Being young and getting your first vehicle is genuinely one of the most liberating feelings anyone can feel, but while driving is obviously exciting — opening up a world to you that was previously only accessible via public transport and walking — it's undoubtedly dangerous; no more so than when you're young and inexperienced.
Because of this, insurance isn't just simply a recommendation; it's a legal requirement — whether you're planning on using your vehicle for work or personal reasons.
For any working young adult, there are times when you're probably going to need a van rather than a car (depending on your job, of course).
Still, like all insurance, van insurance can be especially complicated to get your head around if this is your first time applying for insurance on anything — from complicated jargon to the critical information you need to ensure you provide.
So, throughout this article, we're going to be breaking down an otherwise fairly complex requirement into something far more manageable, so continue reading to learn what different policies are available to you and if there are any tricks you can use to reduce how much you're spending each year.
What Is Young Driver Van Insurance?
Before we get into specific details regarding average costs and all the various kinds of policies that are available to you, it's worth clearing up a few of the basics as, for many young people, this is probably their first introduction to the world of insurance in general.
Young driver van insurance isn't exactly a difficult concept to get your head around as it's essentially just like normal van insurance but obviously designed with younger people (usually around 17-24) in mind.
Now, there probably aren't many young people reading this article that own a van primarily just for personal use, but regardless of whether you're using your car for work, deliveries, or even just for getting around, you're going to need at least some level of insurance so that you're protected in the event of any kind of accidents.
Unfortunately, aside from having a general lack of experience (which doesn't exactly make you Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel), being a young driver comes with plenty of its own challenges, with insurance being one of them.
We'll come onto this in a bit more detail later, but as a result of your inexperience, you'll almost always have far higher insurance premiums than if you were older and more skilled on the road.
Still, even though it's more expensive and you're likely to not have as much money as someone in their 30s, for example (on account of your age), you're still going to need to pay for insurance if you want to drive in the United Kingdom. There are some variations in the pricing depending on which insurance policy you choose, though, so let's break these down:
Understanding Van Insurance Policies
Although we're specifically talking about young van drivers in this article, anyone who's looking to apply for van insurance needs to choose from one of these three policies, irrespective of how old you are:
Comprehensive Cover
This is generally the most extensive coverage that you can get, covering any damage to your van, theft, and any kind of third-party liability.
Third Party, Fire and Theft
This next option is slightly less extensive but still covers any damage to other vehicles, as well as theft and fire damage to your van.
Third-Party Only
This is by far the most basic level of cover you can apply for, but this only covers any damage to other vehicles and property, not your own van.
How Much Does Van Insurance Cost?
Nobody likes having to fork out cash for insurance, but unfortunately, younger drivers who are just hitting the roads for the first time tend to have way higher insurance premiums than older drivers with a lot more experience, given how much more likely people aged 17 – 24 are to be involved in road accidents.
There are a few different factors that the insurance providers take a look at when determining your premiums — things like your age and the kind of van you're driving, for example — but on average, you can probably expect to pay somewhere around £1,900 per year until you're a bit more experienced.
Now, while things like your age and driving experience are obviously out of your control, there are still a few steps that you can take in order to mitigate some of the insurance costs:
Tips for Cheaper Van Insurance
Let's wrap things up by walking through a few easy ways you can ensure you're getting relatively cheap van insurance (or at least more affordable for a young adult):
Build Up a No Claims Bonus
As is the case with car insurance, building up a no-claims bonus, which essentially means avoiding making claims on relatively minor incidents, is a massive way you can reduce your van insurance premium since it proves to your insurers that you're a safe driver.
Compare Van Insurance Quotes
This generally applies to pretty much every kind of insurance, but you should never find one insurance quote and then just run with it — always try to shop around and compare quotes from other insurance providers so you know you're actually getting a good deal and not just the first one that pops up on the sponsored content after a Google search.
Fortunately, though, there are plenty of online tools you can take advantage of to help you with this, so you don't need to open a thousand tabs and spend hours comparing minute details.
Consider Third Party Van Insurance
As mentioned, comprehensive insurance offers the most coverage out of the three policies that are available, but it's naturally the most expensive because of this.
Obviously, you'd never want to feel underexposed, but if you're working on a budget, you might be better off with third-party van insurance so other people's vehicles are covered in the event of a crash, but not your own since this is way cheaper.
Opt for a Higher Excess
The excess is essentially just the amount that you've agreed to pay towards any kind of claims you make, big or small. Now, you can actually lower your insurance premiums if you opt for a slightly higher excess, but it's still important that you can afford to pay it if you do actually need to make a claim.
Look Into Private Van Insurance
If you're using the van for personal use rather than for work, private van insurance generally tends to be a cheaper option.
Related Guides:
