Does Where I Park My Van Overnight Affect My Van Insurance?
Caeva O'Callaghan | February 12th, 2024
Many different factors affect how much you pay for van insurance premiums. But will the location of your van when it’s not in use affect how much you pay?
Yes. In order to calculate an accurate insurance premium, your provider will ask for your address at the quote stage. They will want to know where the van will be parked for most of the time, typically four nights per week.
This is because some areas are riskier than others due to crime rate, road conditions, and other factors. It won’t matter so much whether you park your van on a driveway or public road, but the area your van occupies will matter.
In this article, we’ll go over the following questions:
- Does where you park reduce your van insurance?
- If I park in a garage, will this lower my insurance?
- Will my insurance cover tools stolen from my van?
Van insurance providers calculate insurance premiums based on a number of different rating factors. Primary rating factors affect the cost of your premium the most, and these include where you live and store your van.
Does where you park reduce your van insurance?
It can do, depending on the area. Insurers want to know where you keep your van during the day and night. They ask this because they need to know how safe your van is when you aren’t driving it. Most often, you’ll park your van outside your house or business premises.
As more crime happens at night, van insurance application forms often ask where your vehicle will stay overnight. If your working pattern changes and you start storing your vehicle somewhere else for the majority of the time (four nights a week or more), you need to tell your insurance provider.
The safest place to park your van overnight is on your business premises – if you have those – overlooked by CCTV. Failing that, outside your house under a streetlight or off the road and close to your house, such as under a carport, would also be ideal.
As always, it’s up to you to keep your vehicle safe. It doesn’t matter how well protected your business premises are, if you left the van unlocked and CCTV caught someone easily opening the door and stealing tools, your insurance will not cover you. It’s up to you, first and foremost, to protect your possessions.
If I park in a garage, will this lower my van insurance?
Surprisingly not. Many insurers will argue one of the safest places to store your van overnight is in a carport at your home. This is because it’s off the street, closer to your house, and therefore at a lower risk of theft or damage.
Garages are actually not as safe as carports, at least to insurance providers. While they are technically more secure, your van is more at risk of scrapes and scratches while driving in and out. If you keep tools, bikes or sharp objects in your garage they can cause damage to paintwork and glass. Finally, if a thief was to break into your home, they would have free access to your garage and van. You may not even hear them break in. A carport, however, gives your van shelter as well as being off-street.
Will my insurance cover tools stolen from my van?
Not unless you have more comprehensive cover than third party only. As third party insurance is for the benefit of the other driver, it will not cover you if your vehicle is damaged or if its contents are stolen.
The good news is that you can protect your tools, materials, laptops, and anything else you store in your van either as an add-on to your insurance, or as a separate policy. This will protect you not only if they’re stolen, but also if they’re damaged in a vehicle collision or fire.
Contractors’ all risk insurance will likely suit your needs, so get in touch with us to arrange extra cover. No two van insurance policies are the same, and we can help to make sure you find the perfect one for you and your vehicle. That way you’ll be covered no matter where you park your van, or what you leave inside.
If you need a van insurance quote, pick up the phone and talk to our experts today. You can talk to us today on 0818 224433 or 042 9359051.