by Terry Metcalfe

Insuring a van can become rather expensive if you are unsure of certain aspects to mention when asking for a quote. However, there are several things that you can do to drive the cost of your van insurance down. Follow this insightful guide and you could end up saving money on your next quote.

If you are able to avoid claiming for a few years, you will be able to build up a substantial no claims discount, so avoid making any small claims, and measure the cost of any claim that you make against the extra that you will have to pay due to the loss of your no claims bonus. Be sure to mention if you have a no claims bonus on your car insurance, as your van insurer might be persuaded to match it.

Due to the fact that vans tend to be used more heavily than cars on a day to day basis, they stand a greater chance of developing mechanical faults. While it may be quite expensive to insure your van against breakdowns, if you use it to make your living with then it could be worth the added expense just to get back on the road quickly. Ideally, your policy should include the provision of a replacement vehicle while yours is in the garage.

If you have still to buy your van, you should try to get the smallest one that will meet your needs, as lighter, smaller, cheaper vans tend to be cheaper to insure than large, heavy, expensive ones.

Insuring a van for business purposes is quite a bit different to insuring it for recreational purposes, so make sure that you specify what your van will be used for when you apply for insurance.

Get quotes for all the different levels of van insurance cover available before you buy so that you can best work out what suits your needs - and your budget.

If you are going to be storing anything valuable in your van, such as tools or goods, then you might want to take out a separate insurance policy to cover you in the event of theft, as not all van insurance policies include this type of cover, or at least have it as a very expensive cost option.

Drivers that are young, inexperienced, or have penalty points on their license are expensive insurance risks, but if you fail to mention these details about any of the drivers of the vehicle, then your insurance may be invalidated when you come to make a claim, so, as ever, honesty is the best policy.

You can bring down the cost of your insurance by fitting an alarm and immobiliser to your vehicle. These act as a deterrent to thieves, who could reduce your risk of having to claim and thus losing your bonus, and you might get a discount for just having them fitted in the first place.