Tag: van insurance policy

Urgent Warning Issued To Van Drivers As Tool Theft Soars

Posted on by News Desk

Van drivers across the UK should implement extra security measures because tool theft rates have soared by 57 percent.

Tackling The Rising Cases Of Tool Theft In The UK

New research shows that only 10 percent of vans in the UK stay in a garage overnight

This according to experts, is a significant concern as tool theft has increased.

Thieves target vans for expensive tools kept inside.

The Metropolitan Police data reported 13,677 cases of tool theft from vehicles between March 2021 and March 2022.

This equates to 37 cases of theft per day.

This article discusses the importance of increasing security measures and some precautionary steps to protect your van and its contents.

The Importance Of Additional Safety Features

The research carried out on 100,000 van insurance policies revealed the importance of additional safety features to deter thieves and improve security.

Even if your vehicle comes with basic security systems, factory-fitted immobilisers, and alarms, they may not be enough.

Modern thieves can evade them with key fob cloning and blocking.

It is crucial to implement additional safety features such as GPS tracking, reinforced locks, and secure shelving to protect your van’s contents.

Installing CCTV cameras and motion sensors can also help prevent theft and provide evidence in case of a break-in.

Precautionary Steps To Protect Your Van And Its Contents

The experts stress that van drivers need to take precautionary steps to keep thieves away.

This would include things such as not leaving valuables in plain sight or in the van overnight.

It is essential to park in a well-lit location and avoid drawing attention to the fact that there may be tools inside the vehicle by not displaying external branding and logos.

Adding decals and signage to a van can increase your insurance premium for that reason.

Thus, it’s better to avoid displaying your van’s content and make sure it looks like an ordinary van.

Checking Insurance Policy Coverage

It is also essential to double-check that your tools are covered by your van insurance policy.

They are not always included as standard, so it is essential to ensure that you have comprehensive coverage for your van and its contents.

In the event of a theft, having the right insurance policy can help keep your business running and minimize financial loss.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the rising tool theft rates across the UK should be a significant concern for van drivers.

Implementing additional safety features such as GPS tracking, reinforced locks, and secure shelving can help deter thieves and improve security.

Furthermore, taking precautionary steps such as parking in a well-lit location, not leaving valuables in plain sight, and avoiding external branding and logos can help prevent theft.

Finally, it is crucial to double-check that your tools are covered by your van insurance policy, as they are not always included as standard.

Crucial Tips Every Van Driver Needs To Stay Safe And Protected

Posted on by News Desk

The Last Year: A Test of Resilience

These last few months have been challenging.

In truth, this entire past year has been nothing short of a relentless test.

Moreover, for van drivers, the stakes have been even higher.

Working tirelessly, they’ve continued through the pandemic, facing risks head-on.

Essential Workers on the Move

With industries shutting down, van drivers kept going.

Battling brutal weather, they ensured goods and parcels still arrived.

Without their dedication, many, in fact, would have struggled.

Consider this:

As people grew reluctant to leave home, they increasingly relied on deliveries.

These packages brought not only joy and comfort but, at times, even a sense of sanity.

You’re Keeping the Nation Going

I’ll admit it:

I ordered my share of random items.

From candles to chessboards to chilli oil, they delivered.

You brought us everything.

Thank you.

And let’s be clear:

You deserve immense appreciation.

We see you. We salute you.

Stay Safe – Crime Is on the Rise

Here’s something to remember:

Stay vigilant.

Stay safe.

Crime targeting van drivers is on the rise.

The risk is real.

Just last weekend, a driver in Hereford had his van stolen mid-delivery.

Van Theft on the Rise: What You Need to Know

Luckily, he was unharmed.

But think about that:

In seconds, his vehicle vanished.

Later, it was found abandoned in a field, engine still running.

It’s happening more often.

Police Warnings for Delivery Drivers

Since lockdown began, police have issued warnings:

Delivery drivers face heightened risks.

Especially around the holidays, theft spiked.

Right before Christmas, a van loaded with Amazon packages was stolen.

Protect Yourself and Stay Alert

Drivers, couriers, postal workers—they’re on the front lines.

They’re vulnerable.

It’s essential they stay alert.

Members of the public must also help keep them safe.

Final Reminder: Check Your Insurance

So, to all van drivers:

First and foremost, protect yourself.

Additionally, stay cautious.

Most importantly, follow police advice.

One more crucial reminder:

Ensure your insurance is up-to-date.

If the worst should happen, having the right coverage is vital.

After all, we’re here to help with that.

It’s the least we can do, given everything you do to keep us moving forward.

It’s that time of year…

Posted on by News Desk

No, not when Britain locks down again, although it is starting to seem like an endless hamster wheel of doom and gloom. Hopefully for many of you, life will go on and work will continue and you won’t be putting in extra hours as a result of the new lockdown.

But it is the time of year when the days are shorter and winter driving comes into play. So, it’s a smart move to keep on top of what’s going on with your van, and doing what you can to keep things in good working order. A lot of issues and van trouble can be pre-empted by a bit of home maintenance and regular checks to keep things ticking over. 

Get in the habit of walking round your van each day before you set off to give it a quick check over. Are your lights working? Are your tyres all looking okay? Check the tyre pressures weekly, while you’re at it.  Are all your doors secure and your fuel cap tight?

We spoke about van security last week, but it’s important to keep an eye on any doors or windows which could do with some extra security. Always try and park it somewhere that you can see it. 

Regular services are a must. At least once every 10,000 miles is necessary. Make sure you keep everything safe, secure and road-worthy, especially as the weather is getting worse – and make sure you have breakdown recovery, just in case you need it – this weather is not the time to be broken down in the middle of nowhere with no help at hand. 

And of course, make sure your van insurance policy is up to the job. Goes without saying, really.

We’ll talk more about the lockdown and what it means for van drivers next week, but in the meantime, stay safe. 

Adding some flex to van insurance

Posted on by News Desk

It’s a dog eat dog world out there and latest news shows that, with an uncertain future ahead of us all, and no knowing if we will be locked down once more any time soon, it seems that more people are turning to van driving as their career of choice.

Latest news suggests that van insurance policy numbers are on the rise, with more people looking for job certainty and, faced with another potential lockdown, many have decided that working as a delivery driver is the career for them.

And we can’t blame anyone. While the world ground to a halt earlier this year, one of the careers that endured was that of delivery driver. Likewise, the building trades appeared largely unaffected, with more people deciding to spend their holiday savings on home improvements instead. So it’s fair to assume that should we face another national lockdown, that those trades will be the ones that carry on as before. 

In fact, there was a 52% increase in requests for van driver insurance quotes between April and June of this year as lockdown started to ease up. 

Van driver insurance companies have begun to respond to this with improved, more flexible van insurance policies becoming available, from single, by the day cover, to monthly policies that can be used as and when people need it. We welcome this, as with other changes in the van insurance world, to a more flexible approach that can mix and match with people’s needs. The car insurance world recently saw a new type of policy come on the market, where people pay to unsure by miles driven and we suspect that some bright spark won’t be far behind doing something similar for the van drivers of the UK soon. With such uncertainty of where we are headed as a nation this winter, we can imagine some people will be very happy to see this kind of insurance policy around. 

Don’t Let Your Tools Go AWOL

Posted on by News Desk

Here at CVI, we are sure you’ve heard ad infinitim about the risk of keeping tools in your vehicle. We know our readers are generally a pretty smart and savvy bunch, and so those of you who do carry tools, are, we are sure, know to display all the warnings, such as one of those stickers saying ‘no tools left in the van overnight.’

And it’s a good job you’re cautious, too While we know that tool theft was a thing (incidentally, catalytic converter theft is also on the up), did you know that tools are actually stolen from the vans of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland a shocking once every 20 minutes?

20 minutes?

That is a ridiculous number of tools to be going AWOL each year. 

According to research, tools went AWOL from vehicles 28.681 times last year. And that is just the thefts that were reported, so we can only imagine what that tally may be when you included the ones that didn’t even get reported. 

That equates to 78 incidents of tool theft every single day of the year. 

Of those thefts that were reported, the majority happened in London, followed by the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside. A whopping 4,400 crimes were reported in Lancashire alone last year.

This just goes to show how important a great van insurance policy is. If you don’t have your tools covered, you can wave goodbye to that job – and that’s something none of us can do with as things stand with the uncertainty of a winter of coronavirus approaching. 

Of course, personal responsibility also plays a part, and ensuring tools are well secured inside the vehicle, that the van is kept locked and well supervised can all help to reduce incidents of told theft from vans.

The good news is that some instance companies are now offering specialist tools insurance for van insurance policies, some even offering full replacement of any stolen tools within 24 hours – so there is no waving goodbye to those jobs you’ve got lined up, after all.

To stop the chances of it happening, here’s our advice:

  • Leave your van where you can see it – on site, if possible
  • Always lock it between trips to load and unload
  • Make sure you have a sticker advising you don’t leave your tools in there overnight and that your van is alarmed – it’s always worth deterring them from trying
  • Make sure you have lockable storage inside your van that is fixed to the vehicle – there are some great storage cages which can prove worth every penny
  • If you have safe overnight storage for your tools – use it!
  • Try and park the van somewhere secure overnight

We can’t guarantee you won’t get your tools nicked, but you can do your bot to try and prevent it from happening. After all, it’s another insurance claim that nobody needs to make….

A Week of Heroes and Villans

Posted on by News Desk

We start this week with some good news for a change. Yes, despite the weather being more variable than a typical Aston Villa footballing season, we have some good news this week. (No, Villa haven’t signed Gareth Bale – well, not yet, anyway).

The good news is that since lockdown, the average cost for van driver insurance is down. Not by a massive amount, but by 2.3%, which can still represent a good saving on van insurance for most van drivers.

Latest research shows that the van insurance industry has put a pause on their typical insurance price increases, and instead of a hike, have taken a cut.

This is a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, which has seen a marked reduction in the number of white van men and women on the road throughout the UK. This has meant that unsurprisingly, there have been fewer van insurance claims made and so the cost has come down. 

This is particularly good news because prior to COVID bringing the UK industry to a grinding halt, van insurance premiums were at something of an all-time high. 

The group of van drivers who have seen the biggest drop in their van insurance renewal costs are young van drivers, who have seen the cost of insuring their vans decrease by around 14% (although bear in mind, van insurance for young drivers remains eye-wateringly expensive, with an average annual policy costing upwards of £3,000 compared to the overall average policy cost of a smidge over £1000 – representing a drop of 2.3% in the last few months.

The average premium on van insurance has seen a drop of 0.9% over the last year, so the recent drop of 2.3% is a big change downwards, by comparison.

If you are driving your van for work and using it at home on a ‘Social, domestic and pleasure’ policy, if your van insurance is due, you too, should see a drop although it will be around the more modest 1.2% mark.

Of course, like most good things, they are often fleeting (like the feeling of relief felt when Villa scraped through being relegated), because the future is, like football, less certain. With things returning to normal on the roads, there will inevitably be more accidents, and with more accidents come more claims and that of course means an increase in insurance premiums too. 

So, if your van insurance is due any time soon, make hay while the sun shines. Use our free quote tool, to triple check that you are getting the best possible van insurance deal. 

… And finally,  before anyone writes in to complain of Aston Villa bias or to send Villa-related abuse, let us remind you that the future King of England is a Villa fan, and if he has anything to do with it, you’ll all be Villa fans when he’s in charge.

Until next week.

Cutting costs – How to Save on Your Van Insurance

Posted on by News Desk

It’s been a rough few months for everyone. Even the most hardy of us have been affected one way or another by COVID-19, and van drivers haven’t been exempted. And with the threat of a recession looming, keeping costs down is crucial, especially those that could be cheaper. 

So, we thought that now would be a good time to take a look at ways that you could potentially trim back some costs on your driving expenses. Just the smallest tweak could save you some bucks, and right now, that’s got to be a good thing. 

1: Do you really need that big van?

Yes, it makes you feel like the man, out on the road, compared to all those amateurs in their Twingo’s and Kangoo’s, but they may be having the last laugh, if they are running close to capacity and you’re riding around with space in the back almost every day. Not only is a bigger van costing you more in fuel and van insurance, but you’ll be paying more insurance for it too. Now, there are of course, costs attached with selling one to replace with another, but if It’s time for a new van, it’s worth thinking about trading down for something a bit smaller if you have the capacity to do so. And you could even spend that money you save on a fancier model with a few more bells and whistles. Doing that may not save you money upfront, but you might end up with a comfier ride and lower fuel and insurance costs.

Are you secure?

Not that your missus might run off with her personal trainer, but your van security – is it up to scratch? A tracking device or security etching could also save you. Vans are a big target for thieves, and anything you can do to reduce the risk of yours getting nicked or help in it being recovered can reduce your annual premiums. Don’t forget where you park overnight, either. Leave it on the roadside outside your home, because it’s a pain to get into your driveway, and you could be paying extra. 

Can you pay your van insurance annually?

If you can afford to, it’s always cheaper. APR’s of around 30% are not uncommon if you’re opting for monthly van insurance payments, which can add a few hundred quid onto your policy cost if you’re paying monthly. If you do need to pay monthly, make sure any comparison quotes you get are all showing those costs so you can make an accurate decision on which one works out the cheapest.

Consider Telematics:

Ok, so if you’re a bit older and prone to the odd white van man manoeuvre, then maybe getting a black box fitted is a bad idea. And there’s the whole Big Brother aspect that nobody likes, but if you are new to van driving or maybe the other side – older and generally sensible, then adding a telematics device could save you a few quid on your insurance too. 

Get Fast, Competitive Van Insurance Quotes

But, if all these options seem like a bit of a pain and not really your thing, we have one thing you can do that will definitely save you not just a few quid, but a massive chunk of time too – when it comes to renewing your van insurance, don’t forget to fill out our quick quote form. We’ll get the best quotes delivered directly to you, without you having to put in the legwork to getting you the best deal possible.

And who isn’t for the easy life, especially when times are tough?

Safe driving!

Weekly Roundup – Coronavirus Special

Posted on by News Desk

Good news if you insure your van personally and chose Admiral – you are getting £25 back from your policy cost, irrespective of whether or not you are still on the road. Government MPs are petitioning chancellor Rishi Sunak to get involved and ensure all car and van insurers pass some of the savings on that they are making while the country is in lockdown – with a reported 50% fewer accidents happening then it makes sense that we should all be getting something back and not see insurers profiting at the expense of the regular guys and gals out there. 

We do expect more to come on this in the coming weeks and more insurers either being forced or pressured into giving rebates. Some companies are also offering front line and essential workers discounts on their van insurance premiums, so if you are a key worker, be sure to mention it to your insurance broker at the time of your policy renewal and see if you can’t bag a little extra off the cost of your policy. 

Some insurers, such as Aviva and MoreThan are offering customers who are feeling the pinch payment holidays on their insurance payments (for home as well as car or van insurance). Again, we expect more to follow, although do be aware you will still be required to repay your annual policy in full at some point during your insurance term, so it may be deferring greater pain down the line, if you choose to do so.

Sadly, there are more and more reports coming in of serious accidents as a result of dangerous driving or speeding on the quieter than usual roads. As we clearly stated last time, now is not the time to see if you can take the racing line flat in your transit, however tempting that may be. 

In a bit of good news, it looks as if drones won’t be replacing anyone’s jobs any time soon. A new study found that drone deliveries were up to 10 times less energy efficient than vans. So, if you’ve still got a job, make sure you keep it by driving safely, observing all good hygiene practices (wear a mask if you can, even if they suggest otherwise) and keep on keeping on. 

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!

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.

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