Almost everyone is familiar with the infamous 'White Van Man'. This guy is probably the least popular driver on the road today, often scoring very low in surveys and polls of other drivers in terms of their behaviour on the road. Some people have very strong opinions about this stereotype, leading them to believe that they must have to pay much more for their insurance than any other driver. But do they really pay more?
The truth of the matter is that the stereotype of the 'White Van Man' is often just that, a stereotype. Although the white van is occasionally included as a category of van insurance, it is typically just used as a class that determines the size of the vehicle, meaning it is not the white van itself that affects the premium, but rather the fact that it is usually a medium-sized van, not even the largest sized van on the road, which is white!
What can be even more surprising is the statistics. From a purely statistical view, van drivers make less claims and have higher driving qualifications than many other drivers. This is the reason why stereotypes are generally not factors in insurance prices. In fact, it is the law that stereotypes such as these only be used when there is adequate research available to support the claim. In this case, aside from drivers' opinions, there is little evidence supporting the 'White Van Man's' negative driving habits.
Insurance rates often have more to do with the driver than the vehicle. The vehicle itself is just another variable, one of many that determines the cost of an insurance quote. What matters more is the driver's record, whether they have been in any accidents or had any driving convictions, their age along with their driving experience and many more aspects which are considered before a quote is offered, with those driving in large towns, cities and high risk theft areas having to pay higher premiums because of where they drive not what they drive.
Because of the good track record of most van drivers, many insurance companies actually offer lower premiums for them, before factoring in any other variables. Men or women who drive vans are offered no claims discounts in the same way as any other car or van driver. Those who drive vans with a high engine capacity will have to pay more for their insurance than if the drive a small city style van with a lesser engine capacity.
So, the next time you see a white van driver on the road, don't always assume they are a bad driver. Try to remember that there is a chance they are a better driver than you are, whether you like it or not! They still have to pay van insurance just like every other van driver. As always, though, treat other drivers respectfully on the road, drive safe and avoid making stereotypes out of drivers based on their vehicle, or anything else for that matter.
