Cheap Van Insurance Compare & switch to save £100s

It's possible to speedily search over 30 providers in just 10 minutes to save £100s on your van insurance. You haven't got to wait until renewal. Provided you haven't claimed, most insurers allow policies to be cancelled with a refund (but ALWAYS check no penalties apply), so you can start saving now!

Step 1: Getting the right cover

The price of cover depends on the insurer, the level of cover and how risky you're perceived to be. Most of the issues for vans are identical to those for car owners, so read the DOs and DON'Ts in the Car Insurance guide too.

However, a few issues are much more specific to van insurance...

Beware monthly payment plans

Whoever you insure with, if it gives an option to 'pay monthly', be careful. This usually involves the insurer lending you the full cost, then charging you interest for the privilege.

Usually the interest rates are hideous. So either pay it off in full, or if you can't afford that it's actually cheaper to pay with a 0% credit card for spending and make the repayments to that.

Step 2: Find cheapest van insurance quote

As insurance prices depend on an individual's unique circumstances, there's not one 'cheapest' provider. The key is to get the most quotes in the shortest amount of time, then investigate the cheapest ones further.

The quickest way to do this is via 'screenscraper' websites, where you enter your details and their software automatically fills in the required info at a host of brokers and insurers websites, grabbing you a quote, literally ‘scraping the data off the screens'.

It's a very quick and easy way to quickly cover a huge chunk of the marketplace in minutes. Yet there are three big things to remember...

• The order maximises the search in the minimum time. Read How the order's picked

• Always double check your results. Read What to check

• Your data is being given to insurers. Read What insurers may do

Compare in the following order

Once you've found the cheapest

Once you've found the cheapest from the screenscrapers; there are two important checks to make:

• Double check the quotes

  Click through to the insurance provider's own website to double check the quotes, as to speed up searches comparison sites sometimes make a few assumptions.

• Examine how you're covered

  Is the policy suitable for you? If you want out of hours contact, is it included? Plus while you're there it's worth playing around with some of the policy details to see the impact on the price, e.g. twiddle the excess (the amount you pay towards each claim).

Screenscraper and broker differences

Brokers and screenscrapers may seem like they're doing a similar job, as each search a number of different insurers; yet they're radically different beasts. My favourite analogy for this is to compare it to searching for the cheapest loaf of bread.

Each individual insurer is like a baker, so your choice is simply to buy the cheapest loaf it offers that fits your characteristics. Brokers are the equivalent to supermarkets; they stock a range of bakers' loaves and the price they charge depends on their relationship with the supplier.

Yet screenscrapers are like sending someone to speed round all the supermarkets and bakers to find the cheapest loaf of all of them.

What if my insurer goes bust?

The economic times we live in mean you never know which companies may be the next to have problems. Fortunately, insurance providers are covered by the government-backed Financial Services Compensation Scheme, meaning if they go into default, you're protected.

The main way this happens is the FSCS will try and find another provider to take over your policy, or issue a substitute policy. However, if you have any ongoing claims, or need to make a claim before a new insurer is found, the FSCS should ensure these are covered. For full details, read the Insurance section of the Savings Safety guide.

Step 3: Grab cashback and haggle

Using the above system should have found you a cheaper quote, yet if you're a higher risk rider or just want to get a cheaper price you can probably save even more.

Check special cashback websites

These are special sites carrying paid links from retailers and financial services providers; in other words if you click through them and get a product they get paid. However importantly, they then give you some of this cash which means you get the same product, but a cut of its revenue.

Not all insurers are included, and you should never choose an insurer just for the cashback, but if your cheapest does pay out, why not grab it. If you're new to cashback sites, ensure you read the Top Cashback Sites guide for pros and cons before using them, if not use the Cashback Sites Maximiser to find the highest payer for each insurer.

One thing to remember though, if you've used several comparison sites then buy your policy via a cashback site it might not track unless you clear your computer's cookies first. Further information on deleting or controlling cookies is available at AboutCookies.

Haggle

Although the van insurance market is not as competitive as for cars, all companies are desperate to retain business.

Once you've got a decent alternative price from a comparison website, get on the phone and try to haggle (unless cashback's available, as that has to be via the net). There's usually massive price flexibility, but be fully armed with the cheapest quotes.

The first port of call should be your existing insurer: after all if it can beat or even match the best quote, it saves the hassle of switching policy. If that doesn't work, take it to other insurers.

Cross-selling

If you already have car, house and travel insurance with a particular insurer, you could call it to check, if it provides van insurance, whether it'll give you a discount.

Step 4: Remember next year

Don't let your annual renewal policy catch you up and simply sign up for another year with the same insurer. If you apply for cover from your existing insurer as a new customer it's likely you'll be given a cheaper price.

This is because van insurers - like any company - will happily profit from apathy; that's why renewal notifications are sent a blink's length before you have to cough up; you're then pressured for time and less likely to try and find a cheaper price.

To avoid being forced to decide quickly, diarise a warning six weeks before your renewal date, so there's plenty of time to sort out a new provider. You can use our free Tart Alert to help you.