Van insurance

Compare cheap van insurance quotes

Compare cover from over 45 providers[1]
Electric van charging at charge point

Compare van insurance

Getting quotes from lots of different van insurance providers can really help to cut the cost.

When you compare van insurance with us, we’ll show you the price, but also some of the policy features that are included or excluded.

That’ll help you choose the right cover for your van. We know how important that is – your van is more than just a vehicle to you, especially if your business depends on it.

What does van insurance cover?

As a minimum, van insurance will cover the cost of any losses or damage you cause to other people and their property while driving. That’s third-party cover and it’s a legal requirement.

You can choose third party fire and theft or comprehensive insurance to cover more eventualities.

Exactly what’s covered by your policy will depend on the type of van insurance you buy.

  • Business van insurance: covers your van and – depending on the cover level you choose – your possessions, when you're using your van for work and to get there and back. If you're doing deliveries, you'll need courier or haulage cover too. 
  • Private van insurance: this covers you for social use only – things like trips to the shops, holidays and visiting family or friends – you can't do any commuting.

If you’re unsure which type to choose, our guide will help you pick the right type of van insurance cover.

Woman smiling while sitting in the driver's seat of a white van with some parcels in the foreground

Our van insurance providers

There are over 45 insurers on our panel for you to compare cheap commercial and private van insurance quotes from, including:[1]

Lloyds bank logo
Admiral logo
Autonet insurance logo
One Call logo
Van Line Direct logo
Quote Line Direct logo
Hastings Direct logo
More Than logo

Van insurance types

Your type of van insurance is defined in more detail than for car insurance. You’ll need to work out whether you need commercial or private insurance first. Then, the type of cover you need depending on how you use your van.

Haulage

This is cover for delivering large loads over long distances. With this type of insurance, your goods in transit will be covered too.

Haulage cover is for single destinations though, so if you make multiple drops, you’ll need courier insurance instead.

You’ll also have cover for social use included.

Courier

You'll see this called ‘carriage of goods for hire and reward’. It’s cover for delivering other people’s goods or property - and getting paid for it.

It’s usually for deliveries in a localised area and provides additional cover for the goods that you transport.

Social use is included too.

Carriage of own goods

If you use your van to get to work, you’ll need this cover. You can get cover for your tools or goods too if you need it.

You’ll need to let the insurer know what you carry in your van. If you don’t specify it, it won’t be covered.

Social use is included as standard.

Social use

For private use, like visiting friends and family and doing the shopping.

You can't commute - even to a single place of work.

What level of van insurance cover should I choose?

There are three levels of van insurance to choose from. Legally, you only need to have third party cover, but it won’t offer you, or your van, any protection. Compare different types of policies to find the level of cover you feel most comfortable with.

Comprehensive

This is the highest level of cover you can get. Fully comp insures your van against theft and fire, as well as covering you, your van and third parties involved in motoring incidents.

Third party, fire and theft (TPFT)

Third party, fire and theft is the middle ground between comprehensive and third party only cover. You’ll be covered for damage or injury to third parties and for fire damage, or theft, of your van.

Third party only (TPO)

This only covers injuries or damages to third parties – legally, you need it to drive your van. Just because it’s the most basic cover, don’t assume it’ll be the cheapest.

Check your policy wording so you know what cover you have in the event of van theft

If your van is subject to theft - whether the actual vehicle is stolen or just the things inside - your van insurance could help you recoup some of the costs. But it's important to make sure your van is secured and that you remove what you can from it when it's not in use. This will minimise its appeal to criminals and reduce any losses if there is a theft.

As soon as you discover your van or something inside it has been stolen, get in touch with the police to report the crime, and then contact your insurer -any claims made will be subject to the policy wording.
Ryan Fulthorpe - GoCompare Van Insurance

How to get a cheap van insurance quote

It’s a quick and easy process - we only need a few details to get your quotes:

  1. Your details

    A bit about you, where you live, your job and driving history

  2. Van details

    Reg plate, make, model and estimated value

  3. Your plan for the van

    Intended usage, yearly mileage and where it’ll be parked

  4. Van modifications

    Declare any changes you’ve made to your van

Get a quote

Our customers rated us on average[2]

4.6 out of 5

on Trustpilot

How to cut the cost of van insurance

Five ways you could make your van insurance cheaper:

  1. Pay for the year up front

    If you can afford it, it’s always cheaper to pay for your insurance in one go

  2. Avoid modifications

    Try to avoid modifying your van. Modified vans usually cost more to insure

  3. Improve security

    Alarms, trackers and immobilisers can lower your premiums. Park your van securely in a garage or driveway if you can too

  4. No-claims discount

    The longer you go without making a claim, the bigger the discount you’ll get

  5. Put your excess up

    Generally, if you increase the amount you’re prepared to pay towards the cost of a claim, you’ll get cheaper quotes. Keep it affordable though, in case you need to pay it

Any-driver van insurance

With any driver insurance, anyone can drive your van at short notice – you don’t need to name them on the policy. 

It means team members can easily share a van. And if you have a growing business, or temporary workers, you don’t need to add them to your insurance short term. 

Watch out for age restrictions though – under 21s aren’t usually covered as standard.

Add-ons for van insurance

There are plenty of extras you can bolt on to your van insurance. Some you’ll pay extra for, while others are included as standard, depending on the insurer.

Legal expenses, breakdown cover, courtesy vans and protecting your no-claims discount are all options for you to consider.

They all add up, so only add the bits you really want or need. If you pay monthly for your insurance, you’ll pay interest on the extra cover too.

How much does my van insurance cost?

Our research showed that the average price paid for social-only van insurance is £572, while the average annual price for carriage of own goods is £565.*

The average price climbed considerably to £1515 for hire and reward and £1464 for haulage cover.

Your own quotes will depend on your vehicle, your driving history and your own personal circumstances.

Does age affect van insurance?

Don’t forget your green card

From 2 August 2021, you won’t need a green card to drive in the EU (including Ireland), plus:

  • Andorra
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Iceland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Norway
  • Serbia
  • Switzerland

But you might need a green card for other destinations. You should always check your van insurance to make sure you’re covered.

Reviews from our customers

Here’s what customers had to say about our service:

Certainly a lot lower price than my current renewal

Very good rates and easy to use website. Will use again.

A very fair and reasonable quote.

Very good value for money

Compare van insurance

Make sure you’re getting the right cover, for the right price

You may also like to compare

Page last reviewed: 06 February 2023
Page reviewed by Ryan Fulthorpe

[1]As of February 2022, there are 49 active van insurers on the panel at GoCompare.

[2]Based on Trustpilot: Our average rating of 4.6 out of 5 is from 488 people who left a review for van insurance comparison only. Last checked 02 February 2023.

[3]Median best annual van insurance premium returned from all customers quoting through Go.Compare between January 2021 and May 2022.