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Business van insurance

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What is business van insurance?

Business van insurance, also known as ‘commercial van insurance’ or ‘company van insurance,’ covers vans that are used for work purposes.

There are different types of commercial van cover to suit the type of work you do.

For example, you’ll need courier or haulage insurance if you transport other people’s goods for payment or make deliveries. Exactly what type of cover you need depends on the exact work you do.

Aside from business van insurance, the other main types of cover are called personal or private van insurance.

Do I need business insurance for my van?

If you use your van for work, or own vans as part of your business, a standard van insurance policy may not cover you.

You can only use personal van cover if you’re only using your van for ‘social use’. This includes things like going shopping or visiting family and friends.

But you can’t use the van for anything to do with work, including commuting. So, even if you’ll only use your van for work occasionally, you’ll still need business van insurance.

If an annual policy seems like an unneccesary amount of time for what you need, temporary business van insurance might be exactly what you're after.

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*51% of van insurance customers could save £533.47 Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (March '23).
**Single annual policy. Shell Go+ account required. Only one £10 fuel reward can be used per transaction and each can only be used on fuel purchases of £10 or over. HelloFresh 18+ subscription service. Geographical exclusions apply. T&Cs apply

What level of commercial van insurance should I choose?

The level of business van insurance you choose will depend on your budget and how much cover you need. There are three main levels of cover:

  • Third-party is the minimum legal requirement that you need to drive on UK roads. If you’re in an accident, it'll cover damage to other people’s vehicles and any injuries sustained to others. But it won't cover you and your business van.
  • Third-party, fire and theft provides everything you'd get with third-party insurance. But it also insures your van against damage caused by fire and theft.
  • Comprehensive gives you all of this, plus it covers you and your business van for accidents that are your fault.

What type of business van insurance do I need?

There are different types of insurance cover, depending on how you use your van:

Business use or carriage of own goods is for drivers who mainly carry their own tools and equipment. It also covers social and pleasure use. But, it may not cover the tools or goods you carry in your van as standard.

Courier van insurance or carriage of goods for hire or reward is for delivery drivers carrying other people’s goods for payment. A basic level of courier insurance is legally required to cover damage to other people and their property. The policy usually won't cover the cargo you’re carrying. For this, you'll need goods in transit insurance.

Haulage business van insurance is for transporting goods that don’t belong to you on long journeys, involving just one or two stops.

How much does business van insurance cost?

The cost of business van insurance depends on how you use your van for business:1

Haulage or hire and reward

£1,650.55

Business use or carriage of own goods

£485.64

1Confused.com data Jan-Dec 2022. The median purchased annual premiums for different vehicle usage types for comprehensive policies.

It's important to choose the level of cover you need, rather than the cheapest option. Sometimes, fully comprehensive business insurance can be cheaper. So always compare cover levels when you get a quote to find the right commercial van insurance cover at the best price.

Your costs can also be higher if you:

  • Drive a bigger or more valuable van, or one with a more powerful engine
  • Don't have a good driving history
  • Own a business that the insurer determines is risky
  • Operate in an area with a higher crime rate due to theft risk

How can I get cheaper commercial van insurance?

There are many ways to get cheaper commercial vehicle insurance without compromising your level of cover:

  • Advertising your business on your van
  • Consider a black box policy
  • Join a trade federation
  • Improve your van's security
  • Use a dashcam while you drive
  • Increase your voluntary excess
  • Don’t auto-renew

Advertising your business on your van can help deter potential thieves and reduce risks for insurers.

Consider a black box policy if you’re a careful driver. Insurers use a telematics device or app to monitor your driving. It bases your insurance costs on the data it collects. The cost can go up or down, depending on how careful a driver you are.

Join a trade federation as some insurers offer discounts for members of trade federations.

Improving your van's security can make it less prone to theft.

Use a dashcam while you drive to make it easier to prove a claim where a third party is at fault.

Increase your voluntary excess. But be aware opting for a higher excess means you could receive a lower payout when you claim.

Don’t auto-renew! Instead, compare commercial van insurance quotes to find the cheapest policy.

Find more ways to reduce the cost of your van insurance.

We guarantee to beat your renewal. Or give you the difference, plus £20*

*Must be a like-for-like policy. T&Cs apply.

What does business van insurance cover?

All commercial vehicle insurance policies will differ slightly, so you'll need to check the details to find out exactly what's included. But it usually covers:

  • Loss, damage or theft of your vehicle
  • Medical costs for you and anyone else involved in accidents
  • Accidental damage
  • Legal fees
  • Personal accidents

What isn’t covered by business van insurance?

Commercial vehicle insurers will usually exclude any claims that relate to drug or alcohol misuse. They will also only cover the person and vehicle named on the policy.

It may be tempting to lie when applying for insurance, but it's always best to be honest. If you make a claim and an insurer finds you weren't truthful it could be rejected.

What extras can I add to business van insurance?

Commercial policies can offer the following extras to suit the needs of your vans, drivers and business:

  • Tools in transit
  • Breakdown cover
  • Courtesy van
  • Legal cover
  • Windscreen and window cover
  • Public liability insurance
  • Cover for European driving
  • Employer’s liability insurance
  • Sat nav and audio cover

Tools in transit covers any tools in your van if they get lost, stolen, or damaged.

Breakdown cover can help get you driving again so you don't miss a day's work.

Courtesy van cover so you can keep working if your van needs repairs. You’ll be given a temporary replacement vehicle until yours is back on the road.

Legal cover if you ever have to go to court due to an accident that wasn’t your fault.

Windscreen and window cover to cover repair costs for damaged windscreens or windows.

Public liability insurance. If your business is responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property. It's required if members of the public visit your business premises or you organise public events.

Cover for European driving is useful if you drive abroad as part of your business.

Employer’s liability insurance covers you if a member of staff injures themselves at work.

Sat nav and audio cover for any audio equipment and sat navs in your van.

How do I compare business van insurance quotes?

You could get a quote in just five minutes. If you’ve used us before it’s even quicker. Just log in and check your details are up to date. For first-time customers:

  • We’ll compare up to 52 van insurance companies to help find the right policy for your business
  • We’ll show you a list of quotes to choose from. You can view prices monthly or annually and add features (add-ons) that are important to you
  • Once you’ve bought business van insurance don’t forget to come back and choose a freebie with Confused.com Rewards**

We compare up to 52 van insurance companies to save you money

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What do I need to get a business van insurance quote?

To get an accurate quote, you'll need to give us some details:

Personal details:

  • Your occupation
  • Details of any additional drivers
  • Insurance documents

Van details:

  • Registration number or make and model
  • Any modifications
  • Estimated annual mileage

Need more help?

How old do I need to be to get commercial van insurance?

You need to be 21 or older to buy commercial van insurance.

Can I add additional drivers to a commercial van insurance policy?

Yes. Just like with standard van insurance, you can add additional drivers to a commercial policy. Just be aware that it might affect what you pay - especially if they’re an inexperienced driver.

Looking to add more than one driver to a single policy? Then any driver van insurance might be worth looking at. This lets you insure a vehicle, or vehicles, for use by multiple drivers - which can be handy if you have several workers using the same van, for instance.

Fleet insurance is also handy and can be useful if you want to cut down on the admin of insuring several drivers and vehicles at once.

To add someone to a van insurance policy, you’ll need their details when you get a quote. This includes things like their licence type, how long they’ve held it and whether they’ve had any previous accidents or driving convictions.

Can I get my business van insured under my company name?

Yes. If your van is registered to or owned by your company, some insurers will allow you to buy a policy under your company's name. But in some cases, the main driver must be the policyholder.

Can anyone drive a business van?

The categories on your driving licence will detail which vans and vehicles you’re qualified to drive. If you plan to drive your van for business use, you’ll need company van insurance to protect you and other drivers.

To be eligible to drive most heavy goods vehicles you’ll have to take a separate test, but there are some that you can drive on a standard licence.

Does commercial van insurance cover driving in Europe?

You may be covered for driving in Europe, but this doesn't always come as standard. Check your policy or contact your insurer to find out.

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What our van insurance expert says

With business and industry costs rising throughout the UK, companies want to save as much money as possible. If you compare commercial van insurance, you could save your business money.

Don't accept your renewal before getting quotes from our panel of insurance providers. It only takes 5 minutes and could give you a much-needed cost saving.

Confused.com van insurance customers rate us 4.7/5 based on 10006 Reviews.co.uk respondents - as of 31/05/23). Read our reviews