Any Driver Van Insurance and EU Road Rules
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One major advantage of having an any driver van insurance policy is that it allows you to switch drivers during long journeys. Otherwise, policyholders risk having to stop work and find a suitable place to enjoy sufficient rest.
In fact, vans are subject to the same laws as HGV drivers regarding daily driving hours limits. Despite this, too few van drivers are aware of their obligations, which, in line with EU rules, include the following:
- Drivers must not drive for more than nine hours in a day – although this may be extended to 10 hours twice a week
- Drivers must not be behind the wheel for more than 56 hours in a week
- Drivers must not exceed more than 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks
Furthermore, the same EU rules state that van drivers must take rests and breaks in the following ways:
- At least 11 hours rest every day – this can be reduced to nine hours rest on three occasions between any two weekly rest periods
- An unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week – this can be reduced to 24 hours every other week
- A break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than four and a half hours driving
- A weekly rest after six consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken
Any van driver who exceeds these limits faces a potential fine of £300. However, it is worth considering that fear of punishment should not be the primary deterrent; it is dangerous to get behind the wheel of any vehicle when tired or fatigued. In fact, tiredness and fatigue are two of the major causes of road accidents in the UK.
Keep Track of Your Driving Hours
Unlike HGVs, vans do not need to be fitted with a tachograph to record mileage and road hours. However, this does not mean that they cannot face sanction.
If you have any concerns that you might exceed the legal limits, you should consider an any driver van insurance policy – that way you can rely on a colleague to take over the driving burden while you receive some vital rest.
Any Driver – iVan Insurance
Whether you have one van or a whole fleet of vans, whether you drive a Ford Transit, a Citroen, a Renault or a vintage commercial vehicle, iVan can help you find the any driver van insurance policy that is right for you. Try our Quote Engine today.
Pedal Powered Van Insurance?
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Fancy cycling your way to cheaper any driver van insurance, anyone? No, this is not the pedal-powered version of the telematics black box, nor indeed is it a pedal-powered van.
Instead, this is an idea currently being mooted by the Department for Transport (DfT). The organisation is proposing that motorists in the UK could become eligible for cheaper van insurance premiums by taking courses in cycling awareness.
The cycling awareness idea is just one of 50 safety measures proposed as part of the government’s ‘Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy’. They are designed to increase the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on the nation’s roads following an increase in fatalities recorded in 2017 and form part of a two-year plan of action. Additional ideas include ensuring that cycle lanes are free of parking bays, making greater use of helmet-cam and dashcam through online portals and making greater allowance for the needs of cyclists by enacting changes to the Highway Code.
Some of the ideas have already been trialled. For example, in October 2016, North Wales Police began using helmet- and dashboard-mounted cameras, and have so far used footage to resolve 129 cases.
It remains to be seen just how many van drivers would have the inclination and the time to complete the ‘Bikeability’ training courses in order to be given the chance to receive cheaper van insurance.
It is clear that the government views increased levels of cycling as the future, both from an environmental and infrastructure perspective. Councils are going to be urged to spend approximately 15% of their transport funding on improved infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.
Find Cheaper Van Insurance Today
Given how costly some any driver van insurance policies can be, it makes sense to utilise every possible path to cheaper van insurance. Whether this means taking a cycling awareness course, driving carefully to preserve your no-claims bonus or comparing quotes online from a variety of providers, van drivers who take the time to plan are those who are most likely to benefit.
If you would like the opportunity to find cheaper any driver van insurance for your commercial vehicle, try iVan’s quote engine today. Simply click on the orange 'Get a Quote' button to get started.
Tech-Savvy Thieves can Target Any Van
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An investigation by The Sun newspaper has revealed that any driver van insurance policyholders need to become more vigilant as a response to the increasing levels of sophistication demonstrated by thieves.
This follows revelations last year from security company Tracker, which released data showing that 82 per cent of van thefts occurred without keys in 2017, a vast increase in the number of similar thefts in the previous year.
From exploiting security flaws in the keyless systems of commercial vehicles to duping drivers into leaving doors unlocked, thieves are nowadays able to break into vans in as little as six seconds.
After receiving permission from the the owners of the vehicles concerned, the team from the newspaper used the key fob hacking technology to break into vehicles made by the following manufacturers (also listed are how long it took to break into each van):
- Skoda: 10 seconds
- Nissan: 10 seconds
- Mazda: 12 seconds
- Renault: 13 seconds
- Hyundai: 19 seconds
- Volvo: 23 seconds
- Volkswagen: 42 seconds
Terrible Technology Democratised
The Sun found that anybody in the UK can buy the hacking technology. Online sellers based in Russia have no checks to prevent the devices from falling into the hands of criminals. However, The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) has said that it is “working closely with government, insurers and police forces to stop the open sale of equipment which has no legal purpose.”
Ford, which manufactures the Transit van, the most-stolen van in 2017, says it is developing a sleep mode for its key fobs in order to prevent thieves from hacking into signals. Other manufacturers, including Skoda Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, Volvo and Mazda say that they will be doing the same.
In the meantime, any driver van insurance fleet managers should consider security measures such as steering locks, wheel clamps and locking tools away.
Be Sure to Inform your Any Driver Van Insurer when Moving House
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There are many ways that a policyholder can invalidate their any driver van insurance. In fact, time and again drivers throughout the world find that, when it comes to the crunch, they are not covered because they have lied about their jobs, failed to disclose a modification to their vehicle or evaded the truth regarding their vehicle's class of use.
However, there is another frequently innocent mistake that may lead to a policyholder invalidating their any driver van insurance: failing to inform your provider that you have moved to a new address.
Innocent Mistake, Serious Consequences
Moving house can be one of life's most stressful events. Not only do you have to say goodbye to the place you have called home for a settled period, you also have to farewell your familiar neighbours and cherished community. Then there is the logistics: painstakingly putting your life into boxes and uprooting to another location is drain on time, energy and emotions. The same can be said for moving business address.
It is little wonder then that so many forget to inform both the DVLA and their any driver van insurance provider, potentially risking a significant fine or even the invalidation of their insurance cover.
What to do
In order to ensure that you don't forget to inform your insurer, you should notify them of your plans as soon as you have confirmed your move date and become subsumed by the chaos of your move.
Remember, if you are parking your vehicle at your address, the price of your insurance premium will be based in part by the risks particular to your postcode – the same goes for a business address: if you park outside your business and are moving the address of your firm, you should let your insurer know at the soonest opportunity.
Not only could failing to notify your insurer and the DVLA invalidate your insurance premium, it may also result in a £300 fine, six penalty points and the possible seizure of your vehicle.
Any Driver Van Insurance from iVan
Any driver van insurance is all about giving your business and your fleet the flexibility and freedom to meet your changing daily demands.
However, an any driver premium can sometimes be the expensive option. In some cases it may be cheaper to opt for a policy that gives you multiple named drivers. As a commercial vehicle cover specialist, iVan can help you find the policy that is best-suited to your needs.
Van Insurance Price Dropped in 2018, But Will it Last?
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Last year van insurance customers had some welcome good news with Consumer Intelligence's Van Insurance Index finding that the average price of a premium dropped by 0.9%.
Despite this, the cost of van insurance premiums actually rose by 1.2% in the three months to December and experts predict that they will continue to rise throughout 2019.
It seems strange that the cost of premiums should rise at just a time that the government is taking steps to reduce the cost of accident claims on the motor insurance industry.
However, there are various other factors in place, not least the impact of claims involving the kinds of expensive and sophisticated technology that is becoming increasingly a feature of today's vans. Furthermore, most vans are now manufactured far from these shores so the cost of importing replacement parts only adds to the overall bill.
There has also been some convergence in the cost of van insurance to different demographics. This has been good news for younger drivers, with under 25s seeing the average premium price drop by 5.9% in 2018, but bad news for over 50s who saw the average price of a premium rise by 1.6% in the same period. Drivers who are between 25 and 49 benefited from a small price drop of 0.3%.
There was also some difference in the cost of insurance depending on how a van is used. Vans used purely for business purposes saw average premiums drop by 0.6%, while drivers who used theirs for social, domestic and pleasure policies as well saw their premiums fall by 2.3%.
Consumer Intelligence's pricing expert John Blevins commented, "The price rises in the past three months are signalling a turn in the market after a sustained period of premium reductions.
"Insurers have passed on price cuts where they can but claims costs are dictating premium rises with the increased cost of importing spare parts a major factor when repairing vans following accidents.
Now is the Time to Save
The considerable cost of van insurance means that wherever possible, drivers should find savings where they can. By getting a quote with iVan, you can compare commercial vehicle insurance quotes from a range of providers. Try our Quote Engine today.
