When it comes to auto insurance, many companies are starting to advertise separate policies for vans and cars. Surprisingly, van insurance differs quite significantly to car insurance despite the similarities in vehicles, and when searching for insurance it is important to be aware of the differences between the two.
There are typically three types of van insurance to choose from, ranging from third party, third party fire and theft, and fully comprehensive. Third party covers you if another party makes a claim against you after an accident and is the cheapest form of insurance. Subsequently, third party fire and theft covers the above, as well as if your van is damaged by fire or stolen. Fully comprehensive, expectedly, covers you for everything else also, including if you have a collision with a driver who has no insurance at all.
It is widely acknowledged that many vehicles can quite easily seem to be classified as either a van or a car, therefore to be sure that your van fits into the category of 'van insurance' there are many things to consider. Firstly, a van is a true "van" if it carries less than four people including the driver. Also, according to its specification, a van must be designed to carry goods, and must also weigh under three and a half tonnes.
It is also common for most insurance companies to refuse van insurance to drivers who are under the age of 21, this is simply due to the higher risk of crashing attributed to younger drivers. Most companies do not include cover of tools and other accessories that may be stolen from a van. It is advised, therefore, that drivers take out an additional policy to cover any items that are frequently left in their vehicle.
When buying van or car insurance it is also important to be aware of the need to declare exactly how you are going to use it and for how long for. Usually, vans that are going to be driven full time will mean a higher insurance premium. Also, van insurers today are more and more likely to give you a better deal if you are prepared to install additional safety or security devices. Adding such accessories lessen the chance that you should need to make a claim, and thus should save you money and make the inconvenience less likely to happen in the first place.