Van insurance: How to save money on your policy

Buying a van insurance policy is not difficult. You don't even need to speak to anyone nowadays with plenty of online options for insuring your van.

The difficult part is getting the best deal. Research undertaken by the RAC has revealed that thousands of tradespeople are overpaying for their van insurance. According to the RAC, the issue is such that now one in three people overpay.

So how do you save money on van insurance?

One of the tactics employed by insurance companies is auto-renewals. These are usually more expensive, so make sure you know when you current policy expires and inform your insurer that you won't be automatically renewing your policy. This way you can challenge them to match the quotes you receive elsewhere.

As previously mentioned, searching for van insurance options is simple. Get online, visit a price comparison website and enter the necessary details about yourself and your van. You'll be presented with a range of insurance options.

As tempting as it is to go for the cheapest option - be sure to take note of what each policy offers. You'll probably need contents cover included in your policy, especially if you store expensive tools in your van. Imagine the cost of replacing stolen equipment. The cheapest deal may not be the best deal.

Some vans are cheap to insure

Consider your current arrangements. If you have a big van and find that you aren't using it to its capacity then it might be worth downsizing. Smaller vans are not only more economically efficient, they're generally cheaper to insure.

Vans that are cheap to insure include the compact Renault Kangoo van (Groups 2-5), the small Citroen Berlingo van (Groups 1-4), the Vauxhall Vivaro medium van (Groups 4-5) and the large Peugeot Boxer van (Groups 5 to 7).

If you're going to add other drivers to your policy, make sure that they actually need to be able to drive your van. Young drivers, or drivers with penalty points will push up the cost of your premium.

Van security

Making your van more secure can also bring down your insurance. Installing things such as an alarm, immobiliser, tracker and steering wheel lock may require an initial outlay but will save you money in the long run.

Citroen's Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay vans all come fitted with 'Trackstar' vehicle tracking as standard. In 2012, 19 of 21 stolen Citroen LCVs were recovered using the software, 60% of which within one hour.

New vans on finance

At Vansdirect, we offer a fantastic range of cheap new vans. Call us on 0845 021 0444 or enquire online for a free, no obligation quote.