Tag: van drivers

Van Drivers – Save £300 a Year on Insurance With Telematics

Posted on by News Desk

A recent study found that only 5% of van drivers in the UK have a telematics insurance policy. It’s amazing when you think about it…really.

Amazing how? Well, that same study discovered that van drivers who do have telematics installed, save, on average, around £300 a year on their van insurance costs. Not exactly small change is it now, and it makes you wonder why so many people are ignoring the power of telematics.

Perhaps the word on the street is that telematics van insurance is something to be avoided? It could very well be.

I myself have heard a few traders and “white van men” speak of telematics as though it is some kind of big brother watching over your shoulder, ready to pounce on any mistake in your driving style and then dish out punishment.

Of course, if you drive like a maniac and regularly break the rules of the road then a telematics policy for your van probably isn’t the best idea, but then again, being on the road probably isn’t a good idea either.

However, as far as I can tell your average van man or woman are a decent lot who want to follow the rules and be safe drivers on UK roads. This is why I reckon telematics would benefit the vast majority of van owners…far more than 5% anyway.

So how do you get started with telematics van insurance anyway? The best way is to contact your current insurer and ask them about it, or even better, use a van comparison website to find out which companies are offering the best deals.

Once you’ve chosen a provider they will probably install a device in your van which runs 24/7 and starts recording every time you turn the key in the ignition. Don’t worry, it isn’t recording your conversations. This isn’t the FBI, it’s telematics.

All they are interested in is driving data such as how fast you accelerate, how harsh you brake, and if you obey the speed limits. What is really impressive is the fact that all of this data is then available to view in Apps where the driver is given a score or rating.

Some van insurance companies even reward their customers with more discounts and prizes each month if you really impress with your driving.

So the incentive is definitely there to be on your best behaviour…but will British van drivers actually take the bait, or will they continue to pay sky high insurance rates, year after year? In my opinion, it could be the latter.

Which is a shame really because with the average van insurance quote reaching £1500 for the first time this year, I think a lot of van drivers could do with a £300 discount.

When you combine telematics with the power of a van insurance comparison site, then the potential to save even more cash is right there for the taking.

Ocado Send Driverless Delivery Vans on Roads

Posted on by News Desk

Online shopping has become very popular in the UK over recent years, and it has been van drivers right at the forefront of this revolution. Not anymore though.

One of the biggest online shopping companies is Ocado, and if they have their way, then delivery drivers are soon going to be a thing of the past, with many being handed their P45 and directions to the local job centre.

This is because Ocado have just launched a new driverless delivery van onto UK roads, and if everything goes well then it could soon be an army of vans setting off from their hubs every morning…no drivers required.

The driverless delivery van has been described as a cross between a tuk-tuk and milk float, and will have an electric charging pad that powers a top speed of 25mph, with a possible 18 miles on one battery charge.

If you ask me, I don’t think that supermarket delivery drivers have anything to worry about just yet, because these vehicles seem like they are designed to serve small areas, which means Ocado would need thousands of them on the roads to serve the entire nation.

Not only that, but right now the prototype can only carry 8 crates, which is not even enough to carry 1 large order of shopping.

So…supermarket delivery drivers of the UK, before you start considering a change of career, you might want to think again, because it’s going to be a few years until robots take the drivers seat.

Until that time, you are still very much needed by supermarkets such as Ocado, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, and Sainsburys, and although they are planning for a day when delivery drivers are no longer needed, at the moment everyone is still friends.

You might even want to tell your boss about the benefits of comparing van insurance so they can save a bit of money that way.

Van insurance companies do special deals for a fleet of vans, and I’m sure if all the supermarket delivery drivers in your team have good driving records then a lot of potential discounts could be found.

That goes for all van drivers and companies that use vans on a daily basis. You don’t have to be a large supermarket to be offered special discounts, and you don’t even have to be in a profession where robots are expected to take over.

Take your average white van man for example, who might be a builder, roofer, or “man with a van.” I’m sure that self driving vans will be useful in these professions in the future, but there will still be people doing the jobs, so to speak.

This is why a comparison website for van drivers will always be around. There for the average man and woman van drivers who want the best quality van insurance at very cheap prices.

Delivery Drivers Tell All in Anonymous Survey

Posted on by News Desk

Every day vans are driving around the country making important deliveries, but what about the delivery drivers themselves? A new survey tells us more.

No names were taken when conducting the survey, which means the drivers could relax and open up about what really goes on when they deliver goods and packages to homes in the UK.

One driver told the survey that it often never occurs to customers who have just moved in to tell them where white goods such as cookers and washing machines are going in the house, expecting him to instantly know where to put such items.

“We’ll turn up and they’ve just moved in, with boxes everywhere, and they’re expecting us to navigate this huge oven down to the basement kitchen.”

Another driver, who will remain nameless, mentioned how a woman screamed and swore at him because an expensive brand name stove wouldn’t go around the bend of her very narrow stairs. Apparently, she just couldn’t comprehend how the stove could not be taken to the kitchen, and ended up blaming the delivery drivers.

Of course, a simple 2 minute job with a tape measure would have told her that a designer stove was not getting around the stairs. Not surprisingly the delivery driver had to take the stove away and the woman was refunded.

That same driver also told a funny story about how he once delivered a washing machine to a student house, only to be asked “so can we, like, use it now?” He had to explain that it needed to be plumbed in first.

What almost all delivery drivers agree on in the survey is they just can’t stand the guy who stands around like a gaffer ordering them about and giving instructions while trying to deliver white goods and other large items.

“Mind the walls” and “bend your knees, up a bit,” these people will say, but at the end of the day delivery drivers know their job and are better off left alone to do it after getting some simple instructions.

“I’m often tempted to drop their new fridge on their feet,” said one driver when asked about the home owners who try to order him about.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, with the majority of delivery drivers agreeing that many customers are very nice, and the best ones are those who offer a cup of tea.

If there is one thing that all delivery drivers like it’s a good cup of tea…and cheap van insurance as well.

Insuring your van is getting more expensive, but you can save money by using a comparison website.

24% of Van Drivers Lie On Their Insurance Application

Posted on by News Desk

A new study looking at the habits of van drivers found that nearly a quarter lie about various things on their van insurance application form.

I must admit, I’m shocked to find out that so many van drivers would actively lie when applying for van insurance, it was always my opinion that most, if not all, were an honest bunch who wanted to tell the truth.

Well, I suppose that approximately 75% do tell the truth, or they just didn’t admit to lying when asked about it in the study, but I would like to think that most van drivers are honest and tell the truth…especially when using a comparison website.

Let’s say that you fill in the form on this website, which should take you no more than about 3 minutes.

It’s very important that you tell the truth and nothing but the truth, because when we send off your details to around 40 van insurance companies they really need to know the facts about your situation so they are able to give you an accurate quote.

Do you know why you should always be completely honest when filling in any kind of van insurance form? Quite simply, because if you withhold details or bend the truth slightly, then when it comes take to make a claim you might not be able to.

That’s right, when you lie there is a risk you could invalidate your policy completely, to the point where your van insurance is not even worth the paper it is printed on.

You end up losing out twice, because you are essentially paying for a policy that isn’t even active and then if you need to make a claim for damage to your van or something like that you won’t get a penny.

Not only that, but most van drivers are not aware that it’s against the law to lie on your insurance application. Don’t believe me? Then you should refer to the Road Traffic Act, van insurance section, where it quite clearly states that it is an offence to withhold information when applying to an insurer for cover.

According to the study one of the main areas where van drivers bend the truth is about penalty points on their license. Most of the time they “forget” to mention they have 3 or 6 points in the hope that they will get a cheaper quote.

As you are no doubt aware, insurers look at your complete driving profile when coming up with a quote and if you have points on your license then it does typically make it a bit more expensive.

It seems that nearly a quarter of van drivers think they are being clever by lying about penalty points, because they do get a cheaper quote initially, but of course, if they need to make a claim then any insurer will look more closely at the details provided, and if it doesn’t match up then forget about any kind of payout.

The message here is clear if you ask me. Don’t lie on your van insurance application. Just tell the truth, even if it means you pay a bit extra.

Driving at 31mph Could Mean Very Expensive Van Insurance

Posted on by News Desk

As the Police are getting tougher on motorists who speed on the roads, van drivers are being warned about the potential expense of being pulled over.

This comes after reports of a van driver who was stopped by the cops for speeding at 31mph in a 20mph zone, and after a good telling off they decided to slap 6 points onto his license. Not exactly something you want to happen is it, but Police now have orders to be tougher on anyone caught speeding.

If 6 points on your license isn’t enough punishment, van drivers are being made aware of the potential expense it could mean for their wallet…when it comes to van insurance that is.

The amount of points you have on your license is taken into consideration by the van insurance companies when you send in your application, and when they see a recent 6 points, and for speeding as well…then don’t be surprised if you find yourself paying hundreds of pounds more than you expect.

One site even did a calculation on exactly how much 6 points on your license could add to your insurance, and they came up with a number of £328, which on average, could very well be put on to a van insurance quote.

Let’s face it, van insurance is expensive enough right now as it is, do you really want to be paying more? Of course not, and that is why you should always watch your speed and keep it within the limits. Even going a few miles per hour above the speed limit can result in a fine and points. Don’t take the chance.

You might want to consider telematics insurance for your van, where all of the driving data is recorded and then sent off to the insurance company.

If you stay within the speed limits and drive safely, then not only will you keep out of trouble with the law, but your van insurer will also see what a good driver you are and hopefully reward you with a cheaper policy, not a more expensive one.

Another good way to make sure you get cheap van insurance is to visit a comparison website, where in only 3 minutes you can put in some basic details about yourself and your van, and then instantly get access to over 100 quotes.

Also, don’t forget that you can get a quote at anytime even if your renewal date is a few months away.

What a lot of drivers do is to start comparing quotes around 2 months before their renewal comes up, then if they find a really cheap deal they can simply pay a small cancellation fee with their current provider to end the coverage early and begin with the cheap van insurance right away.

Van Drivers Warned About Travelling to France

Posted on by News Desk

If you drive a van and are planning a trip to France over the coming weeks, then make sure you don’t get a £117 fine for driving on their roads.

Many people who drive commercial vehicles have to cross the English Channel into France and then make deliveries or collect important stock…but not many drivers are aware of the new law that has just been passed by the French government.

Basically, what this is all about is a new “vehicle emissions sticker” that every vehicle must display on their windscreen. Right now the sticker only costs £3.60, but if caught by French Police without it, then expect to get fined £117 immediately.

You won’t even get a chance to appeal, and you won’t be able to say “do you take a cheque?” From what I’ve been hearing the French Police are taking a zero tolerance stance on this new law, and if you don’t have a sticker then they will immediately whip out their credit card machine and demand instant payment for the fine.

Something tells me they are going to be watching the roads closely for vehicles from abroad driving on their roads, where people behind the wheel are not aware of the new French laws.

This includes van drivers of course, who in my opinion are always easy targets because they are more likely to have money on them. I would expect French Police to prefer cash over credit cards, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they have change on them.

What happens if you can’t pay…will they take your van away? They might just do that, and then you will have to pay even more cash to get it back.

Not only that, but in some circumstances you might even find yourself spending the night in a French jail. It certainly is a bit extreme to think that you are going to get nicked for not having a sticker, but when you are dealing with Police in another country who knows what will happen.

Hopefully, most UK van drivers are aware of this new French law, but if you have a mate or work colleague that is travelling to France soon, you might just want to let them know.

Any driver planning on visiting France in the near future should visit the Crit’Air official website and then order a sticker for £3.60.

Also, make sure you have the correct van insurance for travelling abroad, because the last thing you want is to be pulled over by French Police for no sticker and no insurance.

Van Drivers Told – “Demand Cheap Insurance”

Posted on by News Desk

Ever think to yourself that van insurance is getting more expensive? You are not alone, as millions of drivers around the country get hit in the wallet.

Should you just take it though and accept these expensive prices? One leading insurance expert says no, and in fact, you should actually demand a cheaper quote.

As we speak, the average van insurance policy costs £1500, although in certain parts of the country, such as East London, you can expect to pay even more.

The problem is that many van drivers think there is nothing they can do about it, especially as most quotes are generated by big multi-national companies worth billions.

The general thought process is that you can’t haggle with these companies to get cheap van insurance, but in most situations you can, and if persistent you will win.

I reckon the message here for van drivers around the country is clear…”demand cheap insurance.”

A new report that was recently published announced that van drivers who haggle and don’t take the first quote they are offered, typically save on average about 10%.

Not only that, but if you use the haggling technique in conjunction with a van insurance comparison website, like the one you are on right now, then you could potentially save even more.

Say goodbye to the average van insurance price that everyone else pays, and say hello to your special price, the one reserved for those van drivers who are prepared to go the extra mile.

Most people assume that big van insurance companies won’t haggle and would simply laugh at the very notion, but no, they are more than prepared to listen to your pitch and the reason for this is…competition.

That’s right. The fact of the matter is that competition is fierce right now between the insurance companies, and they all want your business.

This is why I am always telling van drivers…use a comparison website to find some cheap quotes and then phone them up to haggle and play them against each other.

However, even though many people listen to my message, only around 27% of van drivers do any kind of haggling when it comes time to get a new policy or renew.

Fortunately, you are now one of the insiders, and have the knowledge needed to get cheap van insurance quotes even when it is getting more expensive for everybody else.

So what are you waiting for? Compare van insurance right now and then be prepared to haggle if you really want to save money.

New Survey: How to get the Best Value Van Insurance

Posted on by News Desk

Ever wondered why some business owners always seem to get the best value van insurance? It isn’t by chance I can tell you that.

Thanks to a new survey of van drivers in the UK, we can better understand exactly how smart business owners get cheap insurance for their vehicles. Yes you heard that right. A few hundred people were surveyed, and they gave their best tips so that you can save money.

When I read the results of the survey, I must admit that I’ve heard all of these tips before, but it’s always a good idea to remind yourself of them if you want to get the best value van insurance.

Tell the truth

I know there are a few van drivers out there who might be tempted to make a few things up on their van insurance application. My advice? Don’t do it.

If you have to make a claim but your insurer finds out you didn’t tell the truth, which they probably will, then expect to have your policy cancelled. It goes without saying this is going to be very costly for you. Just tell the truth.

Multi buy discounts

One of the best ways for business owners to get cheap van insurance is to find out more about multi buy discounts.

This works out really well if you have two or more vehicles in your company, because you can then put them all on one policy and the insurance company rewards you for that.

Keep your vehicle safe

I have reported before on how Police are being called out to more van break ins than ever before, and from what I’m hearing this is a problem that is not going away. Unfortunately, criminals see vans as an easy way to carry out their activities, but this only serves to make van insurance more expensive.

This is why I advise everybody….keep your vehicle as safe as possible, including any tools that you have. The ideal scenario is to park your vehicle in a garage away from the street and to always take out tools at the end of the day.

If you can prove to insurers that your van is not going to be on show for every criminal in your area to get a look at, then you have a very good chance of getting the best value van insurance.

Shop around

When you have been with an insurance company for many years then you might feel a sense of loyalty to that company. However, in my experience you are not usually rewarded for your repeat business, and if anything, you could actually get a cheaper deal by going elsewhere.

Finding other quotes by shopping around might appear to be a hassle, especially when you are busy, but in fact it really isn’t that difficult when you use a comparison website. You can then find the best value van insurance.

We Don’t Want Van Drivers say House Builders

Posted on by News Desk

New houses are being built around the UK every week and many of them are very nice, but van drivers are not always welcome.

That’s right. If you happen to drive a van, either for your job or business, and are planning to buy one of these new houses, then the message from many house building companies is simple…”we don’t want you.”

This is because they think the sight of vans parked in the area could affect the value of the houses, which ultimately means they lose out on money.

My opinion on this? Who really cares what is parked in other driveways when looking for a house. Is someone not going to buy a house because the person next door has a van parked in the drive? This is all just madness if you ask me.

It’s funny, because if they start to struggle selling the houses then I’m sure they would more than welcome van drivers and their money, but when things are going well it seems they get a bit too choosy.

One van driver who wishes to remain nameless has even had his van banned once he purchased a house. Initially he got two £100 fines for parking it on the street, and now he has to park about a mile away in the town centre, which as you can imagine, is not ideal.

Another van driver has refused to pay tickets issued for his van, and once they tried to ban his van from the new estate he refused again. Currently, he is in dispute with the house building company, so let’s wait to see what happens with that one.

There is also the story of a van driver who saved up a deposit for a £300,000 house in an area he had always wanted to live, only to be then told he couldn’t park his van either in his drive or on the street.

It’s funny because many van drivers are in the building trade, and are the very people that build these houses. Once everything is finished though, they are technically being banned from ever living there, unless they are prepared to park their van somewhere else which just isn’t realistic for most people.

I understand that these house builders wouldn’t want someone parking their vans all over the street, especially if it is 4 or 5, but when you only have 1 or 2 vans and you park them on your own drive, then I don’t really see what the problem is.

This comes at a time of course when van insurance is a major expense, and having to park away from your home would make it even more expensive.

Do you know what? If most house builders don’t want your money then just look elsewhere. There are sure to be some who don’t have a problem with vans. Also, don’t forget to always compare van insurance to get cheaper quotes.

Hitachi Commercial Vehicles to Install RAC Telematics

Posted on by News Desk

In a move that has caught the attention of drivers, it was recently announced that Hitachi would be installing telematics on all their commercial vehicles.

This includes vans of course, so this is certainly something that van drivers and companies who employ van drivers might want to take a closer look at.

The telematics is to be provided by the RAC and if everything goes well then we might even see them use this technology in the consumer car market. Let’s wait to see what happens there.

For now though, thousands of commercial vehicles in the UK will be equipped with telematics technology, where driver and vehicle data will be recorded in order to give everyone more details about performance.

A good example could be a delivery company who have vans and wants to improve getting packages out on time. Having telematics installed in their vans means that they can look closer into things like how their employees are driving and whether or not the best route is being taken.

Not only that, but let’s not forget that telematics is an excellent device to have installed if you want to get cheaper van insurance.

Typically, having this kind of technology makes drivers better on the road, which means you can then show this data to van insurance companies who will reward you with cheaper policies.

So is telematics in vans and other commercial vehicles the future you might be wondering, or is it simply a fad that will go away? In my opinion it’s definitely here to stay, mainly because it offers so many insights into driver behaviour and ways to make your company better.

Sure, there are people out there who say that it’s too much of a “big brother” type scenario where employers are going to be monitoring every thing their employees do, but to that I say…if you haven’t got anything to hide then having telematics in your van shouldn’t bother you in the slightest.

That’s what I say anyway…I’m sure there are many people who disagree with me on this, but I really don’t think it is going to stop more commercial vehicle companies going down the telematics route, especially when the end result is it saves money for everyone involved.

You know, I think there are thousands of van drivers out there who would install telematics in their van tomorrow if they knew it could save them a few hundred pounds a year on insurance.

We’ve already heard about how van insurance is more expensive than car insurance…surely this type of technology should be applauded if it can save commercial drivers money? I for one think it should.

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