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As with standard car insurance policies, there are three levels of van cover, at different price points.

• Third-party only: The most basic level of cover required by law, for any other road users you might harm while operating your van. With these policies, you will be responsible for any damage your vehicle sustains in accidents in which you are at fault and through other mishaps.

• Third party, fire and theft (TPFT): These policies cover third parties and also damage caused to your vehicle through fire or its replacement if it’s stolen and not recovered.

• Comprehensive cover: Covers your vehicle for damage in accidents as well as the vehicles of other road users.

Although comprehensive policies are the most complete, they’re not necessarily the most expensive. In fact, comprehensive policies are generally cheaper than TPFT and third party-only policies, which are typically only used by motorists with chequered driving histories who can’t qualify for other policies.

There are four types of van insurance, depending on how you use your vehicle. They’re all priced differently.

• Own goods van insurance: These policies cover your van and your possessions stored within it, such as the tools you need for your trade, but not other people's goods or cargo. These policies are the most appropriate for tradespeople travelling to jobs.

• Courier insurance: Courier insurance is the most appropriate cover if you use your van to deliver goods directly to customers, making successive, short trips in a local area. Vans used for couriering are on the road longer than other vehicles, especially during the daytime and in high-traffic urban areas, and are often carrying high-value items, such as online orders, which may be of interest to thieves. These factors make these vehicles more likely to be involved in insurance claims and thus more expensive to insure. However, courier insurance only covers the vehicle itself and not the items carried within it.

• Haulage insurance: Haulage insurance is for vans used to make long journeys to drop off goods in one location, usually transporting them from suppliers to businesses. These are broadly the same policies used by HGVs, addressing the risks of long motorway trips. But again, these policies only cover the vehicle itself and not the goods stored within it.

• Goods in transit cover: Goods in transit policies cover your van and the cargo it carries for commercial purposes—goods owned by your clients and not your business itself. These policies are typically more expensive and the cargo you carry—including its value and whether it’s hazardous—will impact your premiums.

• Value: High-value vans are costlier to replace and are more likely to be of interest to thieves, increasing your premiums.

• Size: Heavier vans are more likely to be involved in serious accidents and thus are more expensive to insure.

• Mileage: The more your vehicle is on the road, the more likely it is to be involved in an accident, increasing risk and premiums.

• Age: With age comes driving experience, so younger drivers, especially those under 25, are more expensive to insure.

• Driving history: If you have driving convictions from the last three to five years, you’ll pay higher premiums and in some cases be limited in the level of coverage you can buy. Insurers will also want to know if you’ve made claims on your insurance in the recently and how many years of no-claims bonus you’ve accumulated.

• Address: If you live and park your van in a high-crime area, expect to pay higher premiums, to offset the increased risk of vehicle theft and burglary.

• Occupation: Drivers in certain occupations are seen as riskier to insure.

Many drivers need additional insurance protection, for example giving them a courtesy vehicle to keep their business on the road while their van is in the garage or covering the tools they store in the vehicle. These extras will all add to your premiums.