Revealed: the UK’s safest places for van drivers

Added: 11 September 2019

The study found that van drivers in the Northern Ireland capital were the least likely to make a claim for a road accident, followed by Inverness and Dumfries & Galloway.

Analysing data from its van insurance customers for incidences of theft and claims for accidents, Admiral has estimated how likely van drivers in cities and regions across the UK are to make a claim.

Least likely cities for van accidents:   Most likely cities for van accidents:

1       Belfast                                             1       London – NW

2       Inverness                                        2       London – SW

3       Dumfries & Galloway                      3       Ilford

4       Aberdeen                                        4       Harrow

5       Shrewsbury                                    5       Bromley

6       Llandudno                                      6       Sutton

7       Darlington                                       7       London – W

8       Hereford                                         8       Watford

9       Blackpool                                        9       Uxbridge

10     Galashiels                                       10     Dartford

Meanwhile, all ten top spots for van drivers most likely to claim for an accident were areas in and directly neighbouring London.

Outside of Greater London, St Albans, Maidstone and the Isle of Man were the most likely places for van drivers to claim for an accident.

Regionally, van drivers in Greater London are the most likely to make a claim for an accident, with over 17% having made a claim, followed by the South East and South West of England.

As part of the investigation, Admiral analysed the age of vans involved in accidents and found that vans less than a year old were the most likely to be involved in an accident, compared to vans over ten years old which were the least likely to be involved in an accident.

The investigation also found that builders were the most likely to be the victim of theft, followed by carpenters.

Occupations most commonly affected by van theft:

1       Builder

2       Carpenter

3       Company Director

4       Electrician

5       Plumbing & Heating Engineer

6       Joiner

7       Gardener

8       Plasterer

9       Landscape Gardener/designer

10     Painter/decorator

Van policyholders in London, Yorkshire and the West Midlands were found to make the greatest number of claims relating to theft, while drivers in Northern Ireland, Scotland and East Anglia made the fewest theft claims.

“For many van drivers, the van is more than just a mode of transport to get from A to B,” Mark Gabriel, Admiral’s Head of Van Insurance said.  “Often the van is a vital piece of equipment which helps them do their job, so anything that jeopardises that can have a much wider impact beyond not being able to getting about.  Whether that’s an accident requiring repairs or the theft of a van or its contents, it can make it impossible for professionals to carry out their jobs and have a serious consequence on their livelihoods.

“When it comes to theft, we recommend van policyholders – whatever their profession - consider additional safety features for their vehicle to deter criminals.  They should also not leave anything on show in their van and always park in a well-lit, public area.  Making sure you have the right insurance cover is vital to making sure they can get back up and running as soon as possible in the event that something untoward should happen.”

Article Author - Ignition - September 2019