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The commercial vehicle is used for a variety of tasks – transporting cargo, tools or people, so there is a wide variety of types of commercial vehicle. Because the humble commercial or van, can differ so much, so can it’s insurance premium, and sometimes policyholders can unwittingly fall foul of the differences in policy wordings. Here are a few common questions.

How will my insurance be affected if I sign write my van?

It does with some companies, as a plain white van can be harder to find than one with a businesses name painted on it. However, depending on what the business is, the same sign written details could indicate whether your van contains goods of value, so it can go either way.

If I have alloy wheels on my van, do I need to tell my Insurer?

It pretty much depends on if they have been fitted from new by the manufacturer. If you do make any changes to your van, those modifications should always be stated to the insurance company, to make sure you have a policy that is correct. If you fail to tell them, it would jeopardise any claim.

Will my van policy cover all my tools if they are stolen from it?

It’s unlikely your van insurance cover will offer cover for your tools as well. Technically they are not part of your vehicle and should be insured separately. Some policies offer a small amount of tool cover, but it is usually severely limited in what it offers. A proper tools policy would cover tools elsewhere besides inside the vehicle and may also offer accidental damage as well as theft cover.

The van I am looking at has extra seats compared with standard. How will that affect my policy?

Definitely yes. If a vehicle can carry more passengers, there is a possibility that more people could be hurt if there is an accident. This is a greater insurance risk, and needs to be taken into account in the premium which will of course be higher. Also, the seating and belt arrangements are vital to the safety and well being of any one aboard should the worst happen and the vehicle is involved in a serious accident. Insurers do not like amateurs putting more seating in, and will normally ask for proof that seating was fitted by a factory approved technician before they will give any cover. Proof is usually provided in the form of a receipt for work from a main dealer or similar.

When I use my van to deliver goods to customers, do I need specialist insurance such as hire & reward, or courier and haulage insurance?

Most van insurance policies cover “carriage of own goods” meaning if you carry your own property or your own products you will still be covered. Note that the cover is not for the goods themselves, it is for the van risk. If you carry other people’s goods then you are either a courier or haulier and will therefore need either courier insurance or haulier insurance respectively.

I am the communications manager for Coversure Insurance, an insurance broker who are experts in Van Insurance. Visit our website for a van insurance quote, or read our FAQ section if you have any van insurance related questions.