Tag: London

Best Place To Drive A Van (And The Worst)

Posted on by News Desk

If you drive a van for business or pleasure, then you may be wondering where in the country is the best place to get on the road?

Is your current location the bees knees? Or would you be better off heading up North, or down South, or towards the West or East? Maybe you be best off leaving the country completely and starting anew in a foreign land?

Before you go “on tour,” – take a few minutes to read our blog post here at the CVI blog about the best and worst places to drive and own a van in the UK.

Okay, so let’s get straight into the action here and the number 1 WORST place to own a van is in London. Is it any surprise? Not to us here at CVI.

In North West London you have a higher chance of being in a fender bender. While in Greater London there is more chance your van gets nicked.

“Cor Blimey Guvnor, someone as nicked me van,” said the London resident.

Want to know some of the other WORST places to drive a van? Try on Harrow for size, where you are almost just as likely to shunted from behind as you are in Capital.

Other places to watch out for include Bromley, Watford, Dartford, and Sutton. In other words, if you are thinking about moving Up North then it might be a good idea.

Or even across the sea? Because it is Belfast which has been voted the number 1 BEST place to own and drive a van in the UK.

So if you want some peace and quiet and a bit of clam without having to worry about some scally ramming you up the backside or taking off with your pride and joy…then Northern Ireland is the place to be, right now, for van owners.

Want to know another place where you can expect tranquillity? In Scotland…Inverness to be exact, where the chance of being involved in a fender bender or having your tools disappear into the night is virtually zero.

Other places in Scotland that have been certified SAFE include Dumfries and Galloway.

To give you an overview of exactly where to be, and where to avoid…read on…

So obviously London is a place to miss, but you should also give Yorkshire and The West Midlands a wide berth, specifically Birmingham which is well known for being a hotspot for van hoodlums who have long been reigning terror down on van owners.

Northern Ireland and Scotland are the places to be, there is no doubt about that, but you can also breath a sigh of relief in the East Anglia where van crime is being kept at bay.

No matter where you live…you can still get Cheap Van Insurance with our 3 minute form. Give it a try.

Most Expensive and Cheapest Place to Insure Your Van…

Posted on by News Desk

The facts are in. There is no more guessing…and here at CVI HQ we are shocked, to say the least. “WOW,” was the mood in the canteen at lunch.

We were sure that London would be the most expensive place to insure your van. How WRONG we were.

The official facts paint a completely different picture. A picture where London has been knocked off the top spot by a surprise city that you might not have guessed.

And the award for the most expensive van insurance city goes to…

Oldham!

That city in Lancashire where not much ever happens…apart from van crime by the looks of it.

If you are a van owner in Oldham then you pay on average of £1630. “I really can’t believe it,” said the CVI canteen manager when asked for a comment.

Luton and Slough make up number 2 and number 3 on the most expensive places to insure your van list, while West Bromwich and Manchester came in at number 4 and number 5.

That means that…

London is number 6 on the list.

“That really surprised me Dave,” said PAL, our new van insurance pal technology

“I expected London to be higher,” PAL went on to add.

Now that we have heard about the most expensive places, how about the cheapest places?

And the award for cheapest place to insure your van goes to…

Newcastle-Under-Lyme!

That’s right. It was Newcastle-Under-Lyme where van owners are only paying on average £567 a year to insure their vans.

“Is Newcastle-Under-Lyme the same place as Newcastle?” asked our caretaker.

“No it isn’t…they are different places,” replied PAL.

Chesterfield and Redditch got number 2 and number 3 on the list, while Shrewsbury and Harrogate came in at number 4 and number 5 cheap places to insure your van.

Here at CVI we want to make it clear to all van owners in this nation of ours…it doesn’t matter if you are in the most expensive or most cheapest list…YOU can still save money on van insurance right now.

You can live in Oldham and potentially save hundreds of pounds on your van insurance in 3 minutes or less.

You can live in Newcastle-Under-Lyme and potentially save hundreds of pounds on your van insurance in 3 minutes or less.

You can live anywhere. 3 minutes or less is all it takes. Right here at CVI. The website of the people.

LATEST: Van Thief “Houdini” Strikes Again

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Van crime lurks in the cracks of dawn. During the silence and calm, a famous van thief steps from the shadows.

According to leading scientists, it is the “dawn hours” when van owners are in their deepest sleep. Its called “REM” AKA Rapid eye movement.

While you snooze, the van criminal fills up with loot, and he really sticks in the boot, and then you lose.

Its the crack of dawn.

Take just one neighbourhood in London, where just last week there was 4 separate incidents all in the space of just under an hour.

At 4:02am, one van gang member tiptoed his way towards a Ford Transit van and did the “peel and steal” manoeuvrer in 71 seconds flat. Police said it was the best they have seen yet.

Then just 2 streets away at 4:15 another van hoodlum slid his way under the security camera and performed the “shake and bake” on a blue Citroen van. He did it with such precision, the police are still scratching their heads.

By 4:47 this van gang with a plan were becoming more brave. Still cautious…but brave. They saw an LCV just sitting there in the calm of the dawn… just like a sitting duck.

So they went right in and pulled off…the “Ram and slam” in 2 minutes and 2 seconds. Those tools flew out of the back and into the night. Police are appealing for witnesses.

At 4:57 at the other end of the street a carpenter pulls out of a junction at the end of the road on his way to work…and then…BAM…he didn’t even see it coming.

It was a manoeuvre called the “Ham Sandwich” – done with quickness, it lasted only 45 seconds from bread to butter. Two motorbikes trapped the van from either side, forcing him to stop, and then…a quick looting followed by an even quicker getaway.

Police are warning van owners to watch out for a new van trick from van criminals on bikes called the BLT . More dangerous than the ham sandwich..only a few organised van gangs can pull it off. You are most at risk during the dawn hours, remember.

And while all of this was going off. The silence of dawn remained. And then…”flash flash” – and he was in…and OUT

He strikes again.

The van thief Houdini – remember him?

Nobody knows who he is, or where he will strike next. Not even the van gangs know. He is a lone ranger. He works…alone.

But he is good. Some say the best.

Just like CVI. He is not like the rest.

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.

Van “Mayhem” on the English Riviera

Posted on by News Desk

Where is van crime the most dangerous, the most wild, and even the most outrageous…London, Glasgow or Cardiff? No.

In fact, it is the English Riviera AKA Torquay where van criminals are having a field day and van drivers are out of control.

Take the incident in Torquay that happened recently, involving a…yes, you guessed it – WHITE VAN MAN!

When will they ever learn? Never is my answer, and it’s the reason why white van owners have such a bad reputation everywhere in the UK, even the English Riviera

Details of the incident are light on information. What we do know is that it involved a van and a motorcyclist, and according to witnesses the van driver was at fault.

Rage was something else that was witnessed – “I’m going to give you a damn good thrashing,” could have been said. We are still waiting for confirmation.

Does it stop there though…does it ever! This is Torquay we are talking about here. Sure, it is known for having great hotels with the highest possible standard of service and amazing views from all hotel rooms, but, it is also known for being a hot spot of van crime.

This was recently illustrated in a night of total carnage where arsonists completely destroyed a Green Citroen Relay van.

It happened at some point between 9:45pm and 10pm on an unusually cold April night in Torquay, and before long that van was a total write off.

I just hope that this particular owner had good van insurance to cover the damage.

Every van owner in Torquay should have the best van insurance in my opinion. If you don’t, then what are you waiting for? Fill in our 3 minute form right now.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the event, although as usual, it is expected that the public response will be – “I know nothing.”

Some tourists, who have come from places such as Barcelona and California are said to be horrified at the total van destruction they have seen on the mean streets of Torquay.

Yes, they enjoyed a Waldorf Salad, even when arriving at the hotel late, but if these tourists took just a small step away from the tourist area then they would quickly get a glimpse of really goes on behind the scenes of the English Riviera

The most common incident within the van community in Torquay? Theft.

So much so that Police have issued a warning for all van owners in and around Torquay after a recent crime spree.

Remember, these van thieves are more like Houdini than your typical old timer smash and grab criminals. You never even see them.

Van owners might go out for a Gourmet night, only to be frustrated by the lack of duck, and then be even more frustrated when they get to the car park only to find their power tools have been nicked. It happens all the time.

Don’t take the chance…make sure you are fully covered with the right van insurance by getting quotes right here at The Nations Favourite.

Van Drivers WARNED About Scam HotSpots

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There is a menace on the roads up and down the UK and it goes by the name of “crash for cash.” It’s a scam that van drivers are being warned about.

Up until now, the whole crash for cash scam has mostly affected car drivers. Maybe you’ve heard about it in the news, but always felt safe when in your van? Not anymore.

Research shows that van drivers are now being targeted by these organised crime gangs who roam the roads looking for their next prey. It’s an industry worth millions every year you see, which means there is a lot of cash up for grabs. These criminals want to get as much as they can.

During this new research, which was conducted by the IFB, or Insurance Fraud Bureau if you want to be more official, well, they highlighted the 10 so called “hotspots” where van drivers need to be on high alert.

The number 1 place to be vigilant for these scammers? Birmingham comes out on top, where road users are victims every single day, hour by hour.

Manchester and Bradford also feature highly on the list, while Bolton, Sheffield and Blackburn are also cities that van drivers are being warned about.

Surprisingly, London is named but not as one of the top cities. The reason? I think because most of these criminal gangs have their base in London, but prefer to ply their trade away from home turf.

How exactly does this whole crash for cash work anyway? Quite simply, a car or van will crash into your vehicle on purpose. They will then take your details and start claiming there was more damage than actually happened.

So for example, the scammers start hitting up your van insurance company for major repair costs, even though nothing really happened.

They manage to pocket a lot of free cash from this type of scam, with some estimates putting the crash for cash industry at a whopping £330 million a year. That is just under 1 million a day, that is being stolen from car and van drivers. It’s daylight robbery.

Why should you care though…yes it might be an inconvenience, but at the end of the day it’s your insurance company that picks up the tab, right? Wrong.

All that happens is that van insurance companies pass on the costs to you, the driver, who pays for it with more expensive premiums every year.

So make sure you are well aware when driving around these hotspots for any potential crash for cash incident about to happen. If it does happen and you suspect a scam, call the Police directly to the scene. Don’t let them get away with it.

You might also want to try comparing van insurance as a way to fight back. Yes, these crash for cash scammers might be winning right now, but if you get cheap quotes year after year then you have the last laugh.

Clean Van = Cheap Van Insurance? NO!

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A recent survey gives us an insight into van drivers around the UK and how they look after their vehicles. The results are interesting.

The one statistic that I noticed right away is how 45% of van drivers in Sheffield never wash the outside of their van at all, leaving them with the dubious title of “dirtiest vans in the UK.”

In contrast, van drivers in London are considered to be the cleanest, with 38% of drivers washing their vans every week. However, this isn’t a job they tend to do themselves, instead hiring a cleaning or valet company to do the work.

It doesn’t seem that a clean van means cheap van insurance though, because as I’ve talked about before, London has the most expensive insurance quotes, while places such as Sheffield in Yorkshire have some of the cheapest.

Imagine if van insurance companies started noting how clean you kept your van, and then gave you more expensive quotes if it had not been washed for a long time. I’m sure that drivers in Sheffield would soon start getting that bucket and sponge out.

Overall, 17% of those surveyed around the country admitted they never washed their van at all…perhaps they just prefer to wait for the rain? Maybe that is why Sheffield has very little washing going on, because they get the most rain!

67% of those who took part in the survey also said their van is typically filled with food and drink wrappers, and they only clean it up once it literally becomes unmanageable

22% also confessed they use a spare seat in their van as a rubbish bin, while 62% said they prefer to pay someone else to clean their van.

It isn’t just London where vans are a lot cleaner. Cities such as Belfast and Birmingham also see van drivers giving their vehicles weekly cleans, although in these cities they are more reluctant to pay someone to do the job, preferring to do the washing themselves.

While all of this does make for some amusing reading, let’s not forget that if the van is the face of your business and is often the first thing a potential customer looks at, then it makes sense to at least give the outside of your van a wash once a week.

Never washing it all, like 45% of van drivers in Sheffield, might save you a bit of time, but you can also lose valuable customers and business.

Talking of saving time, if you are looking to get a cheap van insurance quote but don’t want to spend hours contacting different companies then you are definitely in the right place. Just use our simple form to get started, and then get quotes from many different companies almost immediately.

It has never been easier to compare van insurance quotes, saving yourself both time and money. Give it a try right now.

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