A basic level of third-party van insurance is essential if you drive a van on UK roads. But beyond that, you can decide if you also want to cover damage to your van, theft of the van, and theft of its contents.

You can tailor the policy so it suits how you actually use your vehicle. Most vans are of course used for work, for everything from transporting goods to moving around tradies’ tools and equipment. That’s a big factor in why insurers treat vans slightly differently from standard car policies, and why van insurance is often more expensive than car insurance.

Cover is also available if your van is for personal use only. In that case, ‘social, domestic and pleasure cover’ protects you when using your van for everyday journeys, similar to car insurance. But if you’re commuting to and from work in your van, you’ll likely need business van insurance, even if the van isn’t directly connected to your work.