subject: Private Contractors And Commercial Van Insurance [print this page] . Of course these vans also need to be insured, as do all vehicles in the UK. The problem however, is that many small business owners remain unsure as to the type of insurance they require.
Much of the confusion arises from the fact that many business owners only have one vehicle which they use for private use as well as business use. In other words, many of them will be using their vans for social reasons, and in some cases, their vans are only used once or twice a week for business purposes. This has led to some people believing they can just take out regular insurance rather than commercial van insurance because they use their vans more for private use more than they do for business purposes.
Unfortunately, the law doesn't see it this way. If you have commercial van insurance, you can almost always use the vehicle for social reasons, although this is something you should still clarify when you apply for cover. If on the other hand you have private van insurance, you are strictly forbidden to use the van for any type of business activity.
If you're driving the van without commercial insurance, and you end up being involved in an accident, you'll have been paying your premiums for nothing, because your insurance company will simply refuse to process your claim. You'll also be in trouble with the law, because essentially, you were driving an uninsured vehicle.
Perhaps you were just making a few deliveries when another driver crashed into you, so how will that driver's insurance company know whether or not your van was being used for business reasons? In fact, how will your own insurance company ever know?
Insurance companies don't pay for damages unless you can provide them with a police report, and yes you guessed it, the police are going to mention it in their report if they have reason to believe your van was being used for business purposes. Their report will even include a list of all the contents in your van, so as you can see, there's not much chance of pulling the wool over anybodies eyes.
While it may seem unfair to some people that they are required by law to have commercial van insurance, particularly if they use their van mostly for social reasons, there is essentially nothing you can do about it. Fortunately though, there are several things you can do in order to keep the cost of cover down.
First of all, you need to see to it that your van isn't an easy target for thieves. Make sure it has an alarm and an immobiliser, and preferably also a GPS tracking device. Try to keep your van locked in a secure area at night rather than parking it out on the side of the road. If your van gets parked on your property under lock and key, you'll automatically save money on insurance. Avoid purchasing top-of-the-range vehicles with big powerful motors. These cost more to repair and they cost more to replace if they get stolen, and that equates to a higher risk for insurance companies.
Lastly, you need to shop around, and then shop around even more. The cost of insurance can vary dramatically from one provider to the next, and it's only by searching around online that you'll find the best van insurance deal possible.
by: Tom Jones
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