In short
- Third party only doesn't pay to repair your van.
- Comprehensive can cover accidental damage to your own van.
- Your class of use must match your driving.
- Check extras, exclusions and the total excess.
How do the van insurance levels differ?
You must have motor insurance to drive on UK roads. Third party is the legal minimum. The GOV.UK guide to vehicle insurance explains this requirement.
The three main levels cover different losses. This table shows the usual differences. Each policy has its own limits, conditions and exclusions.
| Level of cover | Damage or injury to others | Fire or theft of your van | Accidental damage to your van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third party only | Yes | No | No |
| Third party, fire and theft | Yes | Yes | No |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Comprehensive can sometimes cost less than a lower level. When you request a van insurance quote, ask the specialist about prices for more than one level. Check the cover and excess alongside the premium.
What would each level cover in practice?
Third party only
Covers damage or injury you cause to another person, vehicle, animal or property.
Fire and theft
Adds cover for fire and theft affecting your own van.
Comprehensive
Can also pay for accidental damage to your own van.
A florist reverses into a customer's wall and damages the van's rear doors. Third party cover can pay for the wall. The florist would need to pay for repairs to the van.
If the florist's van is stolen, third party, fire and theft could pay towards the loss, subject to the terms. It still wouldn't cover the doors damaged while reversing into the wall.
A plumber clips a parked car and damages the van's side panel. Comprehensive cover could pay for damage to both vehicles, subject to the terms and any excess.
Comprehensive cover still has limits, conditions and exclusions.
Check security requirements and the theft excess. Tools, goods and breakdown assistance also need separate checks. The policy's name alone doesn't tell you everything it includes.
Does your class of use match your driving?
Cover level and class of use are separate choices. Comprehensive cover doesn't automatically include business trips or deliveries. Check the permitted uses on your certificate of motor insurance.
- Personal use, or social, domestic and pleasure, doesn't include commuting.
- Travel to one regular workplace needs commuting included.
- Even one business trip needs business cover.
- Carrying other people's goods for payment needs hire and reward use.
A plumber travelling between jobs with their own tools needs business use, often called carriage of own goods. This allows the journey but doesn't itself insure the tools.
Our guide to carriage of own goods explains this class. Using the van differently from the permitted use could invalidate your insurance.
A parcel courier needs hire and reward use for paid deliveries of other people's goods. Read our guide to courier van insurance for the related checks.
What about delivering your own stock?
A florist selling and delivering their own stock should ask the insurer which use applies. This can be a grey area. Explain how the sales and deliveries work.
Our guide to van insurance classes of use explains the categories. Check the certificate rather than assuming ordinary business use is enough.
Which extras need a separate check?
Look at what's already included before adding anything. Comprehensive cover doesn't automatically include the following protections.
| Cover | What to check |
|---|---|
| Tools in transit | Usually an add-on or separate policy. Check item limits, total limits and overnight conditions. |
| Goods in transit | Insures goods carried. Usually separate from courier van insurance. |
| Breakdown assistance | May be an extra. Check assistance included and recovery limits. |
| Motor legal expenses | May help with specified legal costs after an accident. Check covered events and limits. |
A parcel courier needs to check goods cover alongside the van policy. For work equipment, our guide to tools in van insurance explains storage conditions and limits.
Are business liability policies included?
Public liability is separate from a standard van policy. Employers' liability insurance is generally a legal requirement if you employ staff, with some exceptions. It isn't part of standard van cover either.
How does the excess work?
The excess is the amount you pay towards a claim where it applies. Add the compulsory excess to any voluntary amount you've chosen to find the total.
A higher voluntary excess can lower the premium, but increases what you pay if you claim. Check whether you could afford that amount while the van is being repaired and your usual bills still need paying.
Use the excess calculator to explore the amount you could need to pay.
Which excess applies to each claim?
The excess can differ by claim type. Theft may have a different amount from accidental damage. Read each figure rather than assuming one excess applies to every claim.
How should you read a van insurance quote?
Read the quote summary alongside the policy wording. Similar policy names don't mean identical terms. If you look at more than one quote, keep the driver details, mileage and class of use consistent.
- Check the details. Confirm the registration, drivers, mileage and class of use.
- Declare changes. Include racking, roof bars, signwriting and other changes from the original specification.
- Read the cover. Check limits, exclusions, security conditions and any tools or goods cover listed.
- Add up the cost. Include extras and check the full amount payable for annual or monthly payments.
- Check the excesses. Read the compulsory and voluntary amounts for each relevant claim type.
Annual payment can cost less than monthly instalments, which may include interest. Look at the full year's cost alongside the cover and what you could pay towards a claim.
Have your licence, test date, claim and conviction dates, other drivers' details and any no claims proof ready. Wrong details, including a date of birth or registration, can cause problems with cover.
What happens after your enquiry?
Start with Vancova's van insurance enquiry form. An FCA-authorised van insurance specialist provides the quote, explains cover, gives any advice and arranges any policy you choose.
You pay Vancova nothing to use the service. The specialist pays PJG Financial Limited a referral fee. Ask the specialist to explain anything unclear before choosing a policy.
What should you confirm before cover starts?
Check that you can supply the no claims proof requested. Protected no claims discount doesn't stop the premium rising after a claim, so read the protection terms too.
A quote alone doesn't put cover in place. Check the policy's agreed start date and time before driving. Confirm the end date and renewal arrangements, as policies don't always renew automatically.
Does comprehensive cover allow parcel deliveries?
Only if the policy also allows the right use. Paid delivery of other people's parcels needs hire and reward. Comprehensive describes the cover level. Your certificate shows which uses are allowed.
This guide is general information. Ask the specialist to explain your cover and check the policy terms.
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