3 Things Your Courier Van Insurance Should Include.
A 2007 survey by the AA found that couriers and delivery drivers are the second most common users of vans in the UK. Around one in every sixteen vans in the UK are driven by couriers who contribute an estimated £2.1 billion to the UK economy every year.
If you are a delivery driver or courier, finding the right insurance is crucial. And, that doesn’t just involve finding the lowest premium but also making sure that you have the right standard of cover for you.
Our guide looks at three things that you may want to consider including on your courier van insurance policy.
Cover for goods in transit.
A 2009 survey for Direct Line revealed that 21 vans are broken into every single hour in the UK. The insurer found that 560,000 vans had been broken into in the preceding three years and many drivers do not realise that the contents of their vehicles are not necessarily covered in this event.
Simon Henrick from Direct Line for Business said:
“There are over 185,000 vans being broken into a year in the UK, and many drivers are making it an easy earner for thieves. Only 33 per cent of drivers we asked had the relevant insurance to cover their contents. The loss of your tools or stock can have a severe impact on your business and not having those covered makes it far more costly than it needs to be.”
The AA survey found that the average value of the contents of a commercial van was £1,382 although if you’re a courier or delivery driver the value could be significantly in excess of this – particularly if it is early in your day.
Could you afford to replace the cost of the goods in your van? If not, you should consider including ‘goods in transit’ with your courier van insurance.
Replacement vehicle.
If you are a courier or delivery driver, the chances are that your van is your livelihood. So, if you were involved in an accident and your van was off the road – or your van was stolen – would you be able to carry on working?
For many courier van drivers, including replacement vehicle cover on their policy is crucial. This ensures that you have the temporary use of a replacement van whilst your vehicle is repaired or whilst your claim is processed if your van is stolen.
Including this cover could mean that you can continue working so you’re not out of pocket.
Legal expenses.
Many van drivers also include legal expenses cover with their courier van insurance. This provides both expertise and financial assistance to recover uninsured losses such as medical costs and loss of earnings where you have been in an accident that was not your fault. Most insurance policies allow you to include this cover.
