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Multi van insurance

If you own more than one van, a multi-van or fleet policy allows you to insure them all under one policy, which could save money and make your admin simpler. Let’s take a look…

If you own more than one van, a multi-van or fleet policy allows you to insure them all under one policy, which could save money and make your admin simpler. Let’s take a look…

Written by
Julie Daniels
Motor insurance expert
Last Updated
8 DECEMBER 2023
5 min read
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What is multi-van insurance?

Multi-van insurance – sometimes known as fleet cover – lets you insure several vehicles under one policy with a single renewal date, instead of taking out individual policies for each van.

The number of vehicles you can cover under one policy will vary between insurance providers.

You can’t currently compare multi-van policies with Compare the Market.

What level of cover can I get with multi-van insurance? 

The levels of cover you can choose from are the same as with individual van insurance

  • third party only – the legal minimum level of cover. This can pay out if you injure someone or damage their vehicle.
  • third party fire and theft – offers the same cover as third party, plus cover if your van is damaged or destroyed by fire.
  • fully comprehensive – the highest level of cover. Includes third party fire and theft, plus cover for your own van in an accident.

Who needs multi-van insurance? 

Although multi-van insurance can be useful for businesses with a fleet of vehicles, it could also be handy for private use too. For example, if you have different vans for sports and leisure activities like camping, fishing and surfing. Anyone can take out multi-van insurance, as long as it’s for more than one van.

How many vans can I insure on a multi-van policy? 

The minimum and maximum amount of vans you can insure under one policy varies between insurance providers but can range from two or three vans up to hundreds.

Will a multi-van insurance policy be cheaper?

​Buying a multi-van policy could work out cheaper than insuring each vehicle on a separate policy because you’re effectively buying in bulk.

But the cost of your premium will also depend on the types of vans and the insurance groups each one is in. Smaller, lighter vans will typically fall into the lower groups and will be cheaper to insure. Heavier, more powerful and expensive vans will typically be in the higher groups and cost more to insure. Even one van in a higher insurance group could push up your premium.

It’s not only about money though: having just one insurance provider to deal with and one renewal date to remember can make your admin easier to manage.

What type of cover do I need? 

Your insurance will need to cover how you use your van. There are four classes of use: 

  • Social – If you have vans that are purely used for leisure activities, like camping or carrying surfing gear, insuring them for social use could help bring the premium cost down.
  • Social and commuting – some providers offer social and commuting options if you use your vans for travelling to work as well as for leisure
  • Own goods – for vans used for carrying your own tools and equipment
  • Haulage – for vans used to carry someone else’s goods, for example: courier deliveries or furniture removals. 

Some multi-van policies allow you to cover a mixture of vans for both commercial and leisure use.

What type of vans can be included on a multi-van policy? 

Most insurance providers will let you cover a variety of vans under one policy. For example: 

Top tip 

If you change your vehicles from time to time, don’t forget to update your policy details, or your cover could be invalidated.

Can cars be included under the same policy? 

If you’re opting for multi-van insurance, you may be able to add cars to the same policy, for example, your company cars.

Can anyone drive on a multi van insurance policy? 

Most multi-van policies are arranged on an any driver basis, which means any driver can drive any vehicle from your fleet of vans

‘Any driver’ cover will give you more flexibility and smoother administration because you won’t need to add or remove people from the list, but it tends to be more expensive. That’s because an insurance provider has less information about who’ll be driving, which is a riskier proposition from their perspective.

Just be aware that ‘any driver’ policies may have age-limit restrictions. Some insurance providers won’t cover drivers under 21 or under 25, and the same can apply for other ages – such as drivers over 70, for example.

Drivers may also have to have a clean licence.

You may need to give the insurer the names of the prospective drivers, but you might be able to find a policy where that isn’t necessary.

What should I consider when buying multi-van insurance? 

  • The drivers – If you don’t have an ‘any driver’ policy, having young, inexperienced drivers, or drivers with convictions, could push up your premium.
  • The type of vans – van insurance groups range from 1-20. Typically vans in the lower groups should cost less to insure. If you have different types of vans in your fleet, compare individual policies for more costly and powerful vehicles to see if it’s cheaper than adding them to a multi-van policy.
  • Excess and extras – although the level of cover – third party, TPFT or comprehensive, is same across the fleet, many policies let you choose different voluntary excesses and add-ons for each vehicle. So, for example, you might want breakdown cover for all of your fleet, and added European cover for vans that regularly head abroad. 

Did you know?

You don’t need to carry a green card when you drive in the EU (including Ireland), Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland. However, you’ll still need valid vehicle insurance.

You may need a green card to drive in other countries, such as Albania, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine. Check GOV.UK for the latest guidance.

Compare van insurance

Comparing policies from a wide range of providers is a great way to find a competitive premium.  It’s always a good idea to weigh up your options and compare individual policies with multi-policies to see which ones offer better value for money. Although we don’t compare multi-policies, we can help you find a range of individual van insurance quotes for both personal and commercial use.  

Compare today and see what options are available to help you find the right van insurance for your needs.

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