Cheap Van Insurance News and Articles

Van Articles

Petrol Prices Slide - Save Even more in the Credit Crunch (25-Nov-2008)

Petrol prices have fallen rapidly on the back of a record decline in the price of crude oil. In some UK filling stations it now costs just 90p per litre, down from highs of around £1.20 just three months ago. The savings can continue if you pay attention to the AA's Eco-Driving article for van drivers. Here is a list of the top 7 recommendations for cheap motoring which should help all you van insurance customers out there.

  1. Check your tyre pressure - Under inflated tyres create more resistance and use more fuel for your journey
  2. Reduce unnecessary weight - Don't carry around more tools than you need for the job, especially for jobs that are further away. The extra weight means you need more fuel to maintain your speed
  3. Don't get lost - Plan your route to any job or delivery in an unfamiliar area or purchase a sat nav. Any time spent driving around looking for your destination is a complete waste of fuel (and your time)
  4. Switch off the air con - Keep the use of your air con to a minimum whilst you are in the van. Any air con unit will use fuel to keep it running
  5. Easy on the gas - Drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking
  6. Keep it rolling - By keeping your van moving it will take less fuel to get back up to speed than to go from a standing start.  You can do this by increasing the distance between you and the vehicle in front and use the distance to naturally slow down.
  7. Stick to the speed limits - Drive at or within the speed limit - the faster you go the greater the fuel consumption and the greater the pollution too. According to the Department for Transport driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Cruising at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph. It's also a good idea as you will definitely not have to pay any speeding fines!

Sticking to the above suggestions can seriously improve your motoring costs in the tough financial climate just in time for Christmas which will come in handy for the festive season.

Swindon Town Council Votes to Ban Fixed Speed Cameras (24-Oct-2008)

There was good news this week for van insurance customers in Swindon after the council decided to remove all its fixed speeding cameras. The landmark move came after the Tory council voted to axe the cameras when they refused to pay the £320,000 per year maintenance costs.

The move has been equally criticised and praised by various different organiations around the UK. Road safety campaigners are worried that the lack of any fixed speed cameras will allow the local boy racers in suped up Honda cars and other hot hatches a free reign around the Swindon town area. They have also pointed out that cameras are there to prevent accidents and this would be "a very dangerous experiment with people's lives."

On the other side, the AA has stated that they will support the move if the council follows up with its plan to replace the GATSO cameras with more police patrols, sleeping policemen and interactive signs.

The manager of one local car rental firms had this to say: "There are loads of boy racers in Swindon. You always see them in the McDonald's car parks. Fifty per cent of my customers have at least one SP30 speeding conviction."

Although the council have voted to scrap the cameras, they do not have the powers needed to actually remove them. From April 2009 the council will stop paying for the upkeep and the other members in the partnership, the police, Wiltshire County Council and the Highways Agency must cover the cost. A spokesperson for Swindon borough council said "If the partnership wanted to pay for fixed cameras to continue, they could do so."

It would be an interesting situation if the cameras were maintained by the other members and could cause other local councils to follow suit with similar decisions.

The move could limit cheap van insurance for van drivers in Swindon as insurers may decide that customers based in Swindon town have an increased chance of being involved in an accident due to a lack of fixed camera speed limit enforcement.

Two Million UK Motorists have Inadequate Insurance (14-Oct-2008)

Van drivers and other motorists who drive without taking out the correct van insurance cover are committing a serious crime, the Motor Insurer's Bureau (MIB) has said.

Recent research by the Bureau revealed that around two million UK motorists are driving without adequate insurance and the group said that they do not realise the serious nature of what they are doing, despite the popularity of price comparison web sites that allow you to compare cheap van insurance prices very quickly online to get the correct legal insurance.

Communications Assistant Lorraine Preston said a government push is addressing the problem and that progress has already been made: "The police and MIB along with the government are determined to change both the perceptions and behaviour of the uninsured into those of honest motorists." She added that the government is to reveal more plans in the next few months intended to try and change people's attitudes towards driving without insurance.

The Motor Insurer's Bureau also revealed that in 2007, 150,000 uninsured van, cars, and motorbikes around the UK were seized. Of that number, 40% of the vehicles were either crushed or disposed of by other means.

Am I Covered if... (26-Sep-2008)

Someone else crashes my van?
Only drivers named on your Certificate of Motor Insurance are likely to be covered by your insurance company. Call them if you would like to add another driver to your policy. Remember, your van insurance provider may charge you a fee.

I drive without my glasses?
You are at risk of invalidating your van insurance policy. Recent research has shown that 55 per cent of UK drivers have a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, but about one in five admit to driving without them.

I drive my van abroad?
You may think you are fully insured when you drive abroad. In fact, you may only be covered for basic Road Traffic Accident (RTA) insurance. Always check your policy before you leave.

I'm involved in a "hit and run?"
If someone drives off after crashing into you, check your van insurance policy to see if you are protected with Uninsured Loss Recovery (ULR) or Legal Expenses Cover (LEC). Most insurers will offer to track down the offender so they can get the money back through the courts rather than pay for the damage to your van as part of the policy.

Cheap Van Insurance under Threat from Increase in Fraudulent Claims (09-Sep-2008)

Insurance giant Allianz has noted an increase in fraudulent claims on its van insurance policies. In a statement released with their half-year results Andrew Torrance, chief executive officer for Allianz, said that the credit crunch is to blame for the increase as businesses try to find ways to find money from any available source.

If this trend continues then it could be the end for cheap van insurance prices from Allianz as they will have no choice but to raise their rates. If one insurer signals an increase then it is usual for a few of the other top UK insurers to follow suit and increase their own policy rates. This could mean even tougher times ahead for van drivers...

Another catalyst in any pricing decision is the amount of increased competition from online aggregators. Most insurers make their money from customer renewals in year 2 and year 3 but the ability to compare prices very quickly and easily means that renewal rates are falling each year.

It's not all bad news though as Allianz posted an increase from £91.1m to £94m so they will have time to consider their next action in regards to their cheap van insurance rates. It is possible that in 6 months the problems in the global credit market will ease and insurers will not be forced to raise rates