Van sellers are among the hardest hit by the credit crunch. Last year it was found that van sales had diminished so badly that it was feared that the market was doomed. For the various auction houses it was even a more alarming situation with decline in sales continuing for nearly a year and appeared set to continue for as long as possible.

According to many market analysts, a corollary to this fall in sales was the fall in the number of people taking out van insurance and even registering vans. It also meant that there would be a decline in revenue for those in the business.

Rewards for safe driving

Van drivers were, at a point in 2008, rewarded for being easy-going road users in spite of the few found wanting and the impression left by their action on the minds of many. And among the rewards were cheaper premiums for some category of van drivers.

In the same vein there were instances where a number of van drivers were apprehended for failure to take out a valid cover or over-speeding or drink-driving or some other violation of the rules. Even these issues were still not to dent the image of van drivers in the eyes of insurers.

Often, when there is an offer to car insurance customers van drivers also get a piece of the action. In the same manner when there are new rules to keep car drivers within the bounds of the law van drivers are also reminded they are not exempt.

But the dwindling sales that hit the market, which did not affect the car market so significantly, was to turn into a disguised blessing for van insurance customers. Reason is that this has led to the speculation that insurance premiums would soon drop down for van drivers. The fall, expert predict, would be phenomenal and that the change was necessitated by the hard times many are facing. More importantly, decline in van prices as well as sales are factors that have been taken into consideration.

Although some experts in the van industry still claim the market is doing well and that sales have not been as pathetically low as has been reported, reports said this year opened with a big shocker for van sellers. Compared to the same period last year a fall of more than 25 per cent in the prices of used vans was recorded last month. And the fall in price has been blamed on what an analyst described as “the lack of interest” by potential buyers.

Taking advantage of low premiums

A fall in insurance premiums would be a major plus for van drivers, especially those struggling to pay premiums in the midst of rising bills and falling incomes. It would also make them the ultimate winners in that they would be having the privilege extended to them alone while premiums for cars are still facing the prospect of further going up.

Despite being to their advantage, it would be seen as so only if every van driver strives not to be left behind when it comes to taking out a van cover. The benefit are genuine, numerous and reassuring. If nothing else they would be rest assured that no one would chase them around for not being insured. And in the event of an accident or a similar misfortune, if validly insured, they would have would have a cushion to absorb the shock of their fall.