Tag: van insurance

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Posted on by News Desk

How is everyone this week? Whether you’re currently locked down or out on the road, rest assured we are here, cheering you on, whatever is happening in the world. Week nine of lockdown may be sending us slightly stir crazy, but it won’t stop us in our quest to bring you, our trusty van drivers of the UK, the latest news and opinions in the van driving world.

Let’s start with some good news – if some of you have lost your jobs as a result of COVID-19, there appears to be a marked increase this week of companies seeking reliable van drivers up and down the UK. It appears that employers are ready to start their recruitment engines as things start to get back to normal. And for those of you who have been waiting on self-employed government payouts, the Self Employment Income Support Scheme is now live and processing payments to those who saw significant business interruption. There are also new bounceback loans available through all high street banks, which offer a government-backed loan of up to £50,000 for small businesses. These loans are interest and payment-free for the first year. 

And it seems the UK government is also ramping up to get the country moving again, although, with the new fuzzy messaging, we’re not entirely clear on what changes when, but then we don’t think anyone else really knows either. But let’s be optimistic and hope it starts to gear up again soon, like we anticipate it will.

Less good news is that the rebates for van and car insurance that we hoped would be forthcoming as they have been in other countries, has not yet rolled out through the UK. Two insurers are offering a small rebate, but we still hope to see all van insurance companies giving their customers some of their profits back, given the huge drop in claims they have seen as a result of the lockdown. 

And absolutely terrible news for those in the south of the country is that London Mayor, Sadiq Khan has raised the congestion charge to £15 (including weekends) whilst simultaneously outlining plans to close major London roads over the next six weeks, to make way for walking and cycle routes. Good luck if you’ve got deliveries in the capital – seems like the mayor is expecting you to bike them in from the suburbs. More on this next week as we get to grips with all the implications.

So there we have it – the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. But to end on a high note, don’t forget we can make your life that little bit easier if you need to renew your van insurance policy with our free 3-minute quote tool to give you the best deals around.

Until next week  – stay safe. 

Van Drivers – what’s ahead with coronavirus?

Posted on by News Desk

Well, it’s a strange time to be alive, that’s for sure. Panic is mounting over the threat of coronavirus and for your average van driver, that could be a good or a bad thing.

The upside is that more and more people are choosing not to go out unnecessarily and have goods and services delivered to them instead. So many of you can look forward to busier weeks ahead (just think, it will be like Christmas all over again with a ton of deliveries each and every day). Happy days?!

The downside, of course, is what happens if you actually get the virus yourself. And being in and out of businesses each day makes you particularly vulnerable not just to catching it, but potentially spreading it too. Get hold of hand sanitizer if you can, don’t be afraid to ask businesses if you can wash your hands at regular times throughout the day and take a large pack of tissues and a van bin to dispose of them. Consider buying and using disposable gloves if you’re coming into a lot of contact with people. 

Many van drivers form the backbone of the gig economy and many are saying they simply can’t afford to take time off if they get sick. With a budget due this week, we hope that the new chancellor makes moves to do something positive to provide financial help to those who need it, should they be sick. Nobody needs a super-spreader making things worse. 

And of course, what happens for those of you who drive longer distances if we get to a stage where travel restrictions are put in place? Smart fleet owners may be able to set up an inter-regional relay type of structure where deliveries still get from a to b, but who knows if handovers will be possible? We’ll need to look to countries like Italy to see how they handle things and if there is anything we can learn from them. 

Hopefully builders and traders won’t see too much impact in the short term, but of course, there may be supply chain issues down the road (no pun intended) with goods from overseas getting to us on time. And there is of course, the threat of recession down the road all around the world, not just here. 

One thing you can do is make sure you keep an eye on your own money and keep hold of what you can in case you need it to get through the months ahead. Thankfully, we can help with that, by offering the best van insurance prices that will help you keep hold of as much of your hard-earned dosh as possible. In the words of one supermarket – every little helps. Just don’t go and blow all your savings on loo roll. 

More Needs to be Done For Working Driver Safety, Report Finds

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UK Road Safety Charity, IAM Roadsmart has delivered a call to action for working drivers and their employers, stating that more needs to be done to keep working drivers safe and reduce the levels of accidents on the roads.

Their report has found that there were 5,506 serious and fatal crashed that occurred in 2018, where at-work drivers were involved, a number that has increased over time. This is in sharp contrast to the overall number of deaths and serious accidents in general, which has shown a reassuring decrease over the same amount of time. Also worrying was that almost half of employers expected their employees to answer their phone whilst they were on the road. A shocking 13% of those surveyed said that the hard shoulder was a suitable place to take or make work phone calls, and 17% of driving employees said they had been involved in an incident as a result of a phone call from a colleague.

The head of the charity said that not only do employers have to wise up about what is acceptable for their own, in-house drivers, but that many don’t realise that grey-fleet (self-employed, but working for the company) drivers are also liable and subject to the same codes of conduct and laws as those who are fully employed.

The report goes on to demand that more needs to be done by businesses in terms of educating drivers on codes of conduct and behaving responsibly whilst behind the wheel and that companies need to have a responsible set of rules for all their drivers, employed or not.

Many employers and employees fail to acknowledge that while taking hands-free calls is legal, it is still a significant distraction that they should actively be avoiding. And the reality is that for businesses who have a fleet of drivers, around 30% of that fleet will be involved in some kind of collision whilst on the roads each year.

Employers need to have solid health and safety whilst driving at work plans, but many still do not.

Meanwhile, almost a third of drivers for work do not have the correct insurance and are lacking any or adequate cover for business travel, rendering their policies useless. And, while we don’t have all the answers for improving road safety, that one we can help with. Simply fill out our online form and let the best insurers come to you directly with a range of insurance policies for van drivers that will cover pretty much all eventualities.

Stay safe, out there!

Winter Driving – Are you prepared?

Posted on by News Desk

As winter spreads its icy tendrils out over our green and pleasant land, most of us don’t do anything to prepare either ourselves or our vans for winter. But the days are most definitely shorter, and the north of the country has already seen its first snow, and some are saying it’s going to be our worst winter for a while. So here at CVI, in the name of being responsible writers, we thought we’d arm you with our top tips for staying safe this winter.

  1. Give yourself more space to the car in front. Yes, we know this goes against everything many van drivers believe, but being bumper to bumper with the car in front isn’t actually a good idea, especially in winter. Slowing down and giving yourself more space to the vehicle in front, so you have a greater chance of recovering the van if you do lose control can be the difference between life and death – not just yours, but of other vehicles around you. 
  2. Check your van is ready for the road. That means checking your tyre pressures are ok, (even better if you have a set of winter tyres for this time of year), your fluids are topped up, including some de-icer in your screen wash, your van battery is working well and you have a personal emergency kit ready if you need it. That includes water, a blanket or duvet and a couple of little snack bars to keep you going if you do get stuck. It’s recommended that you check your type pressure each week to be safe. Also check your roadside emergency kit is complete, your fire extinguisher is tested and you have everything you should have.
  3. Winter tyres are worth the investment. They will ensure you have better grip in the ice and snow, are less likely to aquaplane in the wet and the compound is better suited to winter conditions. Invest in a set and they should last you for years to come. 
  4. Do you know how to handle your van in case of a spin or a skid? Just thinking through and visualising how you’d handle this will leave you better prepared than just winging it in the moment. 
  5. Keep everything clean. Again, we know keeping your van clean isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but ensuring windscreens, lights and wiper blades are clean and in good working order can help keep your vision of the road at its best.
  6. Give yourself extra time. When the weather is bad, don’t just assume you’ll get from A to B in your usual time. You won’t, and rushing to get there is putting your life in danger when conditions are bad. 
  7. Try to avoid stopping on hills in snowy and icy conditions. Use a low gear to get to the top, because once you’ve stopped on a steep hill, getting going again, especially in a heavy van, is easier said than done. 
  8. Make sure your van insurance is up to date and you have enough cover for the contents. If you’re delivering Christmas gifts, check your policy covers the full value of what you’re carrying. The cheapest van insurance policy often isn’t the best. Thankfully, this is something we can help with, by filling out our form and getting the pick of the best deals and offers available.

All these things can help to keep you safe, keep other road users safe and make sure you’re around for the joys of spring, even if it does feel as if that’s a very long time to wait still. 

Van Theft is Only Getting Worse.

Posted on by News Desk

Shocking news here at CVI HQ. 

We’re disappointed to report that new figures show that the number of stolen vans has increased by 45% since 2015. 

45%! 

If that wasn’t bad enough, the last year has been particularly awful for white van man and woman, with nearly 10,000 vans reported stolen in 2018/19.

We’re sad for you. It shouldn’t be this hard to make a living, without some little git having it away with your motor. And as if living in London and dealing with that traffic and congestions charges wasn’t punishment enough, more thefts occurred there than anywhere else (4,777 – nearly half of all vans stolen in the past 12 months). That’s an increase of 15% on the figures from 2017/18.

Outside of the capital, Leicestershire was the second worse area in the country for van thefts, with an 8x increase from the previous year.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, who commissioned the report, suggests that keyless vehicle entry could be partially to blame for the rise in van thefts. That’s definitely one new bit of kit you don’t want on your car. 

Better news however, if you live in the West Midlands, who saw a huge 73% decrease in van theft, which likely has nothing at all to do with Aston Villa being promoted to The Premiership this season, but you never know. Meanwhile, Surrey saw a scant 1% decrease which possibly might be rugby or cricket-related but that’s not our forte and we’re clutching at straws a bit, so we’ll leave that conclusion there.

Keyless Entry is Problematic

Keyless entry is proving to be more of a potential problem than a benefit it seems with thefts of both cars and vans on the rise, thanks to technology hacks that allow thieves an easy way in. And while the wisdom is to add extra security locks and bulkheads and to park your van in a way that doors can’t be accessed easily, it’s not really that simple, is it? You didn’t buy a van tonotbe able to easily access all the extra things you’ve got inside it, without moving it somewhere else and bringing out a prison warden size set of keys for all the extra bolts and padlocks you’ve been forced to add. 

Personally, we’d be insisting on a van without keyless technology, if we were in the market for a new one. But keyless or not, it just goes to show just how important a good van insurance policy is for you guys and girls. And if it’s renewal time, its more important than ever that you check the small print and T&Cs to ensure your personal belongings are also covered and that your van insurance premium adequately covers the costs of the goods that you’re transporting. And that we can help with. Just fill out our form and let the best providers save you a job by coming to you with the most competitive insurance quotes around.

A Lesson In Dogonomics

Posted on by News Desk

A survey earlier this year reported that almost half of UK van drivers take their dogs to work.

If we consider that there are estimated to be 2.5 million vans on the road in the UK (which makes 1 in 24 of us a white van driver), that’s almost 1.25 million dogs. 

With a total of 9 million pet dogs in Britain, that means that 14% of the entire dog population of the UK are owned by van drivers.

Aww, how cute, right?

But what about looking at it from the other side?

Not only are these dogs getting free travel up and down the country that the rest of us would have to pay for, but some of them are taking an active role in the teamwork at the job sites they are going to. From supervising site operations, or sitting on parcels to make extra space in the van, all of this work is unpaid. 

(They’re taking our jobs)!

The average van driver covers 12,811 miles each year. We know that 1.25 million dogs are on the road, so they are covering over 160 million miles each year, without paying a penny toward diesel. Talk about getting a free ride! Touring the country, and, with the exception of the working dogs we’ve mentioned, barely lifting a paw to help out. Be assure, they are absolutely no bloody use when the M25 is backed up (again) and you need an alternative route, because their paws can’t work the satnav. The freeloaders. 

But do you know there are rules around taking your dog in your van? A dog without a harness, a cage or a dog guard is not only asking for trouble, but it also breaks the Highway Code (it’s Rule 57, if you suffer from insomnia and need something to help you sleep). 

If the worst does happen and you have an accident and your insurers discover your dog wasn’t restrained, it could invalidate your van insurance claim. And if your furry friend gets injured, you’ll also be in need of pet insurance, as any claim for doggy injuries won’t be covered. 

We don’t offer pet insurance, but if you are looking for a great van insurance deal that will be there if you (and your unpaid labour) need it, fill out our short form and save on your van insurance. We think you really should be asking Fido to pay his way too, but we’ll leave that bit to you. 

The Wicker Van Part 3

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Sergeant Dowie walked around the empty corridors of CVI HQ. He Looked at certificates on the wall that dated back from the noughties.

“This is to certify that Cheap Van Insurance is the cheapest van insurance comparison site in the UK,” read each certificate, year by year, one by one.

He got to the end…there was an empty place, and the year said 2019…but there was no certificate.

“The cheap van insurance failed this year,” he observed.

Then he thought back to what Lord CVI had said about White Van Gods…

“Sacrifice!” he said in a moment of clarity as he started to piece the jigsaw together.

===============

It didn’t take him long to confirm his theory…

He quietly walked towards the canteen and overhead the canteen manager and caretaker talking…

“What time is the sacrifice happening?”

“About 4pm”

“Are you going dressed as the fool, like always?”

“Aye.”

The sergeant waited for the caretaker to leave, and then creeped up behind the canteen manager as he was getting his costume ready.

“JUDO CHOP”

The canteen manager fell to the floor

====================================

Sergeant Dowie was now dressed as the fool and part of the parade as they went through the lush greenery of CVI island.

He was trying to keep in sync with everybody with the strange dancing and rituals but found it difficult.

“What’s wrong canteen manager? Have you been eating too much of your tomato sauce again? Keep up man,” said the Lord CVI, who was dressed himself in a costume.

Sergeant Dowie tried his best to fit in and hide his true identity as they continued through the island. He pulled it off…just.

And then…they came to the beach near some rocks and a cave.

And then…the CNR appeared out of the cave with his hands tied behind his back and 2 men from the CVI security team either side.

Lord CVI stood in front of everybody and spoke…

“And now…it is time.”

The sergeant quickly ran towards the CNR and then…

DOUBLE JUDO CHOP – he took out both security guards.

“Thank you, mister, quick untie me,” said the CNR.

“You are the Chief News reporter I presume,” asked Sergeant Dowie while untying him.

“Yes mister…you came just in time…quick…I know a way out…this way, through the cave, follow me.”

The sergeant followed the CNR through the cave and they ran for about 5 minutes then they climbed through a hole.

He was expecting for them to both run for safety, but instead, he came face to face with Lord CVI and the staff. Who were now not wearing their costumes.

“Did I do good?” said the CNR

“Marvellous! you did great” replied Lord CVI.

The CNR ran over to join the rest of the CVI staff.

Many of the locals from CVI island started to gather…surrounding the sergeant…there was no way out…they were on a cliff, at the bottom of a hill.

“And now, it is time for you to keep your date with…

The Wicker Van,” said Lord CVI

The CVI security team minus 2 – grabbed the sergeant and started leading him up the hill, while someone banged a drum slowly, adding to the tension of what was about to happen.

As the sergeant approached the top of the hill he suddenly could see what was on top…

His face turned to shock and terror

“OH GOD…OH NO!!”

The Wicker Van Part 2

Posted on by News Desk

“Lord CVI I presume?” asked Sergeant Dowie as he walked into the office.

“At your service,” replied Lord CVI getting up from his armchair.

Sergeant Dowie stood there for a moment, looking Lord CVI up and down.

“Yes…I’m a police officer from the mainland and I’m looking for a missing person…The Chief News Reporter from your blog,” said Sergeant Dowie as he handed the photo to Lord CVI.

“I’m sorry…I can’t help you.” said Lord CVI after looking at the photo for a few seconds.

Sergeant Dowie became impatient and bit agitated…

“Oh yes you can help me! According to your blog he was imprisoned in a maximum security prison in Bordeaux..but Lord CVI …there is no maximum security prison in Bordeaux, and there is no record of this man ever setting foot in the country of France!!”

“So you suspect…foul play?”

“Lord CVI…I suspect…MURDER!!!!”

“Oh no,” replied Lord CVI, in a relaxed and calm tone.”

“Oh Yes!” replied Sergeant Dowie getting more and more irritated.

“Well, I really hope you get to the bottom of this,” said Lord CVI as he started to look out of the window into the CVI HQ grounds.

Sergeant Dowie looked to see what had caught Lord CVI’s attention…and was horrified to see naked women dancing about without a care in the world.

“Just what kind of enterprise are you running here?”

“Oh that is just some of the CVI staff enjoying their lunch break…our motto here at CVI is…be free and do what you want.”

“I’ve never seen such a thing!”

“Yes…well….what you must understand is that here at Cheap Van Insurance we do things differently. I moved to this island in the noughties, at that point there was a declining fishing industry on the island, but that came to an end, and it was me who introduced Cheap Van Insurance as the main source of income…

We could offer cheaper prices than sites and companies on the main land…and do our own thing. Every year we pray to the White Van Gods and they reward us with cheap prices again and again,” said Lord CVI.

“What on earth are you talking about?” replied Sergeant Dowie.

Lord CVI paused for a minute, pondering if to tell the Sergeant more about his company and the White Van Gods, but then decided against it.

“Look…I really don’t see how I can help you…allow me to arrange my assistant to drive you back to your plane.”

“I will be staying right here on this island until I find out what happened to your Chief News Reporter (CNR)!” said Sergeant Dowie in a defiant tone.

“I see,” came the reply from Lord CVI.

CVI Shining Part 2

Posted on by News Desk

I arrived back at CVI headquarters. It was now 2019, and as the boss of CVI I was determined to make this the year of cheap van insurance.

Immediately I knew something was wrong as I approached the HQ main entrance. The front door was open and all the lights were off.

“JNR,” I shouted as I cautiously entered the building.

“HELLO…JNR…IS ANYBODY THERE…JNR?” I shouted again, only to be met with silence.

I started walking down the hallway when I nearly tripped over a push scooter.

“He’s obviously been having fun,” I said.

And then I saw something which made me stop in my tracks. I just stood there, in shock.

Right there on the floor next to the stationery cupboard was the canteen manger…and a red substance all over the floor. There was also an axe there.

“Canteen Manager,” I shouted as I ran over to him.

He woke up immediately and seem startled to see me.

“What is going on here? Where is the JNR? Why are you here and on the floor?” I asked him.

“I had visions last night,” he replied as he got up off the floor. “I woke up and had a vision of the JNR smashing open the stationery cupboard with an axe.”

“They call it Shining,” he went on to add. “Me and the CNR used to have entire conversations without ever opening our mouths…and just before I left for the holidays, I noticed the JNR could do the same thing. When I woke up last night with those visions, I knew he was in trouble. So I got in my car and rushed here”

“So why are you on the floor?” I asked.

“Well, I got here and found the stationery cupboard smashed open, and as you may remember, this is where I store my homemade tomato sauce. When I saw all of my sauce on the floor, I was in shock and I passed out.”

It was then I noticed something was missing out of the stationary cupboard. The prized possession of CVI…the typewriter.

When I first started CVI back in the day, before the internet, all I had was that typewriter and a dream.

When I first typed those words on the typewriter back in the day – “Save a packet on van insurance in 3 minutes” – I knew I was on to something.

And now it was missing.

“Did you have any visions about what he did with the typewriter?” I asked the canteen manager.

“I think you might want to have a look in his office,” he replied.

Drones Out…Delivery Drivers In

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We all thought the writing was on the wall for delivery drivers. “Rise Of The Drones,” said the boss of Amazon and he meant it.

It was thought drones in the air would become the new way to deliver packages to every man, woman, and child in this nation of ours, and while it may eventually become a reality, for now it is the delivery drivers who are needed the most.

In our opinion the next 10 to 20 years is a boom time for UK delivery drivers and courier drivers. If you can drive a van then you can make a packet.

Which is good news, because you can also use CVI to save a packet on your van insurance.

The equation is simple – delivery driver job + CVI = You Win!

At this point you might be saying “OK CVI, the drones might be out, but what about self driving vans?”

It’s true that self driving vans are just over the horizon, but there is still a need for someone to deliver the packages.

While a van that drives itself is not far off, a robot who gets in and out of the van all day long and knocks on doors is still a bit far fetched if you ask us.

So you can forget about drones and forget about robots. Your delivery driving job is safe and you can cash in on the online shopping craze for years to come.

For example, the demand from Amazon Prime is hot right now. They want packages delivered morning, noon, and night…every day, all day, and it is YOU who is expected to get them delivered on time and in one piece.

And get this: The boss at Amazon has come up with an idea…he wants YOU to become the boss.

That’s right. It looks like Amazon might be about to go down the franchise route and allow delivery drivers to setup their very own Amazon delivery franchise.

He estimates that a franchise owner could make around $300,000 a year, which is about £250,000 in UK money.

Would you like to make a quarter of a million a year, all from the comfort of your own van, while you eat ham sandwiches and read CVI on your smartphone? Of course you would.

It doesn’t matter how much cash you rake in though. You should always compare van insurance and that is something you can do on our 3 minute form.

You can even get van fleet insurance though our trusted partners, which means if your Amazon delivery franchise takes off then we have got you covered.

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Complete your quick and easy quote

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