Cheapest Vans to Insure

Vans are among the most versatile vehicles money can buy. There’s a reason why they’re the fastest-growing vehicle category in the UK – whether it’s for personal use or work, a van can transport large amounts of cargo long distances. This makes them ideal for delivering goods from A to B, carrying your work tools to the next job, or even taking the family on a much-needed holiday.

But with this versatility comes a cost. A huge range in engine size, weight, and performance makes it notoriously difficult to work out how much it will cost to insure a van. That’s why here at Brightside Van Insurance, we’ve compiled a list of the cheapest vans to insure so you can make the most of the van life, without the expensive premiums.

How to choose the cheapest vans to insure

To understand how much it will cost to insure a particular van, it’s important to know the steps insurers take to place a price on a premium. A number of different factors are considered, including:

• Parts and repair – the cheaper the parts and cost of repair to the vehicle, the cheaper the premium
• Performance – statistically, a van that can travel at higher speeds is more likely to be involved in an accident and, as a result, a claim. The faster the vehicle, the more expensive the premium
• Weight – heavier vans are also statistically more likely to be involved in a claim, pushing up the premium price
• Engine size – bigger and more powerful engines increase the chance of an accident which makes insurance more expensive
• Security – having the latest security features fitted means a cheaper premium

Using this information, the insurer will add the vehicle into a van insurance group. As with car insurance groups, this makes it easier for insurers to categorise van models, which in turn gives you a good indication of how expensive a particular van will be to insure.

Van insurance groups explained

When the above factors have been considered, the ABI (Association of British Insurers) will add each van into an insurance group ranging from 1 to 50. The higher the number, the more expensive the van is to insure.

So, a Nissan Kubistar has a relatively low engine size, weight, and max payload, meaning the ABI has added it into the van insurance group 5-6. The Nissan Terrano, on the other hand, has a much larger engine size, weight, and max payload, placing it in the 15-16 insurance group. This tells you that a Terrano will be a more expensive van to insure than a Kubistar.

Despite van insurance groups being a good indicator of the premium cost, there are other factors insurers take into account, such as your own situation as a driver. Luckily, we’ve already written about how you can make your van insurance cheaper to ensure your policy is as inexpensive as possible.

Cheapest small vans to insure

Smaller vans are typically cheaper to insure, but that doesn’t mean premiums don’t come at a cost. These small vans all have variants that can be found on the lower end of the van insurance groups.

Citroën Berlingo

The Citroën Berlingo has an engine size ranging from 1360 to 1997CC. The less powerful variant may not have the max payload needed for some jobs (90kg), but it’s placed firmly in insurance group 1 – the cheapest possible. A higher max payload can push this all the way up to group 8 if required.

Citroën Nemo

The Citroën Nemo packs more punch than the Berlingo with a max payload of between 590 and 660kg, but this doesn’t compromise the cost of insurance. It’s established as a 2-4 van, making the premium one of the lowest possible.

Renault Kangoo

As with the Citroën Nemo, the Renault Kangoo can fall as low as van insurance group 2, if you have the 1149CC variant with a 500kg max payload. The more powerful 1895CC vehicle with a max payload of 800kg pushes the Kangoo up to group 9, potentially making the premium far more expensive.

Volkswagen Caddy

With an engine size as small as 999CC and a weight of 1,600kg, the VW Caddy can fall in an insurance group as low as 3. While some variants can push this all the way up to category 34, opting for the smaller, weaker Caddy means your premium could be one of the cheapest available.

Cheapest large vans to insure

A larger van means higher performance, a bigger engine, and a heavier max payload. But that doesn’t mean you need to pay over the odds for your insurance. These heavy vans all have variants that fall within low insurance groups.

Peugeot Boxer

With a maximum engine size of 2999CC, the Peugeot Boxer can be categorised as high as insurance group 18. But opt for the 1475CC variant with a max payload of 600kg, and insurance group 5 could offer you one of the cheapest premiums available for a large van.

Renault Trafic

Sitting within van insurance groups 3-12, the Renault Trafic is ideal for drivers who want a large, high performance van without the high cost of insurance. Engine size ranges from 1397 to 2499CC and max payload goes all the way up to 2298kg, so you’re certainly not compromising power for price.

Volkswagen Transporter

The VW Transporter sits at the higher end of the van insurance groups compared with our other suggestions. However, with a minimum engine size of 1588CC, you get what you pay for in terms of performance. And with options ranging from 5-40, there are certainly cheaper variations to choose from.

Vauxhall Vivaro

Despite having a minimum max payload of 950kg, the Vauxhall Vivaro can fall in insurance group 4. A large engine size of 2464CC and higher max payload of 1954kg can push it up into group 11, but the less powerful variant is a cheap van to insure.

Contact us

When you’ve decided on a van, it’s time to start looking at insuring it. Visit Brightside Van Insurance or contact us directly if you need any more information.