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Van insurance

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New customers only. Introductory offer ends 17th May. Voucher available once the policy is in-force 30 days and valid for 12 months.

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Defaqto Commercial Vehicle Insurance award

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  • No admin fees if you want to make changes to your policy.
  • Up to five named drivers on one policy.
  • Tailored e-documents that show only the cover you have.
  • We can cover your van whether you use it for work, leisure or both.

What is van insurance?

Van insurance allows you to use your van or pick-up for your business, e.g. to carry your goods, tools or equipment to different locations as part of your working day.

When you compare van quotes, choosing cheap van insurance isn’t always the answer. Learn more about our commercial van insurance below or get some more information on our private van insurance.

Get a quote
or call us on 0345 301 2882
Get a quote Call us on 0345 301 2882

Van replacement

Whether you use your van to transport tools or pursue your passion, we'll keep you on the road when things go wrong.

If your van's written off in an accident, we can:

find you an equivalent replacement

pay you the van's value in cash

find you an upgraded van (you'll only need to pay the difference) Comprehensive cover required. Subject to availability. Excludes theft claims. Minimum van purchase price of £3500. An exact match may not be available.

What does van insurance cover?

Our van insurance offers two levels of cover, comprehensive and third-party fire and theft, details of both covers can be seen below.

Types of van insurance we offer

A broad commercial van insurance policy that covers you for a range of eventualities.

Our comprehensive van insurance includes:

  • Third party liability cover
  • Fire and theft cover
  • Accidental damage cover
  • Permanently-fitted vehicle audio cover

    (cover is unlimited if the audio is fitted as part of your van's standard equipment, otherwise cover is up to £1,000).

  • Windscreen repair and replacement cover
  • Tools and equipment cover (up to £500)
  • Personal belongings cover (up to £250)
  • Personal accident cover (up to £5,000)
  • Medical expenses (up to £100 per person)
  • Hotel expenses -

    if your van can't be driven after an accident or loss covered by this insurance, we'll pay your hotel expenses for an overnight stay (up to £150 for the driver or £250 in total for all the people in your van).

  • New van cover -

    if your van has been stolen or written off, we'll replace it with a new one of the same make and model if it's less than a year old and you're the first and only registered owner.

  • Uninsured driver promise -

    if you're hit by an uninsured driver and it's not your fault, we'll cover your excess, and your No Claim Discount won't be affected. You'll need to give us the other driver's registration number, make and model.

  • Vandalism promise -

    if you make a claim for damage to your van that's a result of vandalism, ie damage caused by a malicious and deliberate act not by another vehicle, you won't lose your No Claim Discount. An excess applies. You'll need to give us a crime reference number.

This covers you if someone makes a claim against you, and if your van is stolen or damaged by fire.

  • Third party liability cover
  • Fire and theft cover
  • Permanently-fitted vehicle audio cover

    (cover is unlimited if the audio is fitted as part of your van's standard equipment, otherwise cover is up to £1,000).

Types of van insurance we offer

Optional van insurance extras

For an additional premium, you can also add the following to your comprehensive van insurance policy or your third party, fire and theft policy:

  • No Claim Discount Protection – your No Claim Discount won't be affected by one claim made during the current period of cover, or by two claims arising in the three preceding years of insurance.

    If you have at least 4 years' No Claim Discount, you and all named drivers are at least 25, and all have no fault claims within the past three years, then you'll be eligible to buy No Claim Discount Protection. You'll no longer be eligible for this cover if claims exceed the above numbers. Your premium may still increase following a claim.

  • Motor legal expenses – if you have an accident involving your van where you aren't to blame, this covers the costs of bringing a claim against the person responsible, where we agree there's a better than 50% chance of your claim succeeding.

Examples of losses we cover include:

  • compensation for personal injury
  • loss of earnings
  • the cost of repairing or replacing your business tools, equipment and products damaged in the accident
  • accident repair costs, if you don't have comprehensive van insurance

The standard limit is £100,000.

  • Small or Similar size Courtesy van – whether you use your van for business or leisure, we know that your vehicle is your livelihood. So, if your van is damaged, written off or stolen we'll keep you moving with a Small or Similar sized courtesy van, plus:
    • Choose one of our approved repairers and you can keep it until your van is fixed.
    • You'll still get a hire van for up to 21 days in a row if yours is written off, stolen or you prefer to use your own garage.
    • We'll also cover the travel costs if your van is stolen or you have an accident abroad - up to £15 a day (up to £25 a day with Similar size courtesy van) for up to 21 days following your claim.

Comes as an optional extra only with Comprehensive. Keep in mind, this doesn't include windscreen claims.

Get a quote
or call us on 0345 301 2882
Get a quote Call us on 0345 301 2882

  • Make changes to your van insurance policy

    We won't charge you admin fees if you want to make changes to your policy, but your premium may go up or down as a result of any changes you make.

    If you don't tell us about any changes in your circumstances between the date you buy the policy and the policy start date, or after the policy start date, it could invalidate all or part of your policy, and we might turn down claims or not pay them in full.

  • Renewing your van insurance policy

    We may set up your policy to renew automatically, saving you time and making sure you're always covered. You can change this at any time by calling us. We'll securely store your payment.

    We'll send you a renewal invitation in good time before we take any payment. If at that time, you don't want us to automatically renew your policy, or you want to make changes to your policy before renewing, please call us.

  • Cancelling your van insurance policy

    Our cancellation and complaints procedures are detailed in the policy.

    If you cancel your policy

    • before it's due to start, we'll refund the premium you paid us in full.
    • within 14 days of getting your documents, or the start date of your policy (whichever is later), we'll refund the premium you paid us, minus a charge for the number of days we've insured your van for.
    • after those 14 days, we'll refund any premium paid for the remaining term of the policy, minus an admin fee for cancellation of £50.40 (including Insurance Premium Tax where applicable).

  • Legal requirements

    We'll calculate your premium using the information you give us. If you give us incorrect or inaccurate information, it could invalidate all or part of your policy, and we might turn down claims or not pay them in full.

    English law will apply to this policy, unless you and we agree otherwise.

  • Your No Claim Discount

    We may ask for proof of your No Claim Discount (NCD). If we do, it must:

    • have been earned in the UK (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) or the Republic of Ireland
    • be from your previous UK or Irish insurer
    • be written in English
    • clearly show the NCD level in years, rather than a percentage
    • be in your name, as the policyholder, or in the name of the business (if the policyholder is a company)
    • have been earned on either a van, a private car, a motorbike or a company vehicle (where you were the sole user)
    • be less than two years old

  • What else do you need to know?
    • Insurance cover is subject to our standard policy wording.
    • Drivers must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid full UK or EU driving licence and must have lived in the UK for at least one year.
Get a quote
or call us on 0345 301 2882
Get a quote Call us on 0345 301 2882

Van insurance policy documents

View and download our policy documents here:

When you get a quote, we'll send you a personalised policy document that shows the cover you've chosen.

You can see examples of a generic policy summary below. This shows the main covers we offer, plus exclusions.

The following policy documents apply to policies that were bought or renewed on or after 19 November 2019 but before 16 February 2020.

The following policy documents apply for policies effective from 16 February 2020 but before 25 October 2020.

The following policy documents apply for policies effective from 25 October 2020 onwards.

Related links

Van insurance groups explained

Find out how your premium is affected by your van insurance group.

Read more

Private van insurance

Looking to insure your van for personal use? Learn more about our private van insurance.

Read more

Insurance for tradespeople

Learn more about our business insurance policies.

Read more

Frequently asked questions

  • Q What type of van insurance do I need?

    Commercial van insurance is needed if you use your van or pick-up for your business. For example, moving tools, equipment and your own good to varying locations as part of your usual working day.

    Private van insurance is for when you use a van as a personal vehicle only – but it will also cover you if you use your van for commuting. For example, if you have a van to take your dog's down to the local park, but also use it to drive to and from a single permanent place of work, private van insurance is what you need.

  • Q Do I need van insurance?

    Van insurance is a legal requirement under the Road Traffic Act if you own or drive a van or pick-up, unless you declare the vehicle off-road (SORN) and keep it on private property. If you're pulled over by the police, they can issue you a fine and points on your licence for driving without insurance. But the penalty for driving without insurance doesn't necessarily stop there. If the case goes to court, you could face an unlimited fine and even disqualification from driving, which means putting a halt to your business activities. The police also have the power to seize and destroy your vehicle if you’ve driven it without insurance.

  • Q Can I add other drivers to my van insurance policy?

    Yes, you can up 5 drivers on the policy inclusive of the policyholder.

  • Q Am I insured to drive my van abroad?

    If you are driving in any of the countries listed in the policy booklet, your policy is automatically extended to provide the same level of cover as you have in the territorial limits for up to 90 days in every period of insurance. Your vehicle will also be covered during journeys between those countries by a recognised carrier.

  • Q Do I need a Green Card for my van post Brexit?

    Please check general advice about driving your van in the EU after Brexit, or for more information about how Brexit will affect your van insurance click here.

  • Q Can I get more than one van on my insurance policy?

    No, you can only have 1 vehicle on your van insurance policy. Simply get a quote for a new policy by clicking here.

  • Q How old do I need to be to have a van policy?

    If you're aged 21 or older, and you've held a full UK driving licence for at least one year, you're able to take out van insurance with us. Just click here to get your online quote.

  • Q How can your job affect van insurance?

    When changing your occupation, we suggest that you review your annual mileage and class of use at the same time. This is to make sure that you have the correct mileage and use, which may have changed due to your new job role.

  • Q How can I reduce the cost of van insurance?

    There are a few ways to reduce your premiums from ensuring your van is secure to proving you're a safe driver. Read our 7 tips for lowering your premium.

  • Q What do I need to get a van insurance quote?

    Before you start your van insurance quote, you'll need to have a few details to hand. You'll need to tell us your name, date of birth, address, driving history, what type of licence you hold and how long you've had your licence.

    Van registration number and details - We'll need to know the value of the vehicle, the number of seats the vehicle has, body type, annual mileage, modifications, the month and year the vehicle was purchased and the address where the van will be kept overnight.

    Driver details - We'll need each driver's name, occupation and driving history, including any claims and motoring offences they've had.

    Type of cover - You can choose between comprehensive cover, i.e. cover for repairs to your vehicle because of accidental damage, vandalism or an accident, or third-party fire & theft cover.

View more questions

Last Updated: 7 April 2021