Not so long ago van drivers had the reputation of being one of the worst motorists on the roads and gained the nickname of 'white van man'. This stereotype was given to all van drivers irrespective of what colour van they were driving, with of course those driving white vans having the notorious reputation of cutting in front of others, tail gating and never using their indicators!
However research and studies into the behaviours of all motorists indicates that van drivers are in fact among the safest drivers on the roads rather than the worst. Further studies carried out by leading insurance companies found that van drivers made fewer claims than any other type of motorists as well as being among the most qualified drivers, with many holding advanced driving course qualifications.
There is no doubt that as like any other type of motorist there are always the 'bad apples in the barrel' who taint the perceptions of fellow motorists, and many car drivers will relay and tell stories of being hassled or in near miss accidents due to 'white van man'. However, insurance companies are taking the opinion and results of the surveys and studies very seriously indeed. The proof being in the low cost premiums being offered by some insurance companies to van drivers irrespective of whether the van they drive is white or not.
Whilst this may infuriate other motorists van drivers can enjoy lower premiums for the same cover given to car drivers, as long as they meet the criteria which deems them to be in the low risk categories of insurance. As with any type of vehicle insurance the driving history and proven track records of no claims are the aspects which typically drive the cost of insurance down. As such van drivers who are over 25 years old, have a proven no claims history and have taken advanced driving courses will be generously rewarded by many insurers.
Another reason van drivers are sometimes offered lower insurance is because company vans can be insured under fleet policies, which are always competitively priced against insuring single vehicles. The number of vans required to meet the qualifying fleet insurance varies greatly between insurers, some only ask that three vehicles are insured under the same policy holder's name whilst others may stipulate four or five vehicles. As such anyone who owns a company or business which operates more than three vans would be wise to shop around to see whether they can make savings by having van fleet insurance.
Although the news is good for van drivers, they are being advised not to become complacent with the new perceptions they are being given. As soon as they start making claims for being involved in accidents or claims for theft their insurance premiums will start to rise. The most proactive way for van drivers to reap the benefits of cheap van insurance is to ensure they remain statistically among the safest drivers on the roads.
