BUSINESS fleet van insurance is the best way to protect your company if you own, hire or lease vehicles for business purposes.

It’s essential if your fleet is two or more vehicles that are operated or owned by the company.

Having all your vehicles under one policy can help reduce the hassle of having multiple policies which can be complicated, expensive and time consuming. However, it can be difficult to know when to start when looking at multiple vehicle policies. 

Luckily, most providers are competitive when it comes to pricing and your policy can be tailored to your individual business requirements.

Whether you’re looking at fleet van insurance with the same vehicle type or a different range of vehicles, there are still ways you can cut the costs of your insurance premiums. 

What affects the cost of my fleet van insurance?

The cost of your premiums for your insurance will depend on the type of vehicles you have on your policy along with their age and the number that you have. Often, you’ll find that discounts are provided the more vehicles you add to your policy. 

It will also depend on the location, where the vehicles are kept overnight, the business trading history, any previous claims and the age of the drivers.

How can I reduce the cost?

There are a number of ways to reduce the cost of your fleet van insurance, some of which you may be able to achieve:

Increase the excess

Although not always an ideal option, increasing the excess on your vehicle can help to cut down the cost of your insurance premiums. Opting for a higher excess will reduce the price, but you would pay out a higher amount if there were to be an accident.

Therefore, you might want to put additional safety or security in your vehicles or have a policy whereby the driver will pay the excess in case of an accident to promote safer driving.

Secure your vehicles

Having immobilisers on your fleet vans as well as storing them in a locked garage or secure parking overnight can help to reduce your insurance premiums.

It may also help to include any tools or equipment that you might carry on the van within the policy, or, alternatively take out any expensive equipment overnight to remove the risk of theft.

Select your drivers wisely

The age of your drivers will affect the cost of your insurance premiums. Any driver under 25 will increase the cost of your fleet van insurance. Therefore, opting for older drivers or those with a clean driving licence can help to reduce the cost of your insurance. 

Technology

Technology such as telematics also known as a black box can help to save you some money. These devices record driver behaviour including the speed, GPS locations and braking. They also help to track the maintenance of your vehicle so that you can be one step ahead of the game when it comes to servicing your van fleet. 

This not only helps reduce the cost of repairs, but also can help to reduce your insurance premiums. Furthermore, investing in dashcams for your vehicles can help to provide evidence and support any claims if there was to be an accident. 

Choose or remove extras

Often when purchasing fleet van insurance there will be a whole array of optional extras. When looking at quotes, make sure you don’t forget this section as sometimes providers can add on extras without you being aware of it. 

It’s also always good to check the policy terms as some of these extras may actually be worth your while or vice versa. 

Change the size of your vans

Smaller vehicles are generally cheaper when it comes to insurance. If you’re at a position where you are purchasing new vehicles, consider downgrading to a smaller model or even opt for an electric or hybrid vehicle. This can save you money on your insurance premiums as well as your fuel consumption too!

Build up your no claims

If it’s not the first time you’re looking at fleet van insurance, you can cut the costs by claiming your no-claims discount. You can use your no claims on more than one vehicle at once, so if you’ve got a good driving history then you’ll likely get cheaper fleet insurance. 

If you don’t already have a no-claims discount, you can start to build up a new one which will inevitably cut costs when it comes to renewing your policy. 

Compare

It’s always best to do some research and compare quotes with different insurance providers to find an affordable policy. Different providers will have different extras or add in other benefits too included in the price and a fleet insurance broker will be able to secure you the best policy at the best price. You will also likely experience a higher discount the more vehicles you have on the same policy. 

By shopping around you can find the right policy that will suit your business needs and check that you’re getting the best deal.