Need a good broker for van insurance

Savvy_Sue

Would welcome recommendations: our current broker can't find anyone willing to quote for an unusual situation with our works van, where we have a large number of drivers and a not very good claims record.

All drivers are over 25 and have held a full licence for 3+ years, but between them they have a motley collection of points on their licences and claims on their own cars. We've had at least one accident in the van every year for as long as I can remember ...

We're a charity, if it makes a difference, and most of the drivers are volunteers. We need a large number because we use the van 5 days a week, but most of them only do one or two shifts each month.

I have another broker working on it, but I'd like to have a 3rd one to try if that fails, because we've got less than a week to sort this out!

Savvy_Sue

Anyone? Or suggestions for what we do next?

Really struggling here: original broker is now trying to get quotes if we remove all drivers with any claims or convictions, and I've also asked them to look at going TP rather than comprehensive, but otherwise we have a useless van as of Monday and half our work has to be severely reduced.

vaio

dacouch wrote: »

......You can buy Any Driver Cover, it is typically restricted to drivers over 25 or 30. It is very expensive as it is loaded because Insurers tend not to like the cover and you are not receiving any of the discounts for restricting the driving.

I think you will struggle to buy it on the net but a local broker would have a small percentage of companies they deal with who would offer it........

This was posted in a earlier thread but no mention was made of the companies that actually offer it.

Might be worth PM to Dacouch to see if he can come up with more info.

benjaminM

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

All drivers are over 25 and have held a full licence for 3+ years, but between them they have a motley collection of points on their licences and claims on their own cars. We've had at least one accident in the van every year for as long as I can remember ...

I think most brokers would struggle with this risk tbh.

If you want to keep costs to a minimum I would suggest you get a policy on a named driver basis. Its obviously less flexible but it will be cheaper than any driver.

With a combination of a poor claims record and drivers with convictions the premium is likely to be very high.

You mention you have your existing broker and another broker working on it and you would like a 3rd? I would not recommend getting a 3rd. The chances are that both brokers are already using the same markets to get you quotes, getting a 3rd is not going to help the situation. With this kind of risk brokers will only be able to use a limited number of insurers. I think 2 brokers is enough.

I have dealt with similar cases like this before and I all could suggest then was to use drivers that are claim free and have clean driving licences, tough but true.

Good luck, not an easy situation.

Savvy_Sue

Thanks, really clutching at straws now. 1st broker has gone back to see if they can get us anything if we 'name' our 'worst' drivers and don't let anyone else drive unless they are completely 'clean', but that means we lose 7 drivers, which puts a big strain on the rota. Even then, they're not sure if they will be able to get us anything.

Will PM dacouch. Just in case ...

dacouch

Are you using a Charity specialist broker at the moment eg Stuart Alexander, if not try them.

It's also worth trying NFU.

The other thing that is worth trying is implementing a basic driver training program, it could save you a lot of money in the long run and will make you more attractive to them with your claims record

Savvy_Sue

Thanks.

Have been using A-Plan, but also contacted Keegan and Pennykid as well: the latter offer a discount for NCVO members so at least partly specialist.

However, if I'm still getting nowhere on Monday I shall try Stuart Alexander and the NFU.

Driver training: no-one goes out before having had an assessment with one of our staff during the day. Not sure what more we could do: a six monthly refresher? We'd ask for MIDAS but it's quite pricey for the numbers involved.

Most of 'our' accidents in the van involve clipping other cars: parking around our base is a nightmare, there are often very badly parked vehicles on corners etc. But the worst one was someone reported 'a little scrape' getting back into our 'yard', they'd almost taken the side off! Well, all the 'trim' on the side at least. It isn't an easy manoeuvre in the dark.

dacouch

A Plan do not have a very good reputation.

Having a claim on your policy each year will put your premium through the roof and if it keeps on at that rate you run the risk of becoming uninsurable.

I drive a van and never scrap other vehicles, my friends who have vans don't scrap other vehicles either. Driving a van is very simple so there must steps that can be taken to reduce the amounts of accidents. It could be as simple as buying the staff hands free kits for their phones or adding the stick on mirrors that stick on to the existing the mirrors and extending the field of vision.

The large amount of drivers (Who I'm guessing normally only drive cars) who only drive the van once or twice a month is not helping as they are not getting used to driving a van

It would also be worth considering paying some of these incidents (If they are for low amounts) for the next two years to get your claims experience back to approaching normal.

Savvy_Sue

dacouch wrote: »

A Plan do not have a very good reputation.

Well, I got them through a recommendation on here, and to be fair I think they've worked quite hard this year!

dacouch wrote: »

Having a claim on your policy each year will put your premium through the roof and if it keeps on at that rate you run the risk of becoming uninsurable.

My concern is that we may have reached that point ...

dacouch wrote: »

I drive a van and never scrap other vehicles, my friends who have vans don't scrap other vehicles either. Driving a van is very simple so there must steps that can be taken to reduce the amounts of accidents. It could be as simple as buying the staff hands free kits for their phones or adding the stick on mirrors that stick on to the existing the mirrors and extending the field of vision.

There is absolutely no need for a hands free kit for the phone: there would always be a passenger who would answer it.

The major scraping thing was soon after we'd got this larger van, and was down to lack of experience, but it's a badly lit backstreet, barely wide enough to take the van and swing it into the yard. The other accidents have been 'clipping' badly parked cars. I agree it shouldn't happen, but it has. In an ideal world I guess you'd ask your passengers to get out and see you through: however some of the areas we're driving through aren't the kind you'd always want to do that. The extra mirrors might help, I'll suggest some.

dacouch wrote: »

The large amount of drivers (Who I'm guessing normally only drive cars) who only drive the van once or twice a month is not helping as they are not getting used to driving a van

Agree, most of them only drive cars. Not sure what the solution is, however: these are mostly volunteers doing an evening 'shift', so hard to 'insist' that they volunteer more often!

dacouch wrote: »

It would also be worth considering paying some of these incidents (If they are for low amounts) for the next two years to get your claims experience back to approaching normal.

Would happily do so! That's why I said to the brokers that we would accept TP cover if we could get that instead of comprehensive.

Really hoping there will be some some progress by Monday.

dacouch

I'm surprised someone recommended A Plan, try doing a forum search of MSE for them or google them.

We used to equate their staff to being failed estate agents now working in insurance

Savvy_Sue

dacouch wrote: »

I'm surprised someone recommended A Plan, try doing a forum search of MSE for them or google them.

We used to equate their staff to being failed estate agents now working in insurance

It's a while ago now ...