

As well as the obvious, that more women are working in what were historically male dominated industries, such as delivery and construction, more women are choosing to go self-employed, to give themselves the flexibility they need around childcare and emergency manicures (I may have made that last bit up). 

What are these women doing with their vans?

Women working in dog walking, care roles and cleaning are increasingly likely to choose a van as their primary mode of transport, as opposed to a more traditional choice of a little Fiat 500 or VW Beetle to get around in.

Not only that, a growing number of women are also choosing vans as their primary mode of transport to suit their home life – for all those surfers, cyclists and dog owners, it seems like a van is the perfect solution. 

Next thing we’ll know, the van makers will be offering added extras of pink fluffy seats or leopard print consoles, with extra space for handbag storage. (We don’t know why we’re continuing with these gender stereotypes – Mrs CVI knows more about football than any of us do and could out-drink any of us here by a long chalk, here at CVI towers).

Whatever the reason, I guess it was realistically only a matter of time. 

Male or female, you need to be sure you’re getting the very best deal on your van insurance. Simply fill out our 3-minute form, and let us do the hard work for you.

A Lesson In Dogonomics

Posted on by News Desk

A survey earlier this year reported that almost half of UK van drivers take their dogs to work.

If we consider that there are estimated to be 2.5 million vans on the road in the UK (which makes 1 in 24 of us a white van driver), that’s almost 1.25 million dogs. 

With a total of 9 million pet dogs in Britain, that means that 14% of the entire dog population of the UK are owned by van drivers.

Aww, how cute, right?

But what about looking at it from the other side?

Not only are these dogs getting free travel up and down the country that the rest of us would have to pay for, but some of them are taking an active role in the teamwork at the job sites they are going to. From supervising site operations, or sitting on parcels to make extra space in the van, all of this work is unpaid. 

(They’re taking our jobs)!

The average van driver covers 12,811 miles each year. We know that 1.25 million dogs are on the road, so they are covering over 160 million miles each year, without paying a penny toward diesel. Talk about getting a free ride! Touring the country, and, with the exception of the working dogs we’ve mentioned, barely lifting a paw to help out. Be assure, they are absolutely no bloody use when the M25 is backed up (again) and you need an alternative route, because their paws can’t work the satnav. The freeloaders. 

But do you know there are rules around taking your dog in your van? A dog without a harness, a cage or a dog guard is not only asking for trouble, but it also breaks the Highway Code (it’s Rule 57, if you suffer from insomnia and need something to help you sleep). 

If the worst does happen and you have an accident and your insurers discover your dog wasn’t restrained, it could invalidate your van insurance claim. And if your furry friend gets injured, you’ll also be in need of pet insurance, as any claim for doggy injuries won’t be covered. 

We don’t offer pet insurance, but if you are looking for a great van insurance deal that will be there if you (and your unpaid labour) need it, fill out our short form and save on your van insurance. We think you really should be asking Fido to pay his way too, but we’ll leave that bit to you. 

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