What are van insurance groups?
Van insurance groups allow insurers to categorise vans which can be used to determine premiums. They are set by a governing panel that includes members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) who draw on several criteria to establish the vehicle’s group.
While insurance groups aren’t the sole factor for calculating a premium, they have a significant influence.
How many groups are there?
There are 20 different van insurance groups, 1 being the lowest and 20 being the highest and most costly.
How are van insurance groups calculated?
The main factors considered when determining a van insurance group are:
- Cost of parts and repairs– vehicles with a larger cost of repairs and parts will be categorised in a higher group.
- Security – if the van is well-equipped with security features and difficult to break into, this can lower the group.
- Weight – Heavier vans are more difficult to control when driving and will be put into a higher group.
- Performance and engine size– if the vehicle has a better performance and more powerful engine, the vehicle would be in a higher group.
A small Ford Fiesta van would be a low insurance group, whereas a Volkswagen Transporter would be in a much higher group, with a larger size, weight, engine capacity and cost.
What other factors can affect van insurance premiums?
Insurers consider a whole range of factors when calculating the price of a premium, many of which are identified through the initial questions required when you first take out a policy.
Every insurer is a little different, so factors can vary depending on the provider you choose. See below some common factors considered:
- Driving convictions – Drivers with more motoring convictions are a higher risk.
- Claims history – if you have previously made claims, this could increase the cost of your premium.
- Mileage – the longer you spend on the road the more likely you are to have an accident.
- Occupation – Jobs which involve regular travel are considered riskier by insurers.
- Address – Densely populated areas and places with higher crime rates could result in higher premiums.
if you’re interested in taking out cover with Dial Direct, visit our van insurance page to find more information about what we offer.