Business Van Insurance

About business van insurance

• Do I need business insurance for my van?

  Depending on how you’ll be using your van, you’ll have the option of taking out private van insurance or business van insurance. If your van will only be used for domestic and leisure purposes, you’ll only need a standard private policy. This allows you to go about personal and family activities that may require you to transport lots of equipment for camping or specialist sports like skiing or surfing.

  The main purpose of your van, however, may be to carry out work for others. This could include painters and decorators, electricians, plumbers or people helping with removals. For this it will be necessary to take out a business van insurance policy, as your transport will be a core part of the service your provide to the public.

  Carrying equipment to places of business – whether a regular commute, occasional trips to a regional office or roaming around different venues – will fall under business use. This also covers events providers like mobile DJs, catering or other party planning needs.

  When it comes to car boot sales, you may wish to take lots of items to trade as a one-off occasion, which could be permitted under a private van insurance policy. However, if you regularly attend car boot sales with a van full of wares, you could be considered a commercial trader and require business van insurance. It’s best to include this information when seeking out a new policy to ensure you get the right cover for your van’s usage.

• Types of business van insurance

  Vans allow you to utilise a great deal of extra space for cargo that you wouldn’t have access to with a car. This makes owning a van an attractive prospect for those needing to transport cargo for delivery, take a lot of their own tools on the road with them or provide a service for those moving house.

  When it comes to the contents that’ll typically be carried in your van on a regular basis, there are three types of business van insurance to cover certain types of cargo:

  • Carriage of own goods: Self-employed van owners who use various tools and equipment to carry out their trade will ideally require this level of cover. This kind of policy can also apply to private van owners who may use their own van to commute to work or to other sites like remote offices or client meetings.
  • Carriage of goods for hire or reward: If your van is used to deliver goods to various destinations, this type of cover will suit. Prominent examples of this include deliveries of packages or groceries purchased online, especially if reaching numerous customers in different locations every day.
  • Haulage: Unlike hire or reward, haulage refers to deliveries where large quantities of single type of product will be taken to a single drop off point. This will generally be suppliers bringing vast amounts of new stock to a warehouse, or transported from a warehouse to an outlet, so items can be put on general sale.

  Cover for the goods inside your van is often based on having a specific business van policy in place, which is why it’s important to ensure you seek out the appropriate insurance if this is your van’s primary purpose. Additional goods cover of one of these types can then be included as part of your policy.

• Choose Arkwright for your specialist insurance

  Finding specific business van insurance to suit your exact situation can be tricky. That’s why it’s important to deal with knowledgeable experts who can help to point you in the right direction for all your unique needs.

  At Arkwright, we have a team of insurance specialists able to talk you through the various options available. Simply get in touch with us and we can discuss your specific requirements to find you a policy that’s just right for you.

  Call us on 01204 392 525 today and let’s have a chat about your business van insurance needs. Through our wide-ranging and diverse panel of insurers, it’s our mission to provide you with the best possible quote for your unique situation.