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Electric van insurance

Our van insurance also covers electric vans, and includes battery and charging cable cover

With Direct Line you'll get our standard benefits as well as cover for your electric van's battery and charging cables. This means peace of mind knowing your vehicle and its essential components are covered.

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Here's what customers say about our van insurance.

  • No admin fees if you want to make changes to your policy.
  • Up to five drivers, including the policyholder, on one policy.
  • Tailored e-documents that show only the cover you have.
  • We can cover your electric van whether you use it for work and leisure, or just leisure.
  • Your No Claim Discount is safe against uninsured drivers.

    Comprehensive cover only. You'll need to give us the other driver's registration number, make, and model to make a claim. Non-fault claims only.

  • Make a claim with our online claims journey.

    Comprehensive claims only.

Explore insurance for your electric van

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What does insurance for electric vans cover?

Along with comprehensive cover for your electric van, you'll also have peace of mind knowing that essential components like your van's battery and charging cable are protected, ensuring seamless operations on the go.

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

Comprehensive

A broad van insurance policy that covers you for a range of eventualities. Our comprehensive insurance for your electric van includes:

  • Third party liability cover
  • Fire and theft insurance
  • Accidental damage cover
  • Permanently-fitted audio equipment 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 support
  • Personal belongings cover (up to £250)
  • Personal accident cover (up to £5,000)
  • Medical expenses (up to £100 per person)
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  • Charging cables

    Charging cables and your home charger are covered for accidental damage, fire, and theft. You'll be covered should someone trip over the charging cable while charging your van at home or away from home.

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  • Battery cover

    Whether it's leased or owned it's covered against accidental damage, fire, and theft.

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  • 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).

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  • 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.

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  • Vandalism promise

    If you make a claim for damage to your van that's a result of vandalism, i.e. 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.

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  • Guaranteed Hire Van

    If your van's being fixed by one of our approved repairers, we'll give you a small hire van, such as a Ford Transit Connect, to drive until yours is ready for the road. If you prefer to use your own repairer, or your van has been written off or stolen, you'll still get a small hire van for up to 21 days in a row. We'll also cover the travel costs if your van is stolen or you have an accident abroad - up to £15 a day for up to 21 days following your claim. Excludes windscreen claims.

    Our comprehensive cover includes Guaranteed Hire Van as standard. During this time, if you need a van that’s a similar size to your own – such as a medium or large van – to help keep you moving, consider adding our optional extra of Guaranteed Hire Van Plus.

Third party, fire and theft

This level of insurance provides cover if you injure other people or cause damage to their vehicles or property, as well as if your van is stolen or damaged by fire.

  • Charging cables and your home charger are covered for fire and theft
    You'll be covered should someone trip over the charging cable while charging your van at home or away from home
  • Battery cover - whether it's leased or owned it's covered against fire and theft
  • 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).

Optional extras

For an additional price, you could also add the following to your van insurance policy.

No Claim Discount Protection

If you have at least 4 years' No Claim Discount, and you and all named drivers have no more than one fault claim within the past three years, then you’ll be eligible to buy No Claim Discount Protection.

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

You'll no longer be eligible if claims exceed the above numbers. Your premium may still increase following a claim.

Motor legal expenses

If you're involved in a road traffic accident in your van where you aren't to blame, this covers the legal costs of bringing a claim for your uninsured losses 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 for legal costs is £100,000.

Guaranteed Hire Van Plus

We know your van's your livelihood, so we'll keep you moving if it's damaged, written off, or stolen. Our comprehensive van insurance includes the offer of a small hire van as standard. However, if you need a van that’s a similar size to your own – such as a medium or large van – you'll need to add Guaranteed Hire Van Plus to your policy:

  • 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 or stolen, or if you decide to use your own repairer
  • We'll also cover the travel costs if your van is stolen, or you have a traffic accident abroad - up to £25 a day for up to 21 days following your claim

This is available as an optional extra only with comprehensive van insurance. Excludes windscreen claims.

Rescue Add On

With Rescue Add on, in partnership with Green Flag (who are part of our same group of companies), you can choose breakdown cover for the UK, Europe or both. This can be added to both comprehensive and third party, fire and theft policies.

Rescue Rescue Plus Recovery Recovery Plus Euro Plus
Roadside assistance
24/7 help if you break down, over a quarter mile from home including a tow to a local garage if we can't repair your van by the road
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Unlimited call outs
You can call us out as many times as you need. You may be charged if you call us out for a repeat problem within 28 days
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Cover at home
We'll come to the rescue at your home in the UK
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National recovery
If your van can't be fixed locally that day, we can take you and your passengers to one destination of your choice in the UK
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Onward travel
We'll arrange a hire car or overnight accommodation or alternative transport if your van can't be fixed locally that day
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European cover
All of the benefits above when driving in Europe
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Important information about the insurance policy for your electric van

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.

If you choose to automatically renew, you can switch to manual renewal at any time online using our help page. You'll still get a renewal invite before the policy end date, but cover will stop if other arrangements aren't made.

Whether you choose the convenience of automatic renewal or choose manual renewal, your renewal price won't be any higher than one given to a new customer with like-for-like details.

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), and you have not made a claim or had one made against you, 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, and if you have not made a claim or had one made against you, 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).

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, an electric car, a motorbike or a company vehicle (where you were the sole user)
  • Be less than two years old
  • 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.

Van insurance policy documents

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

These can also be found when you log into your account.

Here are examples of our latest van insurance documents, showing the main covers we offer, plus exclusions.

Frequently asked questions

While the driving range of electric vans varies depending on the make and model, some electric vans (e-vans) with a longer range can travel between 150 to 250 miles on a single charge. Although range anxiety can be a concern for some drivers, the growing network of charging stations across the UK means you can power up on the road.

Yes, electric vans can tow caravans and trailers. However, certain makes and models are more suitable for towing than others. If your day-to-day work involves towing heavy loads, it's worth researching towing capacity before you make an investment.

Electric vans can be cheaper to run than diesel or petrol vans because electricity can cost less per mile. Especially if charged at home using an energy company's EV tariff.

The good news is that there's more choice than ever if you want to switch to an electric van. With added range and charging options, you can find one that meets your budget and business needs. The best way to decide is to do your research and weigh up the pros and cons of owning an electric van.

Electric vans only use electricity stored in their battery that needs to be plugged in and recharged. Hybrid vans use a combination of both an electric battery and petrol or diesel. You can choose a plug-in hybrid or a model that recharges itself using regenerative energy.

We would not include cover for charging cables, home charger or battery cover for a hybrid van. Our insurance for electric vans is specifically designed for fully electric vehicles.

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