What is Employers Liability insurance?

If your business employs anyone - even just one person - by law you must have Employers Liability insurance. You also need to prove it, by displaying a current certificate of Employers Liability on your premises. Employers Liability Insurance pays compensation if any of your employees are killed, injured or become ill as a direct result of their work. As you can imagine, the claims (plus legal costs) could be much higher than your business could afford - hence the need for insurance.

What is Public Liability insurance?

If your work means you come into contact with members of the public and their property - and that includes customers - then you really should have Public Liability insurance. Without it, you could face losing your livelihood. Public Liability insurance covers you if you’re unlucky enough to injure someone or damage their property, and they sue you for compensation. As well as the amount of compensation involved, you’d probably be liable for their legal costs too; all in all it could be a significant amount, which you might only raise by selling your business – unless you have Public Liability insurance.

Why does my price keep going up?

A lot of people are confused as to why their van insurance policy costs more each year. In a lot of cases your price will rise, even if you have been claim free for the year, not changed any of your circumstances or your vehicle. This can even be true for people with maximum No Claims Bonus. The simple reason is that van insurance companies are forced to put prices up most years to cover the operational costs the industry experience. As mentioned elsewhere in the buyer’s guide, van insurance companies have to contribute each year to the Motor Insurers Bureau fund to cover the costs of claims involving un-insured drivers. This contribution is rising each year as there are more uninsured drivers on the road. In addition, the costs of everyone’s claims are rising. More people are claiming for personal injury than previously, and with the increase in the number of new vehicles on the road, van insurance companies have to pay higher amounts for repairs or replacements to vehicles involved in claims. The knock on effect to all of this is that we have to pay more for our van insurance policies.

Should I always choose the cheapest Van Insurance quote?

Not necessarily. As with most things in life, cheapest van insurance quote does not necessarily mean the best. It is vital that you consider this when you obtain a van insurance quote as by simply choosing the cheapest van insurance policy possible, you could leave yourself short in the event of a claim. Make sure you choose a van insurance policy that provides you with the correct level of cover to suit your needs. You may want to stick to a larger van insurance company or a name that you trust. Check what they include in the van insurance policy they are offering you by reading policy documentation or asking questions before you make the decision to buy. Take advantage of the optional extras that Gladiator can offer you. These extras provide you with cover that you would not have in a van insurance policy and can keep you on the road and in business where normally you may be stranded. If in doubt, don’t be afraid to give us a call with any questions. Our friendly experts are here to help you and should be able to provide you with clarification on any point you are unsure of.

Your Address & Van Insurance

Your home Address is a very important factor to your van insurance company for many different reasons. Firstly, you will tend to find more vehicles on the road in built up areas. As a result, your van insurance company will probably perceive that you are more likely to be involved in an accident whilst on these roads. There is also a greater risk that your vehicle will be hit by another driver. This could cause a problem for your van insurance company as if you were to be hit by an uninsured driver then they would be liable to pay for any claims. Your address is also considered when assessing the potential theft risk. Every town will have areas that are considered higher risk than others by van insurance companies. What could be considered a lower risk part of town for household insurance may actually prove to be a higher risk from a van insurance point of view.

Vehicle Use & Van Insurance

It is very important to disclose to your van insurance company exactly what you are using your van for. Some uses will result in your vehicle being used in places or in a way that may make it more likely to be involved in a van insurance claim. For example, a courier or parcel delivery driver is likely to be on the road all day and will do a lot of driving in built up areas and on motorways. There is therefore far more likelihood of their van being involved in a claim than that of a builder who drives to a site and parks up all day

Vehicle Age & Van Insurance

Van insurers look at vehicle age in two different ways. A newer vehicle is likely to be more expensive to repair in the event of a claim as they tend to be more valuable than older vehicles. In addition, people are more likely to want to keep their newer vehicle looking good, and therefore would be more likely to claim for any scratch or scrape. The perception for some insurers is that people owning older vehicles would be less likely to take care of their vehicle when compared to drivers of newer vehicles. In addition, it can be more difficult to get parts for older vehicles should they need to be repaired following a claim. As a result of these points, van insurance companies are likely to write off older vehicles in the event of a claim rather than having to effect a repair. However, as these older vehicles are likely to be of less value than newer vehicles, the cost of claims is likely to be reduced.