One Derbyshire driver has been left to regret his failure to obtain any van insurance after he was stopped by Derbyshire Roads Policing who found that he was without cover and therefore illegally behind the wheel. When stopped, the driver said that he did not need van insurance cover, incorrectly believing that his fully comprehensive cover on another vehicle meant he had third-party cover for his van. However, the police informed him that this would only have been the case if another individual had been insured on the van; as such he was without any suitable third-party cover and had to face the music.

A mistake to avoid

Derbyshire police were keen to point out the van driver’s error in the hope of preventing other drivers from making the same mistake. A police tweet stated, "Tibshelf. Van is uninsured, but driver says he's fully comp on another car so he is covered third party. "Not the case as 1 - he owns the van and the car, and 2 - the van must be insured by someone else for third party cover to kick in. #seized "

Vehicle insurance is compulsory

It may be difficult for any driver to find cheap van insurance although it is particularly difficult for younger drivers and those who have previously been convicted of a road offence. However, motor insurance is mandatory for every driver and vehicle in the UK. It is easy to understand why it is a legal requirement: van insurance offers financial protection in the event of injury or damage in a road accident. The minimum level of cover is third-party insurance. However, more comprehensive levels of cover are advisable as third-party cover will only cover injuries and damage suffered by others in incidents where the policyholder is at fault. Those with the broadest and most flexible needs should consider any driver van insurance, while the owners of fleets will need fleet van insurance.