Tag: cheap van insurance

A Shot In The (Social Media) Dark

Posted on by News Desk

I marched into the office of our CNR and announced “You’ve done it…Our approval rating in the white van community is the best ever!”

“Thanks to your recent blog posts white van men are once more flocking to our 3 minute form in their droves…and the White Van Dog post from last week really was the cherry on top.”

Our CNR had the look of a heavyweight boxer who had just won the title back. A look of pride…A man who was now back at the top.

“Listen,” I said to him…”your last post about the White Van Dog got me thinking…if a dog has a social media following from the white van community, then, I think CVI should get a piece of the action as well.”

“You want me to hack the dogs social media account?” our CNR said, looking a bit confused.

“No of course not,” I replied. “However, pictures of these White Van Dogs are obviously popular…this could be a launching pad into the social media for CVI.”

“What I want you to do is head to the source…France, and find as many French Mastiff dogs as you can. Get them to do the “white van man pose” and then social media success will surely be ours.”

“It’s a shot in the dark,” our CNR responded..”But I like it, although…I’m not a photographer, I’m a writer.”

“That’s okay. I organised a freelance photographer to travel with you to France. His name is Chang.”

I handed him two train tickets to Paris.

“The limo will be waiting for you outside in 45 minutes,” I said as I walked out of the room.

“Oh…” I added as I was leaving….”there are no meerkats in France, I checked.”

Fast forward 24 hours and I was looking more closely into this whole social media thing.

I was pretty confident that CVI could become “The Nations Favourite” on Instagram, and maybe even Facebook. As long as we got some good photos of white van dogs…but Twitter? Maybe that would be more difficult.

If this social media thing really took off then maybe we could do away with blog posts once and for all…

Just then the phone rang. It was our CNR, who was now in Paris.

“How are you doing? Have you seen any white van dogs yet?” I asked.

“Not yet,” he replied. “I did see a minkey though.”

“A minkey?” I said, confused.

“No…a chimpanzee Meenky,” he replied, although at this point the phone line seemed to be a bad connection.

“A meenky?”

“No…a…I think there is something wrong with the Pheun,” he said.

“The Pheun?”

Just then the phone line went quiet The connection had been lost.

Has a simple shot in the dark just turned into another wild ride involving our CNR, yet again?

Why oh why can he not just take on a simple assignment and get the job done?

These are all questions I pondered as I left CVI HQ and got into my Rolls Royce.

Stay tuned for more…

The White Van Dog

Posted on by News Desk

You’ve heard of the Pink Panther, Green Hornet and Red Dragon…now get ready for the White Van Dog.

A French Mastiff named Roxy to be exact, who currently resides in our nations capital, London.

As the story goes, Roxy travels in a white van with her owner Nicky Morris on a daily basis. He is a delivery driver, who is always busy delivering parcels all around London, day in and day out.

Roxy is right there by his side, with her seatbelt on, keeping Nicky company and guarding the van while he makes a delivery to Mr Smith or Mrs Jones.

As regular readers of the CVI blog will be well aware…van crime is a national sport these days, which means having a bit of “protection” in the van is always a good idea.

As well as being a thief repellent – get this…Roxy has also perfected…

The white van man pose!

That’s right. Pictures confirm that Roxy the French Mastiff dog does a really good impression of a white van man, especially when leaning out of the window and giving you a stare.

Fortunately Roxy doesn’t follow up the impression with swear words and all out rage. She is a very chilled out dog, even if she does enjoy imitating the white van man.

Of course, the white van man reputation is very much exaggerated. If you ask me they are among the calmest and safest drivers on the road. That’s a fact.

Roxy, The White Van Dog, has built up her very own social media following with her impressions and impersonations.

Do you know what else? I reckon our favourite White Van Dog would also be a good match for CVI.

“Which one do you prefer…1 bark for those Meerkats…or 2 barks for CVI?”

“Woof Woof!”

The Nations Favourite White Van Dog and The Nations Favourite Van Insurance Comparison Website…the perfect match.

Then, as soon as 40 quotes come through from trusted companies and brokers…

“Are these the best quotes you have ever seen?”

“Woof Woof Woof Woof!”

“Good girl. Time for a treat!!”

According to Nicky, The White Van Dog is -”not just a pet, she is a celebrity courier, who drives around London delivering parcels to people. She has been with us for seven years, since she was a puppy.”

Here at CVI we raise our glasses to the White Van Dog. Long may you be delivering parcels in our nations capital and keeping up the good reputation of white van owners around the country.

What a Load of Rubbish! (White Van Man)

Posted on by News Desk

“Do you have a license for that?” said the council worker. “You what mate?” replied the white van man.

The council worker edged his nose further into the van window…

“The empty crisp packets and bottles, sir…do you have a license for that?”

“Your having a bubble bath, aint ya?”

You, the faithful reader of CVI might be thinking this is a laugh, but we can assure you this is no joke. This is something that actually happened.

In Hertfordshire to be exact, where a roofer was just chilling out in his white van and enjoying a break before he got back to fixing tiles and pointing up ridges.

Sure, there was empty crisp packets and water bottles in his van. Maybe even some empty pot noodles. Who cares? This is his van and his choice. Thousands of white van men do exactly the same thing. It eventually gets cleaned.

Well, it appears that white van owners are no longer safe. You can’t do what you want in your own van, without jobsworth council workers sticking their noses in and trying to rob you of your own hard earned money.

Like a modern day Dick Turpin, these council workers roam the roads of the UK with nothing better to do.

“A license or a fine,” is what they say, and unfortunately you don’t have any choice in the matter.

Just like the white van man in the story…he couldn’t produce a license so he got slapped with a £300 fine, all for having a few empty wrappers in his van.

“What a load of rubbish!” is what we say here at Cheap Van Insurance.

Isn’t it time these council workers got a real job, and left hard working white van owners alone to get on with theirs.

He wasn’t fly tipping. He wasn’t chucking it in someone’s garden. He wasn’t throwing it out of the window.

It was in his own van! These are crazy times, that’s for sure.

Here at CVI we would like to reach out to every white van man and woman who has ever been a victim of this kind of injustice.

These bureaucrats might wield their power over you with stupid fines but you can fight back using our 3 minute form.

The next time you get a £300 fine you can laugh in the face of the council worker handing it over.

“What’s so funny?” they will demand to know.

“I’m with CVI…I’ve already saved a packet!”

So what are you waiting for? Compare van insurance with us today and make a £300 fine seem like chump change.

Van Theft Hotspots – Don’t Park Here

Posted on by News Desk

Van crime is sweeping the nation like a big sweeping brush and no-one is safe. Trades people and delivery drivers. Everybody is a potential victim.

With that being said, there are some places in the UK where you are more likely to have your van nicked or tools “lifted.”

Van criminals are nippy as well. They are “in and out,” so to speak, and don’t mess about. They train for hours on end to perfect moves such as the “peel and steal,” and then, when it comes time to commit the actual act they are flawless.

Make no mistake about it these are not dumb criminals. These are masters of their craft.

So where is the number 1 place in the UK where they are most likely to strike? Romford to be exact, so be careful if you are doing a job there anytime soon.

You might just go to price up a job or make a quick delivery, only to find your van is gone by the time you get back.

Some van owners even make the huge mistake of leaving their keys in the ignition while they go to buy a kit kat, but if you do that in Romford then you will definitely be taking a break…without a van for the next few weeks.

Of course, some van insurance companies will offer you a courtesy van if yours gets stolen so you can keep on trading, although others don’t. Make sure you check your insurance details.

Birmingham was second on the list of van theft hotspots, with Halifax coming in third and Liverpool 4th.

If you live in any of these towns and cities then you can bet your bottom dollar that van insurance will be getting more expensive year after year. It’s a slap in the face, but what can you do?

The only thing I can think of is to compare van insurance right here at The Nations Favourite…CVI.

It doesn’t matter if you live in Romford, Birmingham, Halifax or Liverpool, when you use the power of Cheap Van Insurance then expect to get quotes that will make you wonder if what you are seeing is real.

Yes it is real, many van owners are saving hundreds of pounds off their van insurance, and its all thanks to our 3 minute form. Go to the top of this page and click on “get a quote.” You won’t be disappointed.

Some van owners might not need CVI quite as much though. For example, in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Kirkwall, Dumfries, Inverness and Perth…van crime is almost non existent.

I still wouldn’t leave your key in the ignition though, and I would still compare van insurance if you live in any of these places. Sure, you might already have it cheap, but with the power of CVI you can get it even cheaper.

The Truth About White Van Men

Posted on by News Desk

After the Dundee fiasco I found myself relegated to the office. A desk jockey, counting paperclips and making endless cups of tea.

I felt like a retired boxer in that office, although I could still smell the leather and hear the roar of the crowd.

As a CNR my natural instinct is to be out there…on the streets…in the action.

Maybe I had one more “prize fight” left in me? Let’s wait and see…

Just then the boss came into my office.

“Our approval rating has gone down 7% in the last 5 weeks among white van men. Research suggests it is your “Cardiff news story” that has led to the drop,” the boss said.

“I was just telling the truth,” I replied.

“Maybe…but white van owners are our bread and butter. I need you to write a piece that puts them in a favourable light. Don’t blow smoke up their rear van doors…just make the white van community look good,” he said.

And with those words the boss walked out of the office.

So here I am right now. Tasked with the assignment of making our nations white van owners look good. Maybe if I do a great job then CVI will get me a new limo and limo driver? I got to work.

The Truth About White Van Men

A common misconception about white van men is they are all dangerous drivers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, during research in 2014 it was discovered they are 50% less likely to be involved in an accident than car drivers.

Another myth about white van drivers is they drive aggressively and get frequent road rage. This is false, or at least, false in the sense they don’t drive any more aggressively than any other road users. There is no evidence to suggest that white van men are anymore prone to road rage than car drivers, motor bike users or cyclists.

One particular false accusation is that white van “men” are all male. Not at all, and just like we have reported about before on our Cheap Van Insurance Blog…it is the white van “women” who are currently taking to the roads in their white Ford transits and LCV’s.

Yet another myth is the belief that white van men get cheaper van insurance than other van owners. Not true. The most important factor is your location. For example, if you own a blue van in Dundee, then you will most likely pay less than a white van owner in London.

The main reason why many white van men pay less for van insurance is because they have made CVI their home.

They fill in the 3 minute form and let us do the hard work. Around 40 quotes later and they find what they are looking for.

“CVI really is the website for white van men,” said white van men all around the country.

Vanarama Unleashes iVan The Terrible?

Posted on by News Desk

“Hi, my name is iVan the chatbot, which of these options can I help you with today?” said the bot at the other end of the webpage.

This is what every visitor to the Vanarama website will see from now on when they want to get help.

So what can iVan help you with? Buying a new van is one of the things you can do at Vanarama, although they also offer van insurance.

“Great. My name is iVan the Chatbot. Can I have your first name, please?” Said iVan as you select the van insurance option.

“Did you have a particular vehicle in mind? I’m pretty sure we’ll have the best prices,” iVan the chatbot goes on to add.

Pretty confident isn’t he? And his smooth talking will probably work on some people…although not on those van owners who have heard of CVI.

Not one to back away from a challenge, or a duel, we are confident CVI is the place where you will find the “best prices.”

Vanarama vs Cheap Van Insurance…

We challenge YOU to put us both to the test…

You can visit Vanarama and then chat with a chatbot and get some monotone responses…

and then

You can visit CVI and fill in our 3 minute form. It’s ridiculously simple and there are no chats bots. Just a no-nonsense style form that is dedicated to getting you results.

Some might describe this battle as like iVan The Terrible vs Alexander The Great.

“Yes they really are great,” many people are already shouting.

“The Nations Favourite!” many will go on to add.

Listen, we are not trying to blow smoke up your rear van door here. This is real. You really can save a packet in the next 3 minutes.

By all means go to Vanarama and see what they are all about with their new chatbot, and then come back to the safe haven of CVI, with nothing automated and nothing futuristic. Just good old fashioned cheap van insurance…the way it should be.

I can’t even imagine your average white van man, so to speak, attempting to have a conversation with a bot.

“Hi, my name is iVan the chatbot, which of these options can I help you with today?” said iVan.

“You what mate?” replied the white van man.

All out anger would likely win the day, and then, right back to CVI…the only place a white van man can get a straight forward quote with no palava.

So Alexander The Great wins this battle, and if you fill out the 3 minute form you will soon find out why we are the greatest…van insurance comparison website.

Van Insurance is Down…OMG!

Posted on by News Desk

A recent report by Consumer Intelligence has come up with one thing we were not expecting…van insurance prices are down.

According to them, the prices have gone down an average of 1.7% compared to last year, giving us an average price of £1240.

However, if you are using your van for work then don’t break out the pot noodles, ham sandwiches and flasks of tea in celebration just yet.

The reason? Because “worker vans” have only seen an average drop of 0.9%, which isn’t really much to get excited about.

On the other hand, people who use vans as a substitute for their car have seen the biggest drop at 5.5% during the last year.

These are the people who check the “social, domestic and pleasure” box on their van insurance application form and then use their van to go and see friends or go on a picnic.

They are not like you, the hard working van owner who is just trying to make their bread and cheese…surely it should be YOU who is making the real savings and not people driving around for pleasure.

That is why I would like to use this blog post as a rally to all those hard working builders, carpenters, roofers, electricians, man with vans, white van men and white van women…

I want you all to UNITE and shout “this is not acceptable!”

“0.9% is a joke,” you should also shout…

You have bills to pay and you have to put food on the table. It should be you with the 5.5% price drop. You are the one who deserves it more than anyone else.

Well, you can use this opportunity to fight the power and hit back with your own counter punch.

If those van insurance companies want to slap you in the face then you should retaliate with right hook.

If those van insurance companies come at you with a baseball bat then you should pull out…

Your smartphone and then go directly to CheapVanInsurance.co.uk

See how those van insurance companies like that. I can assure you they won’t.

Van insurance companies don’t like us. Simple as that. Even those who partner with us. Most of them hate us.

Why? Because we lose them money. Time and time again.

But they have no choice. After all, we are “The Nations Favourite” and the place where ordinary van drivers come to year after year.

We constantly push these van insurance companies further and further…

“More Savings…Cheaper Prices…Van Insurance For Less,” we shout at them over the telephone.

They fight us but it is people power that wins the day. YOUR vote is what counts.

So put your vote in right now…and use Cheap Van Insurance to make real savings on your van insurance.

Save £300 on Van Insurance (Or Pizza)

Posted on by News Desk

I arrived at CVI HQ in the morning to find everywhere locked up. “That’s strange,” I said. “Our CNR should be back from Dundee by now.”

I opened everywhere up and turned on the lights, and then noticed the hotline answerphone was flashing with a message.

“Hi It’s the CNR here. We are in the Scottish Highlands and…”

There was a long pause.

“…Meerkats,” he went on to say and then hung up.

What did our Chief News Reporter mean by this message? What was he trying to tell me?

Perhaps he was suggesting that CVI should go down the “meerkat route” and start offering movie tickets to our customers.

I really don’t think our budget would stretch to the latest Hollywood Blockbusters…but maybe…just maybe we could offer other kind of movies?

Something like classic TV movies from the 1970’s…available in VHS or Betamax format for every CVI customer. Just pay shipping and handling.

It could work. But our customers should be satisfied enough with the cheapest van insurance prices in the UK. Shouldn’t they? Maybe that extra cherry on top would really sweeten the deal.

Well, because our CNR was MIA I didn’t have any news stories to run, so I did what any van insurance comparison website owner would do in this type of situation…

I made a cup of tea and sat down to read the newspaper.

As I was flicking through different stories hot off the press there was one word which suddenly caught my attention.

“MEERKATS.”

It seems the meerkat company had paid for a bit of advertising space in this particular tabloid and were shouting about their so called “deal of the week.”

What they are offering is the ability to save £300 a year when you buy van insurance on their website.

However, this isn’t £300 a year savings on the actual van insurance. Oh no. It’s actually saving £300 on pizza.

“Meerkat Meals,” is what they have called this new venture, and apparently you can save money on meals at restaurants such as Pizza Hut, La Tasca, Zizzi and Strada.

Do you know what though? I reckon the smart van owners out there would prefer to just save money directly on their van insurance. No fancy meal tickets and no-nonsense. Just plain and simple Cheap Van Insurance. The way it should be.

Maybe I’m wrong and maybe our loyal and faithful van insurance customers would like to make some savings on their lunches when buying through our 3 minute form.

If so then…perhaps we could incorporate some kind of “ham sandwiches for a month” promotion, or, “your flask refilled, for free.”

“I could even give pot noodle a call,” I said.

Just then our CNR entered my office.

“Have you got £700 to pay for the taxi outside?” he asked.

“What? Where is the CVI limo and the limo driver? I demanded to know.

“It’s a long story…” he replied.

“We Need More Van Couriers!”

Posted on by News Desk

From Dundee to Ipswich, and from The Scottish Highlands to Cardiff…there is one job which is in demand…Van Couriers!

Thanks to internet sites such as Amazon, the demand for delivery drivers is stronger than ever before.

Unfortunately, the amount of skilled van couriers are in short supply, which means customers are having to wait longer for their deliveries

A recent report by the Department for Transport showed us that 76% of goods were transported by road in 2017. Planes and trains are out…Automobiles are IN.

Not just any old automobiles though. It is vans which are the fashionable vehicle of today, with many van couriers deciding to drive around in LCV’s (Light Commercial Vehicles).

The report went on to find how delivery drivers are competing against the clock more than ever before, because customers expect their parcels today, not tomorrow.

However, this has led to many drivers cutting corners and speeding like they are doing a lap around Silverstone.

“What’s your name,” the police officer will say when they pull over the courier driver.

“Nigel Mansell,” would come the reply.

These type of van couriers might be fast, but they quickly rack up the points on their licence, and then…

…It is game over. Their van courier career is over.

In the future it is the self driving vans and robots who are expected to fill the demand for skilled courier drivers, but right now in 2018 there are companies who are crying out for reliable and trustworthy van couriers.

“We need more van couriers!” they are shouting from the rooftops

The kind of van courier who can get that LCD TV to Mr Smith on time and in one piece.

The kind of van courier who will give a smile to Mrs Jones as they hand over a brand new laptop.

Unfortunately, many would be van courier drivers are not getting their stripes because of how expensive insurance is right now.

Remember, plain old van insurance is not enough…you need special van courier insurance to get on the roads legally and delivering packages.

One way to avoid these ridiculous costs is to visit Cheap Van Insurance and get quotes from around 40 insurers and brokers.

“The Van Couriers Favourite,” is what many of our nations delivery drivers are saying.

Fortunately you can join them right now by filling in the 3 minute form which you can find at the top of the page.

Just scroll up and then start your van courier journey. A few simple details and then, and only then…can you call yourself a real van courier professional driver.

Duel in Dundee, and Beyond…

Posted on by News Desk

We arrived in Dundee and the Limo driver dropped me off at The Hilton. “I will pick you up at 8am tomorrow,” he said.

The next morning and the limo was waiting for me at 8am, and we headed to a bookies in the centre of town. It was a fairly routine story, and my mind wasn’t really on it, but I had a job to do as CNR of CVI…so I got out my notebook.

“White van crashed into the front of bookies. There was a bang when it happened. White van man? Fled! Coke? Puff the magic dragon? High on own supply? Perhaps.”

I had all the information I needed. “That’s a wrap,” I announced to the limo driver. “Let’s get going back to HQ.”

The CVI limo got going on the road and headed towards the outskirts of Dundee. The buildings disappeared and we found ourselves on a deserted road. And then…

…Out of nowhere a tanker truck roared past the limo and nearly took us off the road.

“What the heck,” I shouted.

Then the tanker truck slowed right down and stopped us from getting past.

Eventually the skills of the limo driver won the day and he found a gap past the truck.

We had overtook the truck, but it started blasting its horn and coming at us full speed yet again. I sensed danger.

“Speed up,” I told the limo driver.

Just as the tanker truck was about to crash into the limo…the limo driver put his foot on the accelerator and sped away.

We were driving at top speed out of Dundee…and into the Scottish Highlands.

Then the limo driver started to slow down.

“Don’t stop now, we must keep going,” I demanded.

“We have to stop at a service station…the last one before we enter the wilderness of the Highlands, and get a couple of pot noodles,” the driver replied.

“Ok be quick, that tanker truck is going to be in our rear view mirror again if we don’t hurry,” I said.

The driver went to get some pot noodles and I decided to phone HQ to let them know what was happening.

“No signal!” My Motorola was out of range.

I ran into a restaurant to use the pay phone and then phoned HQ. It was the answerphone.

“Hi It’s the CNR here. We are in the Scottish Highlands and…”

It was then that I noticed the tanker truck parked outside next to the CVI limo.

I looked around the restaurant and noticed everybody was staring at me. Which one was the driver? I thought to myself.

Then I recognised something familiar…a red baseball cap. It was the guy from the service station near Ipswich the previous day…the driver who had used his 2 For 1 vouchers at Pizza Hut.

“Meerkats,” I said, and then I put the phone down.

I acted calmly as I walked out of the restaurant and began walking towards the CVI limo.

I looked for the limo driver but all I found was 2 pot noodles, the kettle and the keys to the limo on the floor.

He had fled. Knowing what was in store.

I had no choice. I had to get in the limo and start driving. It was for CVI. Someone had to step forward.

Within minutes of being on the road I saw the tanker truck appear in my rear view mirror.

“This is it,” I said to myself. “A duel between The Meerkats and CVI. Winner takes all. There is no turning back now.”

The truck followed me through the Scottish highlands, and then I turned the limo round to face the truck in front of a canyon.

I took the pot noodles and locked them on the accelerator with the kettle. Now we were on a collision course. It was the only way.

I jumped free at the last moment and the limo collided with the tanker truck, destroying the limo and sending the truck into the canyon.

I watched as the truck fell to the bottom of the canyon.

“The summer is over, CVI has won this battle and the war. If anyone should be promoting 2 for 1 movie and restaurant tickets it should be us,” I said.

I sat at the Canyons edge and threw stones for the rest of the evening, Watching the sun set.

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