Any driver van insurance

What is any driver van insurance?

Any driver van insurance allows multiple people to drive your van or vans. It doesn’t literally mean that any person with a driving licence can get behind the wheel of your van.

When you take out any driver van insurance, you’ll typically need to list anyone who intends to drive it as a ‘named driver’. You’ll need to give details about each driver, including their:

• Age

• Occupation

• Driving history

• Past claims

• Driving convictions.

Not all insurance providers will ask you to name every driver. But most will have restrictions on drivers, such as a minimum age limit and a clean driving licence for at least the previous year.

Currently, you can’t compare any driver van insurance with Compare the Market. But if you’re looking for standard van insurance, we can help.

Do I need any driver van insurance?

Van insurance for any driver can be useful if you, say, run a business with a fleet of vans and you need others to drive them.

You might also own a private van that you’d like a few friends or family members to drive.

An any driver van insurance policy can give you that flexibility. But it tends to be more expensive than a standard van insurance policy. With more people driving the van, there’s more chance of something going wrong.

That said, if you need van insurance for more than a couple of drivers, any driver cover could work out cheaper than individual policies.

If your company has a high turnover of staff, any driver van insurance could also reduce the costs and admin of frequently adding or removing people from a policy.

Just remember to keep an eye out for any cover limits or restrictions, like a minimum age requirement.

What does any driver van insurance cover?

As well as insuring multiple drivers, an any driver van insurance policy can cover:

• Personal belongings – this may be covered as standard (particularly with a comprehensive policy) but you can also add it as an extra

• Tools and equipment – if you use your van for work, you can cover everything you need for your job

• Packages, parcels and other delivery goods – if you work as a courier or carry goods in transit (haulage).

What extras can I add to any driver van insurance?

There are a variety of extras you can add to an any driver van insurance policy to beef up your cover:

Breakdown cover

The right breakdown cover will get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Courtesy van cover

If yours is in the garage and you need a replacement van, courtesy cover will keep you going.

Public liability insurance

If you’re self-employed and use your van for work, public liability insurance can protect you against claims if you injure somebody or damage their property with your van.

Employers’ liability insurance

If you employ any staff, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement. It protects you against any claims made by your employees.

Legal cover

If your van is involved in an accident, this can cover the cost of legal fees if somebody makes a claim against you.

Is an any driver policy suitable for personal use?

Any driver van insurance policies are generally taken out by businesses for commercial vehicles. But private van drivers might appreciate their versatility, too.

If you do a lot of cross-country driving, for example, an any driver policy would allow you to share the driving with others.

How many drivers can I add to an any driver policy?

It depends on the insurance provider. Some policies let you add as many drivers as you want. Others may restrict you to, say, five drivers per van.

It’s a good idea to shop around and compare quotes to get the cover you need.

What are the restrictions on an any driver policy?

Again, this depends on the insurance provider. So be sure to check the terms and conditions of any policy for specific restrictions.

There are often minimum age limits for any driver van insurance. Some providers don’t cover drivers aged under 25, and for others it’s 21. Some policies might also have an upper age limit and won’t cover drivers over the age of 70.

One thing to be very careful of is not naming anyone as the primary driver if they’re not going to be the person doing most of the driving. This is known as ‘fronting’.

Fronting is most common with young and inexperienced drivers. But anyone who misleads their insurance provider about who does most of the driving can be found guilty of fraud.

Read our guide to car insurance fronting to find out more.

How much does any driver van insurance cost?

The price of any driver van insurance will depend on the type of cover you choose. Typically, it’s more expensive than adding named drivers to a regular van policy, unless you need to insure more than a couple of drivers.

You might also assume that third-party van insurance or third-party, fire and theft van insurance is the cheapest. But that’s not necessarily true. Sometimes comprehensive any driver van insurance works out cheaper.

This is why it’s a good idea to shop around and compare a range of quotes if you’re looking for a good deal on any driver van insurance.

Other things that can affect the cost of any driver van insurance include:

• Drivers’ ages – you’ll likely pay more for young drivers under 25, while more experienced drivers with clean driving records could help keep your premiums down.

• Business or personal use – business van insurance is often more expensive than cover for private use because it’s seen as higher risk.

• Van size – heavier, more powerful vans will typically be more expensive to insure than smaller, lighter models.

• The van’s insurance group – each make and model falls into an insurance group. The lower the group number, the cheaper it can be to insure.

• What you’re transporting – you’ll typically pay a higher premium if you use the van to transport goods and/or machinery, as there’s a risk of them being stolen or damaged.

What are the alternatives to any driver van insurance?

There are a few alternatives to any driver van insurance that are worth considering:

• Temporary van insurance – if you only need cover for an additional driver for a brief period, short-term van insurance might be a good option. Cover can range from one hour up to 28 days.

• Named driver van insurance – you can usually have up to four drivers on a single-van policy. If you only need a few extra drivers, this might be a cheaper option than taking out an any driver policy.

• Multi-van insurance – if you have a number of vans to insure, a multi-van or even fleet van insurance policy could work out cheaper than insuring each vehicle individually. Most multi-van policies allow any named employee to drive any vehicle included in the policy.

How can I get cheaper any driver van insurance?

Here are some ways to get cheaper any driver van insurance:

• Increase your voluntary excess: Paying a higher voluntary excess could reduce your premium. However, if you make a claim, you’ll need to make sure you can cover both the voluntary and compulsory excess.

• Pay annually: By paying your full insurance premium upfront each year, you could avoid paying the interest that’s likely to be charged on monthly instalments.

• Shop around: The most competitive premiums tend to be offered about three weeks ahead of your policy’s end date. So, make a note of your renewal date and start shopping around in the month beforehand.

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