Modified van insurance: making sure you have the right cover white van on the road

Modified van insurance: make sure you have the right cover

Van modifications affect which van insurance group you fall into and the type of van insurance policy you need. Learn more here…

One of the reasons why vans are the multi-purpose kings of the road is that they can be modified to suit your specific tastes and needs. Van enthusiasts will pimp and tweak their ride until they have a unique, eye-catching vehicle and plenty of commercial van drivers like to do the same. But if you make any changes to your van will it affect your insurance?

Even if all you change is putting in a new stereo, getting a re-spray or adding new roof bars, you still may have to review your insurance to keep your policy up to date.

1. Make sure you are in the correct van insurance group

When you apply for van insurance one of the first things an insurer considers is which van insurance group applies to your van. There are 20 different groups set by a governing panel that includes members from the ABI (Association of British Insurers). They take things like costs of repairs and parts, engine size and weight into account to work out which group your van is in. Check your insurance to make sure your cover is correct.

2.What is the factory specification?

Then you have to think about how your van differs from its original factory specification. It’s important not to overlook that if you’re buying a second hand van it may have already been modified. If you have, or a previous owner has, added hundreds of pounds worth of roof bars or fitted a tail lift, you’ll need to make sure those changes don’t affect your van insurance policy.

3. Don’t forget about the insides

Remember that even if the bodywork stays the same plenty of changes can happen on the inside of your van. Even simple modifications like ply lining and racking out the back could impact your policy. While in most cases adding value to your van will see your premium go up, this isn’t always the case, so it’s important to notify your insurer and keep your policy up to date.

4. Be clear about the purpose of your van

Each commercial van on the road performs a specific purpose and many are fitted to provide specific industrial functions. This is why commercial van insurance will always be specific to you. 

The reality is that even a simple paint job could change your insurance. Liveried vans that identify the trade it’s used for and hint at tools or expensive cargo inside can cost more to insure as they’re more of a target to thieves.

5. Don’t overlook security improvements

Improvements to your van needn’t always add to your premium. Extra security measures like engine immobilisers and high security locks may add to your van’s value but also add to the van’s security. This is one way you can see your insurance premium go down. Make sure you’ve checked how your van has been modified by the previous owner[s] to make sure you’re insurance is still valid.

With other considerations like driving imported or left hand drive vans, it’s important to make sure you check you have the right van insurance for your vehicle before you start putting some miles in behind the wheel.

Van Insurance

Last Updated: 30 Oct 2015