Van insurance

From pickup trucks, tippers, light goods vehicles and combis to campervans and motorhomes, vans come in a range of shapes and sizes and have multiple uses. But whether you own a van for personal use or you use it in a business capacity, if you drive it on public roads, you’ll need to make sure you have adequate van insurance. This is to protect you and other drivers in the event of an accident, or in case your vehicle is stolen or damaged. 

It's likely you’ll need either commercial van insurance or private van insurance at third-party level as minimum, but your policy can be tailored depending on how you use your van. Van insurance cover is available in various forms and at different levels. It’s important to bear in mind, though, that third party cover is legally required by law and your van is unlikely to be covered under an existing car policy. 

Van insurance varies greatly depending on the owner, so it can be hard to wrap your head around what type of cover you need for your van. Therefore, you might find it useful to know what’s included on a typical policy, the optional extras you can add and how much you can expect to pay for your van insurance cover.

What does van insurance cover? 

Like car insurance, van insurance covers you and others in the event of a road accident, as well as protecting you if your van is stolen, vandalised or damaged.  

If you drive a van on public roads, you’re legally required to insure it, but you can choose what level of insurance you get and you can add on optional extras to suit your own personal requirements. 

Exactly what’s covered on your policy depends on the type of van insurance you buy. Read on to find out more.

What are the different levels of van insurance? 

With van insurance, you can choose the level of cover you require, in the same way you can with car insurance. The levels are:

Fully comprehensive

Comprehensive van insurance is the highest level of cover, protecting you and your van – as well as third parties – in the event of an accident. It also insures your vehicle against fire and theft. 

Third-party, fire and theft 

The next level down provides protection for your van in case it’s stolen or damaged or destroyed by fire, explosion, lightning or self-ignition. You’ll also be covered for injury or damage to third parties. 

Third-party only 

This is the minimum level of cover that’s required by law, but it doesn’t give you or your van any protection. It only covers your liability for injury or damage you may cause to third parties.

What are the different types of van insurance?

You can choose which type of policy you take out, depending on what you use your van for: 

Private van insurance 

Also known as “social, domestic and pleasure cover” or “social use only”, this type of van insurance is for drivers who only use their van for personal reasons, such as going to the shops, transporting sporting equipment or visiting friends and family. It doesn’t cover commuting – even to a single place of work – but you can use private van insurance for the occasional car boot sale, as long as you’re not making a regular income from selling.

Business van insurance 

Business van insurance or “commercial van insurance” is for drivers who use their van in a business capacity – even if it’s just to commute to work. Business van insurance comes in three main categories: 

Carriage of own goods

Also called “carriage of tools cover”, this protects all the items inside your van, and includes personal belongings as well as work equipment. Self-employed tradespeople or drivers who use their van to get to work will need this type of insurance.

Carriage of goods for hire or reward 

This is sometimes called “courier van insurance”. It covers you for delivering other people’s goods or property to multiple destinations. 

Haulage cover 

Haulage cover is intended for drivers who deliver large loads over long distances to just one destination per job. 

Pickup van insurance 

This type of insurance comes in both business and private form. Because pickups are often open-backed, they’re treated differently to other types of van, meaning they need a different type of cover.

What can be added onto a van insurance policy? 

Because there are so many different types of van that are used for a wide range of purposes, many insurers will allow you to tailor your policy by adding on optional extras, such as: 

• Additional drivers 
• Any driver insurance 
• Breakdown cover 
• Personal belongings cover 
• Courtesy van cover 
• Employers’ liability insurance 
• Foreign use cover 
• Legal expenses cover 
• Multi-van cover 
• No-claims discount protection 
• Personal belongings cover 
• Public liability insurance 
• Tools cover 
• Wrong fuel cover 

It’s worth bearing in mind that some of these could be included as standard, so check your policy wording to make sure you’re covered for everything you need. 

How much does van insurance cost? 

The price of van insurance varies depending on the type of vehicle, what it’s used for and the driver’s individual circumstances, such as their driving history, how much driving they do and where they keep the van. 

There are some things you can do to try to reduce the price of your policy, though. These include: 

Increasing your van’s security 

You can do this by installing CCTV, alarms, immobilisers and trackers and keeping your van in a locked garage overnight. 

Changing the way you pay 

Consider paying for your van insurance upfront instead of in monthly instalments, which can cost more because of interest charges. 

Increasing your excess 

You can decrease the price of your policy by increasing your excess. Just make sure you can afford the extra excess in case you do have to make a claim.

Only getting cover for what you need 

Think carefully about which optional extras to add onto your policy to avoid paying for what you don’t need, and don’t overestimate the value of your van. 

Driving carefully 

Remember to mention any no-claims discount you have, as this can reduce the cost of your van insurance. Limiting how much driving you do can also lower the price, as spending less time on the road reduces the risk of an accident.

Shopping around 

The best way to do this is to go through a broker like A-Plan, as we have access to a large database of insurance companies. Just bear in mind that a cheap van insurance quote isn’t necessarily the best option, as you might not be getting all the cover you need.