Buying a Van

There is much more to buying a van than meets the eye. This is likely to be your livelihood so it is essential that you get the right model with all the features you need. However there are number of things you should check before you eve go to look at a vehicle, unfortunately many people overlook this simple checklist and end up paying more for their van insurance than they should.

1) What do you need it for? - It may sound stupid but have you thought about all the possible uses it will be needed for? Exactly what are you going to be transporting? Will your load change from live fish to flowers to light bulbs. Some vans are better equipped for different jobs than others, it all depends exactly what you want to do with it.

Bare in mind there is also the personal aspect, will you be buying a van for use in your own time for moving family or friends around. There are tax implications for this so it may be worth investigating how this could affect you financially.

2) Look to the future - It's all well and good to look at a van that is just big enough now, but what happens if your business takes off over the next year and you find you need a larger vehicle. It's usually worth buying the best you can afford now because you'll kick yourself if you need something bigger in a years time, the cost of van insurance isn't usually substantially more so it may be worth investigating.

3) Can you afford to run it? - With better vehicles, you usually get slightly better fuel economy which is always a bonus if you're driving for a living, but there are extra costs involved. Here is a list of the areas you should consider that will affect your running costs:

a) Van Insurance - Bigger vans tend to mean bigger premiums. Get a few example quotes to be sure
b) Servicing Costs - How long is the interval between servicing and what is the typical cost.
c) Parts Costs - How much are new tyres/bulbs etc. Part prices can vary wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer.

4) Extra Security - Some van insurance policies will require that you have a minimum level of security installed on the vehicle this varies from physical deterrents to alarm/immobilisers to tracking systems. You would be advised to check with your van insurance company.

Of course there are likely to be many more issues that you should consider address before you even go to look at a van, but this should be a good start. If you need some more advice on your van insurance we would advise that you call one of our underwriters who can offer you professional advice.