skip to Main Content
Call our team today01288 353 999Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat 9-12
Van Insurance

Let Us Compare Your Van Insurance

Insurance For Your Van

If you are looking for a van insurance quote look no further. Hodgson Insurance Services specialise in insuring vans up to 3.5 tonnes for customers who use their vehicles for their own trade or even for just social, domestic and pleasure use. 

With a large panel of the best and most well known UK van insurance companies we are ideally placed to offer you the very best policies at the right price.

To arrange a cheap van insurance quotation, simply click opposite, complete the online van quote form (takes about 5-10 minutes) and submit it through to us, a trained staff member will review your options, compare the market to find you the best van policy at the most competitive premium and come back to you as soon as possible with our recommendations.

Alternatively, for an instant quote please give our office a quick call during office hours. We can collate the information straight away and provide you with options straight away.

All types of vans up to 3.5 tonnes including Ford Transits, Peugeots, LDV, Renaults, Vauxhalls and more can be insured. We can insure lorrys that are heavier and also fleets, for more information on these options please call the office.

Lots of cover and driver options are available and we can insure most trades including builders, carpenters, gardeners, farmers, shop keepers, and grocers to name but a few.

Some Key Benefits To Obtaining Van Insurance Through Us

  • We search a large panel of insurance companies, to save you time and money. 
  • All types of vans quoted for up to 3.5 tonnes. 
  • Trucks over 3.5 tonnes also catered for. 
  • Low mileage discounts available. 
  • Introductory discounts available for 1st time van insurers, if you own another vehicle. 
  • Protected No Claims Bonus available. 
  • Courtesy vehicle available on Comprehensive cover. 
  • Windscreen cover included on Comprehensive policies. 
  • Occupation discounts.
  • Limited driver discounts.
  • FREE ‘no obligation’ quotes given. 
  • LOW broker administration fees.

Van Insurance Explained.
With Tips and Tricks On How To Reduce Your Costs.
And Why Use An Insurance Broker!!

Unfortunately (or fortunately for us) everyone in the UK who owns a van or a commercial vehicle must legally have motor insurance, and to someone who is fairly inexperienced to motor insurance the task of finding the most appropriate policy can be daunting.

Why Use An Insurance Broker

  • Going direct to an insurance company like Aviva Insurance or Direct Line for example, they say they can reduce their costs by cutting out middlemen, i.e. comparison sites or insurance brokers. This may be so, but they can only ever quote themselves and in most instances they are not going to be the cheapest option.
  • Comparison or aggregator sites work in a similar way to insurance brokers in the fact that they compare quotes through a panel of insurance companies. That’s about where the similarities end. With comparison sites you are responsible that the information you input is correct. The sites check for the cheapest policies, but the cheapest policies are often inadequate or have various restrictions or clauses like much higher excesses for young drivers, maybe no courtesy car or legal cover, limited mileage restrictions, or no European cover. These sites don’t explain these policy restrictions or conditions, it is basically down to you to read the small print and ensure the policy is adequate, we find most customers wont know about these restrictions until they make a claim and suddenly an insurer is refusing to pay out as they’ve not adhered to the policy terms. Check where claims are dealt with, to save on costs many use undertrained overseas claim call centres.
  • Insurance brokers will search a large panel of selected insurance companies and although they will look to find the cheapest policy for you, they’re main aim is to make sure the policy is right for your needs as a motorist, they will explain any policy restrictions or policy excesses etc. If you have any problems or need to make a claim you can speak to someone in the UK, a broker will also be able to provide you with advice on mid-term changes or claims. When the policy is due to be renewed they will automatically search the market again for you to ensure your current insurers are still the most suitable option for you. A direct company or aggregator site will not provide this level of service.

  So our advice, use an insurance broker!!!

What's The Right Level Of Cover For My Van?

Basically speaking there are 3 levels of cover you can choose from.

  1. Third Party Only. This is the basic minimum level of cover you can have for van insurance. In the event of an accident this policy will pay for any damage to someone else’s vehicle, property, or injuries to others, including passengers. You will have no cover for damage caused to your own van in event of an accident, is stolen or catches fire, although if you are in the right in an accident this damage can normally be recovered from the third parties insurers.
  2. Third Party Fire & Theft.  This is the same as third party only cover, but includes cover for theft of your van or if the van is damaged by fire.
  3. Comprehensive.  Also know as ‘fully comprehensive or ‘fully comp’ this cover will provide the same cover as per third party fire & theft and will also pay for any damage caused to your own van irrespective of whom was to blame. This cover will also include cover for windscreen or window damage and also damage to personal effects in the van (to a set limit), excluding business items.  A hire vehicle can often be given to you as well whilst your vehicle is being repaired.

    Nowadays we find Comprehensive cover is more often than not cheaper than Third Party only or Third Party Fire & Theft, so even if it’s a cheap van, don’t just assume TPO or TPF&T will be cheaper, we recommend checking all cover options.

What Will The Van Be Used For?

If you are using your van or commercial vehicle for a business, you must make sure the policy includes business use, and not just ‘social, domestic & pleasure’ use as this would be inadequate for a business van. However if you are retired or a housewife then make sure your policy excludes the business use as you wont require it.

Having a van which is used for S,D&P use though can put the cost up as insurers don’t like insuring vans which aren’t used for business.

Why Is My Van Insurance Expensive & How Can I Get It Cheaper?

  • Driver Age.  Young drivers and learner drivers are less experienced and are therefore considered more likely to be involved in an accident. Discounts will be given the older you get, but once you get to around 70+ your discounts will start to decrease.  As you get older your reactions often start to slow and stats show an increase in accidents arises in this age group. If you need ‘Any Driver’ cover, can you restrict the drivers age limit to over 25 or over 35 which makes it a cheaper risk than Any Driver over 17 for example. Named drivers is even better. 
  • Security.  If the vehicle has a standard alarm or immobiliser, insurance companies will not normally give a discount for this as it’s normally included within the group of the car.  If it has an aftermarket ‘Thatcham’ approved system or a tracker then additional discounts may be available. If the vehicle is kept in a locked garage or even off road then additional discounts can be given. 
  • Where You Live.  Being based in Cornwall we have one of the lowest rated areas in the country because of the low traffic density and lower theft risk. Larger cities are more expensive because the likeliness of having an accident is greater and normally are a higher crime rate.  Move out to the country to reduce your premium. Easier said then done!! 
  • Your History.  If you have been involved in an accident or made a previous claim, fault or non fault, your insurers must know, stats show persons who have an accident are more likely to be involved in another one within 3 years.  Motoring convictions will also increase your premium, even just one speeding conviction, so to help keep your premiums low, drive steadily. 
  • Vans & Commercial Vehicles.  There are currently a lot less van insurers than there are for cars. Car insurance is much more competitive as there are more cars than vans on the road, so there is more space for more insurers to take a share of the market. Vans are also used at more unsociable times, they tend not to be driven as carefully as private cars, and they have a large rate of being broken in to.  Having said this the claims rate is no higher than on private cars. 
  • Mileage.  Some trades require you drive a lot of miles a year. The more you drive, the higher your risk of having an accident. If your annual mileage is low make sure your insurance provider is aware of it, big discounts are available if you drive less than 6,000 miles a year, even an average 12,000 miles a year can see discounts. Check your mileage between recent MOT’s, this will give you an idea of what your annual mileage may be.
Back To Top