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subject: Can I Use My Van For Doing Business, Or Do I Need Commercial Vehicle Insurance? [print this page]


Can I Use My Van For Doing Business, Or Do I Need Commercial Vehicle Insurance?

If you use your van to conduct any form of business which results in you receiving compensation, you are not entitled to drive it on regular private insurance. If you do, and you get caught, your existing insurance policy will become invalid and you'll more than likely get points against your license.

Any van being used for business purposes has to be insured for that purpose. In other words, you will need to get commercial van insurance, and you'll also need to declare the nature of your business. Also, if you use the van for transporting goods, you'll need to state whether it's being used for transporting light goods or heavy goods.

Again, if you declare it's for light goods, you're not allowed to use it for heavy goods. If you're ever tempted to ignore these conditions, just remember that insurance companies don't like parting with their money, and if you give them any reason to, they will refuse to honour your claim if you ever need to submit one.

Now of course you could be concerned about the cost of commercial vehicle insurance, but the truth is you can almost always find cover for a reasonable amount of money providing you're willing to shop around for it. It also helps to do some research because you'll discover several ways to keep premiums down.
Can I Use My Van For Doing Business, Or Do I Need Commercial Vehicle Insurance?


Type of Van:

Certain makes and models are targeted more frequently by thieves than what others are, so if you've not yet purchased a van, or you intend changing your current one shortly, this is definitely something to look into. Also, unless you really need it, try to avoid those with large motors as they cost more to insure.

Age of Driver:

Young drivers are charged more for insurance than what older drivers are, so if you you're going to be employing someone to drive for you, insurance will cost you less if you employ a driver who is older than 25. If you yourself are not yet 25, then there's not that much you can do about it, although in that case, you have all the more reason to shop around for cover.

Business Location:

Certain parts of the country have higher crime rates than other parts, and if your vanis being used primarily in one of those parts of the country, you'll need to do whatever possible to minimize the risk of theft. Having anti-theft devices installed will also count in your favour, and your rates will reflect this without a doubt.

Type of Cover:

The type of cover you choose will of course depend largely on the type of business you run, and the type of goods usually being transported in your van. For example, if you're an electrical contractor, the chances are your van is full of tools and stock, and as such, you need commercial vehicle insurance that covers the vehicles contents as well, rather than just the vehicle and its occupants.

In this short article we've just skimmed over a few key points, but the real secret to finding affordable commercial vehicle insurance cover lies in doing research, and then shopping around to get several quotes. Providing you persevere, you'll be able to find a great deal. Whatever you do, don't be tempted to use your van for your business if you don't have the proper cover. It's simply not worth the risk.

by: Tom Jones




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