Author: News Desk

Admiral Van Insurance WARNING: April 2018

Posted on by News Desk

If you get your van insurance from Admiral then this message could be the most important you have ever read? Keep reading to discover more…

As regular readers of CVI will be aware, ourselves and Admiral are really good buddies. They are on our “hotlist” of recommended van insurance companies and regularly feature in the list of companies that offer you a quote after filling in our 3 minute form.

The relationship between ourselves and Admiral is as strong as ever…although could the honeymoon period be about to come crashing down? Keep reading…

So, if you are already a customer of Admiral then you might be wondering why you are being WARNED, as of right now…in April 2018? It’s because you might have been double charged for your van insurance.

We already know that van insurance is expensive in the UK right now, especially if you live in big cities such as London. Nobody can afford to get double charged!

That is what happened though, as it recently came to light that Admiral double charged hundreds of their customers last month. This includes van insurance customers (YOU).

If you are a van insurance customer with Admiral then I recommend you check your bank account right away and make sure they haven’t taken out twice as much as they should.

It was an innocent mistake of course, as Admiral are one of the most trustworthy van insurance companies in the UK who have served millions of satisfied customers over the years.

Sometimes, these glitches just happen though. An error in the system. “Blame the robots,” is what I say.

As you would expect, Admiral are working hard to rectify the situation, and are saying that anyone who was double charged for their van insurance in March, won’t be charged in April. Once that happens then everyone is friends again.

With that being said, I would advise all Admiral van insurance customers to check their bank account in April 2018, just to make sure there are no more double charges.

However, be rest assured that if you do get double charged by Admiral then you can expect one of their customer service team to contact you right away.

Don’t worry though, because I reckon that Admiral have now got all of this sorted out and we won’t be hearing anything else about their van insurance customers being overcharged.

That is why I advise every CVI user to feel confident about choosing Admiral van insurance if they happen to be one of the best quotes you receive.

Make sure you fill out our 3 minute form first. Don’t go directly to the Admiral website because you want to make them compete against all of the other van insurance companies for your business.

Kind of like in the days of the Gladiators, where the warriors of Ancient Rome would march into the collesium for a no holds barred old fashioned fight.

That is what happens when you use Cheap Van Insurance, and that is why they call us “The Nations Favourite.”

White Van “Night of Terror” in Hartlepool

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A quiet night in Hartlepool soon led to a “night of terror” for one family. Who was to blame? Yes, you guessed it…the white van man.

Just when will they learn? Never, In my opinion.

Cheap Van Insurance enthusiasts will be well aware of how white van drivers have been attempting to make a new start for themselves in places such as Nevada and Siberia. That didn’t work out very well, and now…they are back on UK roads.

Such as this night in Hartlepool, where, at 1:45am in the morning the only sound was of the occasional milk float busy with a round of deliveries or those crafty but educated van thieves “tricking” their way into vans.

Then, all of a sudden, and without warning…a CRASH, and the sound of broken glass, and then it was all out WAR in that quiet Hartlepool neighbourhood.

A white van man war you must understand, where the van is the weapon, so to speak, and the only reason for battle is rage and discontent.

Actually, there is a bit more backstory to this particular incident, but to make a long story short it had something to do REVENGE.

That’s right. The driver of the white Ford transit van believed that his cousin was being treated badly by her boyfriend. So, instead of applying to be on the Jeremy Kyle show so they could battle it out on national television, he decided to take matters into his own hands and seek out a BATTLE on the streets of Hartlepool

The first act of battle was to crash into the Volkswagen Golf parked outside the house of the boyfriend. This was the sound of broken glass that woke everyone up.

In no time at all everyone in the house was outside in the front yard, still in their pyjamas, and then…the second act of battle…drive directly at everybody in front of you.

That is exactly what this particular white van driver did…he drove at the three people who were standing outside of the house and then pinned them up against the wall with his van.

One of those pinned up against the wall was the boyfriend of the van drivers cousin, and the other two were his mother and his friend.

A neighbour who witnessed all of this unfolding described the scene as “terrifying.”

Fortunately, it didn’t go any further, and the white van man cooled down enough to put his Ford transit in reverse and then drive off into the night.

Not surprisingly, the Police soon caught up with him, and then a few months later he had his day in court.

An 8 month suspended sentence is what he got for that night of terror, as well as a 2 year driving ban, a fine of £2500 and £340 costs.

Not only that, but the white van man, who already had van insurance costs of £5000 a year due to a previous conviction of drink driving, said that he expected to see his insurance costs hit £15,000 a year once back on the roads.

£15,000 is a lot, no doubt, but if you do the crime then you must pay the price.

Of course, for white van men and women the only place to get your van insurance is right here at the Nations Favourites. See how much you could save by filling out the simple 3 minute form.

White Van Drivers Throw Away Ham Sandwiches

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In a survey that has sent shockwaves around the country, it was revealed that so called “white van men” are throwing away their ham sandwiches.

It’s a tradition of course, for your average white van owner to take a packed lunch of ham sandwiches with them on a hard day of work…a tradition that now seems to be coming to an end.

According to the survey, it is “fruit, vegetables, and salad,” that tradespeople are now consuming at lunch time. Sure, they might still have a flask of tea and even a chocolate digestive, but, when it comes to healthy eating they are right on track.

The survey went on to find out that white van drivers are also swapping the traditional British fry up for more healthy options. Maybe some Greek yoghurt with sunflower seeds? They can leave it in the fridge overnight…ready for eating first thing in the morning.

Also, these van owners are getting out of their vans it seems. Usually, during the winter, they spend most of their time sat in the van with a blanket and thermal gloves, but this winter they have become more active, hitting the gym at least twice a week.

1 in 10 admitted they even hit the gym at least 5 times a week, typically going at the end of a work day to pump some iron and jump rope, no doubt.

Do you know what though? In my opinion this whole healthy eating and exercise regime is good for the white van man. Regular readers of this blog will be only too familiar with stories of “rage” and “discontent.” Going down the gym gives them an outlet for their frustration, so they are more calm throughout the day.

The survey went on to profile white van drivers even further, asking them questions about their lifestyle and interests. The answers were fascinating.

Football is the most popular activity for white van drivers, with 54% saying they watched or played it on a regular basis, with another 29% saying they preferred rugby.

Snooker is the indoor sport of choice for your average van driver surveyed, with most of them saying they enjoyed either playing it down the local club or watching it on the TV.

Interestingly, 12% said that scuba diving was a hobby, something which could be done while “on tour” abroad, although Siberia or Nevada probably wouldn’t be good destinations.

As we get further into the survey then it paints a picture of your average “white van man,” so to speak, as an angelic choir boy who couldn’t melt any butter in his mouth.

For example, 40% of those who took part in the survey said they were concerned about the so called stereotype of the white van driver, while 27% said they thought it was unfair. A further 60% claimed they were polite and understanding while on the road, while 47% stop on a regular basis to help other road users.

I wonder if this includes cyclists? As we all know, drivers of white vans and cyclists have a long running and bitter feud on our nations roads, which many times results in violence.

While white van men might be throwing away their ham sandwiches, the one thing they are not throwing away is cheap van insurance. “The Nations Favourite” is what many of them shout when it comes time to renew their van insurance, and then within 3 minutes they get quotes from around 40 companies and brokers.

Admiral On Tour – Madrid Bound…

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One of the partners to Cheap Van Insurance is Admiral, that well known company who are always on the TV.

When you fill out the 3 minute form on this website then you can expect Admiral to be one of the companies offering you are a quote. Are they the cheap? I don’t know, fill out the form and find out is my advice.

Right now everything is good between CVI and Admiral. We are friends.

However, if a recent news story is to be trusted then Admiral could soon be following white van men out of the country…to Madrid.

Off they go…on a cold Monday morning on a Ryanair flight to the Spanish capital, and after touching down and after saying a “Hola” to their driver, they will then be taken directly into the Madrid city and into an empty office block.

This isn’t a holiday you must understand and there will be no sun, sea and sangria. Oh no. What we have here is your classic example of a company going AWOL from British shores after Brexit is here.

So right there in the centre of Madrid, in between the tourist shops and postcard sellers…well, one sunny afternoon in the heat of the Spanish Summer.

The kind of Spanish afternoon where, if the sun shines too long on your plastic roller shutters then they become stuck, and you have to wait until the sun goes down so they cool off.

Well, on that particular afternoon there will be a Spanish sign maker in dungarees up a ladder outside the office block in Madrid, and in no time at all, “EL ADMIRALO” will overlook the Madrid skyline.

There may even be a white van man on tour passing by on the busy road below, on his way back to the UK.

So does this mean that CVI and Admiral will no longer be able to continue their famous partnership…the partnership that has potentially saved the UK public a lot of money.

Actually, while Admiral are looking to diversify their operations because of Brexit, they will have an office right here on British shores, just like they always have.

Just like your average white van owner. Sure, they like to travel and they like to go on tour, but when it comes down to it they know where their bread and butter is. Right here in the UK of course.

If you are looking to get your next van quote and considering Admiral as one of the insurers, then my advice is to check with our 3 minute form first.

You get a quote from Admiral and you also get quotes from around 40 other van insurance companies and brokers.

If Admiral offer the best quote then great, you win. If someone else offers the best quote then great, you win.

I think the message here is that everytime you use Cheap Van Insurance as your starting point for getting quotes…you win.

The Van Thief “Houdini” Terrorising The Nation

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There was a time when van thieves were primitive in their ways. Sure, the famous “Houdini” had his tricks, but the thieves had not caught up.

While Houdini was doing his famous escape tricks to wow amazed onlookers, your average van criminal was still operating with a crow bar.

“Smash the windows and get the loot,” they would shout to their fellow gang members, and then everyone would scramble to get a piece of the pie before the rozzers showed up.

These days most of those old timer van criminals have their feet up and are enjoying their retirement, but that has given way to a new type of criminal to enter the underworld of van crime.

The gangs are way more organised than your old timers, and operate with the kind of wit and cunning that Houdini would have been proud of.

Take the recent story of a plumber in Hartlepool, who parked his van in the same spot that he had been parking for years. Outside his home. The place where thousands of tradespeople park their vans, of course.

In days gone by this was a great place to park, because the van owners would quickly be alerted to something going on.

As soon as a crow bar smashed the window then your average plumber, back then, would have been alerted, even at 2am, and would then be able to grab his plunger and give chase.

However, the year is now 2018 and van criminals operate in a completely different way. Some people are calling it magic.

This particular plumber in Hartlepool had a camera watching his van you see, and when he went down the next morning and found £2000 worth of tools stolen, what he did was go straight to the video tape.

On that tape he saw something so amazing, and so bizarre, that he would no doubt have paid good money to see it performed on the stage.

Pay for it he did though, with £2000 worth of tools out of his van.

What he saw on that tape was a gang of thieves walk by his van in the early hours of the morning, before the birds started singing. Silence would have been the main focus of the neighbourhood, and a passing cat the only movement.

What he saw though, made his jaw drop in awe and his mind wonder…”Just what is going on here?”

That is because those van thieves managed to unlock his van without even touching it.

It is the kind of trick that would make ordinary people scratch their heads and wonder if they were dreaming. The plumber wasn’t dreaming though, and his tools just vanished right into the night.

While it’s easy to look at this as some kind of magic trick, the reality is that these gangs are now armed with remote devices, that can be used to flash the lights of the van and unlock it.

My advice to protect yourself against this? Make sure you get as much van insurance as you can, the kind of insurance that protects you in the event of tool theft.

The Day Van, Man

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We have heard about the white van man, that has been covered a lot right here…but what about the “day van man?” Not many have heard.

Fortunately, the day van man (or woman) is the kind of driver that is not causing trouble on the roads of the UK or Siberia. No. They are much more relaxed.

What is all this about exactly? Well, a “day van” is a special combination of campervan and van, which has become very popular over recent years.

In the past no-one knew exactly what a day van was, but these days they are lining up to buy them, credit cards in hand.

The main problem is that insuring these things is not always straight forward because the van insurance companies are a bit confused.

“Is it a campervan or is it a van?” they often say, while sitting at their desks and twiddling their thumbs. “No, It’s a day van,” the customer will say, getting a bit hot under the collar (not white van level) and becoming frustrated.

This frustration doesn’t lead to rage and it doesn’t lead to discontent…there are no unleashings and nobody is being unchained.

Instead, all the day van drivers do is to inform and educate. They explain exactly what a day van is, and then once the van insurance company has a clearer picture of what they are talking about then they feel more confident of offering the right kind of insurance.

However, day van owners might no longer have to spend time on the phone explaining themselves to van insurers. The reason? Because there is a new insurance product in town…one that caters specifically to insuring day vans.

It is offered by Caravanwise and they know all about day vans and how to insure them. Visit their site or give them a call is my advice, although before you do that make sure you fill out the form right here.

Where? The Nations Favourite…van insurance comparison website that it, the place where thousands of van owners get the quotes that make them jump in the air with joy and fist pump when those cheap quotes start coming through.

Many have described the experience of using the form here at CVI as like getting your GSCE or A Level exam results…only to find you have straight A’s…a perfect score all round.

In that moment you would have a level of excitement that be difficult to surpass, especially after working for all those years in order to be a straight A student, and now you have done it.

However, the CVI form only takes 3 minutes but you still get that same level of excitement when you press the submit button and get the quotes.

No Van Insurance? Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk

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There used to be the days when milk floats were a common sight and sound around the early morning roads. People liked their milk…delivered.

In recent years your average milk float has gone the way of the dinosaurs (almost like ice cream vans), to the point where seeing a milk float is like seeing a calm white van man. It just doesn’t happen.

However, there are some people out there who still like their milk delivered in the morning, waiting at their doorstep and as they collect it in their dressing gown. For some it is a tradition they just don’t want to give up.

To fulfil this demand, your average milkman, or milkwoman, has decided to swap the milk float for a van…one of those light commercial vehicles is typically preferred.

So it’s good to see that milk is still being delivered in some parts of the country, like Bolton for example, where I hear that getting milk on your doorstep is still a common occurrence.

That is why on one cold morning on the streets of Bolton a light commercial vehicle drove around the empty streets. You might be forgiven for thinking the driver was up to no good, until you saw him get out of the van and then get some milk out of the back.

This milkman was just going about his business and doing the rounds…he didn’t expect what was about to happen next.

Suddenly, and unexpectedly, a voice came out of the darkness, “Freeze. Put your hands where I can see them. Down on the ground…NOW,” is possibly what was said, although no-one knows for sure.

It was the Police, and what appears to have happened is they had scanned the van. “Beep, Beep,” it sounded, and for your average man and woman in Blue, this is the green light they need to go in and take action.

So at 1:20am on a cold morning in the city of Bolton a tense standoff was happening. Would the milkman make a run for it? Maybe in the good old days of milk floats he would have decided to take off and let the Police give chase, but on this day he decided to give himself up.

He knew they had got him, and he knew exactly what for…no van insurance. That’s right. For some reason this particular milkman thought that driving around in the early hours meant he didn’t have to buy van insurance, but he was wrong.

The Police are everywhere, even in bushes, and it doesn’t matter what time of the day it is…they will get you, arrest you, and send you to jail if they find that no van insurance is the crime.

So now this milkman has to do the time…although there is no point in crying over spilt milk.

Much to the credit of Bolton Police they did recognise the fact that people would not be getting their milk now this van was off the road and the milkman was behind bars. That is why they allowed him one phone call, where they suggested he phone a mate to come and pick up the milk and get it out to customers.

So another van arrived. This time with insurance and enough space in the back to put the milk in there and then make the deliveries.

If there was Wi-Fi at the Police Station then I just hope the milkman took the time to visit Cheap Van Insurance, The Nations Favourite.

In 3 minutes he could have filled out his details, and then in no time at all get around 40 quotes. That is all you need to legally deliver milk.

He could have even used Cheap Van Insurance as a negotiating tactic in the interview room. “Look at the cheap quotes I’ve just got. I’m on the straight and narrow now, guv, no more bother from me,” he could have said to the Police officer.

With those words the milkman would have been back on the roads the very next morning, ready to deliver milk once again.

“Vantastic” is Fantastic? Maybe, But…

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With vans being stolen on a daily basis there is one thing that every van owner in the UK needs…protection! Not just any protection either…

What they want is the kind of van insurance policy that offers peace of mind if you should wake up one morning and find an empty parking space on your drive.

“My van used to be there,” you will say, followed by “It’s okay, I have protection.”

This is the kind of van insurance policy that Cheap Van Insurance enthusiasts have no doubt been waiting for…or is it? Let’s take a closer look at exactly what is going on.

“Vantastic” is the name of a brand new van insurance product for commercial vehicle owners around the country. It is has been produced by a Lancashire based company called BP Insurance Brokers, and what they want to do is offer the ultimate protection for business owners and their vans.

For example, if your van is stolen then they immediately give you a replacement van to keep your business on the road and trading.

During this time you can either hope that you van is found or you get a cheque through the post from the insurance company…but it’s good to know that you can keep on trading and not lose any money.

BP Insurance Brokers have obviously put a lot of thought into this new van insurance policy and it also appears they have got a bit creative in the process.

Enter “Dave Van Dog,” the official mascot of “Vantastic” which is sure to get the attention of white van owners all around the country.

“Dave Van Dog,” might even become a household name in the near future, up there at the lofty heights with “Churchill the Dog” and those “Meerkats.”

I would imagine they might even venture into offering a “Dave Van Dog” cuddly toy with each new policy, as an incentive to get van drivers to do business with them.

The cuddly toy known only as “Dave Van Dog” could then take prime position in the front of the vans of roofers, builders, electricians, and carpenters…right next to the dashcams.

So is “Vantastic” really that fantastic? In my opinion, while it certainly sounds like a good product and you should definitely visit their website to find out more…what you should be doing is starting off right here, at The Nations Favourite in your search for cheap van insurance.

All you have to do is fill in the 3 minute form and then expect to get quotes from around 40 van insurance companies and brokers. Many of these will have many of the same features as the “Vantastic” product, and they might even be a bit more cheap. You never know until you compare.

Tool Theft Again! But…Reunited is the Man With Van

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Cheap Van Insurance enthusiasts will no doubt remember the numerous blog posts where I talk about tool theft. It’s headline news.

Unfortunately, most of the time those sneaky but clever van thieves are in your van, and then, with a crafty plan they are away with your tools…never to be seen again.

This usually means the tradesperson is left in a bit of a situation, because the simple fact of the matter is that most people out there do not include tool theft protection in their van insurance policy.

Maybe you think it’s too expensive? Think again is my advice, because all you have to do is compare van insurance, right here of course, and then you get the really cheap deals. Include some tool theft cover and you really won’t be paying too much.

Despite the fact that van tool theft is typically a crime that usually leaves police officers baffled, some of these incidents do have a good ending.

Take the recent story of Ryan Harman-Taylor who hails from the town of Weston-Super-Mare. He was having a great day due to the fact his second child had just been born, but then he returned home to find his van broken into and the tools vanished.

Yes, it was those cunning yet methodical van criminals I am always talking about, who are waiting to pounce no matter where you are in the country. Sometimes they drive all around the country, armed with an A-Z street book and circling the points of interest.

On this particular day they were in Weston-Super-Mare, and it didn’t take them long to find their target.

So they were in and out like a flash, and then…gone…back to base to offload the loot before hitting the streets again to get more loot.

Back to the story and it was £19,000 worth of tools that were stolen from that van, that day, and it left Ryan Harman-Taylor without any way to do his work as a carpenter.

In situations like this most tradespeople have to admit defeat and get directions to the local job centre, but in this story there was a twist.

For once the Police actually got their act together and apprehended the tool thieves. These particular thieves had been doing a lot of activity, to the point where Avon and Somerset Police were actively patrolling the roads looking for suspicious individuals.

It didn’t take them long to find the culprits, and after searching their property they found thousands of pounds worth of stolen tools, including the £19,000 worth of tools we have been talking about in the story.

So, the man with van is reunited with his power tools, and for once those criminals didn’t get away with it, although it wouldn’t surprise me if they avoid jail and are on the streets again in no time at all…the captured, once again the hunters.

This all just highlights the importance of making sure you have insurance for your tools. Don’t leave it a minute longer…fill in the 3 minute form now and be rewarded with 40 quotes from van insurance companies and brokers.

25% Off Van Insurance – Just Smile!

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How would you like to get 25% off your next van insurance policy? All you need to do is smile for the camera and it could very well happen.

The dashcam that is, or the Nextbase 380GW dashcam to be exact, where the manufacturers are making the bold claim that owning one (or two) of these bad boys will save you 25% off your next van insurance quote.

Why? Because the Nextbase 380GW comes with features such as anti-tamper technology and adjustable lenses for van windscreens, which means that van drivers are more protected from things that can potentially go wrong.

Tool theft, for example, is a big problem around the UK, where criminal gangs are becoming millionaire gangs, dressed in Gucci instead of bargain basement clothes.

Most vans are ripe for the picking and have about as much chance as a gazelle when faced with a pack of lions. It’s those magic keys, some people say.

Also, let’s not forget that there are a lot of loose cannons on the roads of the UK right now. Crash for cash scams are common, especially against commercial drivers.

Millions of pounds are lost each year from these kind of false claims, and that means the van insurance companies are losing out as well, because they have to pay out.

They pass the costs on to you, the van driver, which means that van insurance just keeps on getting more expensive year after year.

However, if you have a dashcam or two in your van and they are pointing the right way, then guess what? Those criminal gangs and crash for cash scammers will soon be saying “no thanks mate” when they see the camera pointing at them.

“Smile for the camera you will say,” but the Gucci gang won’t want any of it and they will go elsewhere to easier targets.

Do you have to specifically buy the Nextbase 380GW dashcam to save on van insurance, or will any make or model do? There are a few different options out there right now, so if you ask me, you might want to shop around a bit to see which one fits your needs the most.

A white van owner for example, will have different needs to a company that has a fleet of vans…but the one thing I do know is that a dashcam is definitely the way to go.

Once you have those dashcams installed then make sure you come right here, to the Nations Favourite, where you can compare around 40 companies and brokers that are prepared to give you a quote. All with the click of a button.

Step 1

Complete your quick and easy quote

Step 2

Reveal your van insurance policies

Step 3

Pick your favourite and get instant cover