How Does Van Insurance Differ From Car Insurance?

Whilst they may both look aesthetically similar, insurances for both cars and vans can be very dissimilar.

Like other vehicle insurances, van insurance can be broken down into three categories -

• Fully Comprehensive Insurance - this is the most expensive form of cover, but provides the most benefits should you need to make a claim. Whether it's making a claim because of wear and tear, theft or a more regular claim fault, an accident, it doesn't make any difference as you will be fully covered. Furthermore, the one main thing Fully Comprehensive insurance covers that the other insurances don't cover is if you were to be involved in an accident, and the other party didn't leave their insurance details, you are fully covered and can expect to receive full compensation.

• Third Party, Fire and Theft Insurance - a popular choice amongst young drivers, Third Party, Fire and Theft cover ensures that you are covered should your vehicle suffer damage due to fire, be stolen or is involved in an accident, are to blame and the other party claims against you. The one thing it doesn't cover? Claims for your own vehicle involved in an accident where you aren't to blame, should you make a claim.

• Third Party Insurance - the most basic level of insurance, making it the cheapest. This is the legal minimum amount of cover needed. It covers the vehicle owner in the event of a third party making a claim against them, should they be involved in an accident and are rendered liable.

So how does van insurance differ from car insurance?

To qualify for van insurance, your vehicle should carry less than 4 people (including the driver), be designed to carry goods and must have a Gross Vehicle Weight of 3.5 tonnes or less.

Most insurance companies also require any van insurance holders to be aged 21 or above. Under that age, the risk is too significant to insure, meaning premiums would be too expensive.

In must also be noted that a lot of companies do not include cover for contents such as tools in your van. A percentage of companies do include this in there cover, but their premiums are often higher than those who do not include this extra cover. Instead, it's often recommended to take out separate cover for the contents of your van, as it can, quite frequently, work out much cheaper.

Further to this, you will have to create a much more tailored quote if your van is going to be used for use in the motor trade or as a vehicle for a full time driving role. Most insurance companies won't include this in their standard van insurance policies so give them a call to ensure you're covered.

A lot of people still believe that their van can be covered under a regular car insurance policy. This is, in its entirety, not true and a separate van insurance policy must be taken should you wish to be fully covered when driving your van.