Greater numbers of women needing small business van insurance
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We've certainly come a long way from the days when it was thought that the only people who had need for small business van insurance were "white van men".
Yes, according to a study of 10,000 tradespeople carried out by IronmongeryDirect, there are now more women represented among the typical small business van insurance policyholder demographic than ever before, accounting for 5.7% of all those working in trades.
"It's... interesting to see that women now represent a significant, if still small, proportion of the sector. The emergence of White Van Women could be a major trend as the economy continues to grow," said Wayne Lysaght-Mason, managing director with the firm.
"Good tradespeople are highly prized and an influx of women into the trades would help meet growing demand, for example in the housing sector, as well as providing a great career for women looking to grow their own business."
However, the same study also found that the numbers of migrant worker tradespeople was down, from the 8% reported by the Health and Safety Executive in 2010 to a mere 4.6%.
We here at iVan think it's great to know that there are an increased number of women plumbers, plasterers, and decorators, but we've actually known that for some time, maybe it's because we read Women in Trade.
Thousands of business van insurance holders must find cover
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As many as 20,000 business van insurance customers in Ireland could be without the cover they require following the collapse of Setanta insurance
Although around 75,000 drivers have been affected by the sudden collapse of the insurance company, it is thought that 55,000 have so far been successful in finding replacement policies.
However, for those who are yet to find alternative business van insurance, the consequences could be serious. AA Roadwatch's Director of Consumer Affairs, Conon Faughnan, warned that although "the situation is totally unfair... that won't be an excuse if a driver is on the road with no insurance. You have to act now. We are calling on all affected drivers to find a new insurer immediately."
Although it is doubtless inconvenient and maybe even distressing for the drivers involved, perhaps some could see it as an opportunity to compare all the available quotes and hopefully save money in the long-run.
Those drivers who continue to drive without policies have been told that they will be breaking the law. Furthermore, they will have to bear the cost of any loss themselves.
There is also a chance that the collapse of Setanta could have an impact on these shores – there is a great deal of business traffic between Ireland and the UK, with many van drivers travelling by cross-channel ferry.
Catering van owners prepare for the Glastonbury Festival
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The burger vans, hot dog stands, doughnut stalls, couscous providers, falafel sellers – yes, the Glastonbury music festival 2014 is under a month away and catering van owners are getting themselves and their vehicles ready.
Renewing insurance, cleaning the signage, counting stock, and undertaking maintenance checks – there's a lot to be done and increasingly less time to do it all in. Caterers who are new to the festival might also be making sure they have found the best route to and from the area. Buying some wellington boots might be a good idea too.
Although Glastonbury is most definitely a music festival, at iVan we think of it as a celebration of food as well.
Despite many campers bringing provisions with them, there's no denying that without all the catering vans, stalls, and tents selling a plethora of different edibles, a lot of people would go without hot food for the duration of the festival, and many would probably survive on a purely liquid diet, which isn't healthy.
So, we'd like to say a big thank you to all the Glastonbury festival caterers. Thank you for driving through the mud for us, thank you for that much-needed cup of coffee, thank you for feeding us.
Enjoy the music (and the food) everyone!
Photo © ChrisPerriman via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Van drivers the safest of all road users
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Some stereotypes and prejudices stick no matter how much they are contradicted by evidence. Take individuals who continue to perpetuate the falsehood that van drivers are careless – how long will it be until reality finally knocks their prejudice cold on the head?
Those at the wheel of Ford Transits, Mercedes Sprinters, Vauxhall Vivaros, and Volkswagen Transporters are simply not bad drivers – in fact it turns out that van insurance policyholders are actually less of a risk behind the wheel than their car-driving cousins.
The RAC recently analysed Department for Transport data and found that van drivers have a significantly lower accident risk than most motorists. For example, one in 261 vans is involved in a reportable accident, compared to one in 146 cars. Actually, this makes van drivers the safest motorists on the UK's roads, as buses, lorries, and coaches have a much higher accident rate.
The good news is that the number of vans on the nation's roads is on the rise. Between 2002 and 2012, there was an increase of 29%, bringing the total number to 3.3 million. In contrast, the number of cars increased by 11%.
Despite these statistics, old stereotypes die hard: a study of 1,218 motorists revealed that 54% of the respondents thought van drivers are careless, while 57% believed they deserved their poor reputation.
However, as any driver van insurance purchasers know, having a bad reputation is not the same thing as being a bad driver. Furthermore, fortunately, cover providers have access to reams of accident data which helps to contradict these prejudices.
Snakes on a...van
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As a provider of van insurance quotes, we hear some pretty strange stories about life behind the wheel – but this is a new one.
While opening up the doors of a hire van in Manchester, the driver got a shock when he found a five-foot-long North American Red Corn Snake slithering around the back. Fortunately, unlike its more dangerous cousins, this species doesn't pose much of a risk to humans – being a non-venomous constrictor which mostly feeds on a diet of mice, birds, rats, and other small animals.
Regardless, the man's employers probably wanted the stowaway removed from the van as soon as possible but the snake didn't seem willing to oblige – scarpering down a small hole to a position just above the van's wheel arch. Consequently, it took a reptile expert approximately two hours to extract him.
The snake's owner has now been reunited with his pet, and has decided to change its name from Houdini (which is rather ironic) to 'Mysterious' – as he has no idea how it got away. Although we can only speculate how the serpent managed to slither onto the van, it seems he went missing while his owner was using the vehicle to move house. Apparently, corn snakes are great at breaking out of places and individuals should keep a watchful eye to prevent escapes.
Therefore, with all the stresses of moving house, perhaps it is no surprise that Mysterious managed to get away. At iVan, our van insurance team hope his owners are a bit more careful in the future – and try to prevent Mysterious from climbing onto other commercial vehicles.
Photo © Biodiversity Heritage Library via Flickr under Creative Commons
