Compare Car Insurance and Van Insurance – Find the Best UK Deals

Brumble connects UK drivers with car insurance and van insurance comparison services to help find cover that meets their needs. Whether you drive a family hatchback or a Transit for work, comparing quotes from over 130 trusted UK insurers is the most effective way to see how much you could save.

Understanding Car & Van Insurance in the UK

Motor insurance is a legal requirement for every driver in the UK, protecting you financially against accidents, theft, and damage. With over 44 million motor insurance policies sold annually[3], and around one in five vehicles on UK roads being a van[4], finding the right cover at the best price requires careful comparison.

Recent data shows that car insurance premiums have begun stabilising after significant increases in 2023 and early 2024[1]. The average cost of comprehensive motor insurance fell to £589 in Q1 2025, marking a 5.15% decrease from the previous quarter[1]. Van insurance premiums have followed a different trajectory, with average costs sitting around £575 nationally, though prices in London reach £1,140 – nearly double the national average[2].

Types of Insurance Cover

Whether you’re insuring a car or a van, the three core levels of cover are the same. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right protection without overpaying.

Third Party Only Insurance

Third party only insurance is the minimum legal requirement in the UK. It covers damage to other vehicles and injuries to other people but does not protect your own vehicle. While this is typically the cheapest option upfront, it may not always be the most economical choice – insurers often see drivers who choose third party only as higher risk, which can push premiums up.

Third Party, Fire and Theft

This mid-tier option adds protection if your car or van is stolen or damaged by fire, while still covering third-party costs. For van owners who carry valuable tools and equipment, this level of cover is worth considering carefully alongside specialist add-ons like tools-in-transit insurance.

Fully Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive cover provides the highest level of protection, covering damage to your own vehicle as well as third-party costs. Despite offering more extensive cover, comprehensive car insurance is often cheaper than third party policies due to the risk profile of drivers who choose this option[6]. For van owners, comprehensive cover is particularly important given the higher repair costs and commercial use of the vehicle. If you want to understand exactly what’s included, our fully comprehensive insurance guide explains policy features in detail.

What Affects Your Premium?

When you compare car insurance or van insurance quotes, insurers assess multiple factors to calculate your premium. Understanding these helps you take steps to reduce your costs.

Age and Driving Experience

Age significantly impacts insurance costs across both car and van policies. Young drivers aged 17-20 face average car insurance premiums of £3,350 annually, which is 41.3% higher than drivers aged 21-24 who pay around £2,371[3]. The gap narrows as drivers gain experience, with those in their 30s paying approximately £639[7]. For van drivers, the pattern is similar – those aged 17-24 pay over three and a half times the national average[2]. If you’re a young driver, our young drivers insurance page has quotes and money-saving tips, while our young drivers insurance guide covers the topic in depth.

Location and Regional Variations

Where you live dramatically affects your insurance costs. Car insurance drivers in Greater London pay an average of £900 more annually than those in Northern Ireland[8]. For van insurance, the regional gap is even more pronounced – London drivers pay an average of £1,140 compared to just £425 in South West England[2].

Region	Avg. Car Insurance	Avg. Van Insurance
Greater London	£1,149	£1,140
West Midlands	£2,056	—
North West	£676	—
South West England	—	£425
Northern Ireland	—	£573
Scottish Borders	£902	—
UK Average	£589	£575

Vehicle Type and Insurance Groups

Every car and van is assigned an insurance group, based on factors including repair costs, performance, and security features. Lower group numbers indicate cheaper insurance. For vans, engine size, wheelbase, and overall vehicle value all influence which group the vehicle falls into. If you drive a high-performance car, visit our performance car insurance page for more information, or explore our guide to the cheapest cars to insure to see which vehicles attract the lowest premiums.

No Claims Bonus

Building a no claims bonus significantly reduces premiums for both car and van drivers. Drivers with 20 years of no claims history pay 56.87% less than those with just one year[3]. This represents one of the most effective ways to access cheaper insurance over time. Our no claims bonus protection guide explains whether paying extra to protect your discount is worth the cost.

Vehicle Use and Occupation

How you use your vehicle matters, particularly for van insurance. A van used only for social purposes attracts an average premium of around £432, while business haulage use can cost several times more[4]. Your occupation also plays a role – delivery drivers, tradespeople, and couriers each face different risk assessments. If you’re self-employed, our self-employed van insurance guide covers the essentials for tradespeople, contractors, and sole traders.

Car Insurance Costs by Age and Region

Car insurance costs vary enormously depending on your personal circumstances. The tables below show how age and location influence what you can expect to pay.

Age Group	Average Annual Premium	Potential Telematics Saving
17-20 years	£3,350	Up to £1,850
21-24 years	£2,371	Up to £871
25-34 years	£900	Up to £300
35-44 years	£639	Up to £200
45-64 years	£476	Up to £150

The premium gap between age groups narrows considerably as drivers gain experience. For younger drivers facing the highest premiums, black box insurance offers a proven route to significant savings – more on that below.

Van Insurance: What You Need to Know

Van insurance is typically more expensive than car insurance because of the higher risks associated with commercial use, larger vehicle size, and greater repair costs. Around one in five vehicles on UK roads is a van[4], and with 57.5 billion miles driven by vans annually, the insurance market is substantial.

Types of Van Insurance

Beyond the standard three levels of cover, van drivers often need to consider specialist policy types depending on how they use their vehicle:

Social, domestic and pleasure – For vans used only for personal journeys. This attracts the cheapest premiums, with average costs around £432[4], but will not cover any work-related use.

Carriage of own goods (Class 1) – For tradespeople and business owners who carry their own tools and equipment in their van. Average premiums for this usage type sit around £889[9]. Our class 1 van insurance guide explains the differences between insurance classes in detail.

Hire and reward / courier insurance – For drivers delivering goods belonging to other people, including parcel couriers and haulage drivers. This is the most expensive category, with average premiums for courier van insurance ranging from £1,450 to £2,150 annually[10]. Our courier van insurance guide covers the specific requirements for delivery drivers.

Any driver van insurance – Policies that cover any driver of the van rather than named individuals. These cost more than single-driver policies, but adding a second driver can sometimes reduce premiums by up to 13% if the additional driver has a clean record[11].

Van Insurance Costs by Age

Like car insurance, van insurance premiums are heavily influenced by the driver’s age and experience. Young van drivers face significantly higher costs.

Age Group	Average Van Insurance Premium	Compared to National Average
17-24 years	£2,420	3.5x higher
25-34 years	£850 - £1,000	1.5x higher
35-44 years	£550 - £700	Around average
45-64 years	£400 - £500	Below average
UK Average	£575	—

Cheapest Vans to Insure

The van you choose makes a real difference to your insurance costs. Smaller vans with less powerful engines and lower insurance groups attract the cheapest premiums. Some of the most affordable vans to insure include models like the Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, and Ford Transit Connect – all of which fall into lower insurance groups thanks to their compact size and moderate engine output.

As a general rule, the lower the insurance group number, the cheaper the van is to insure. Vans in lower groups are typically smaller, less powerful, and cheaper to repair, all of which reduce the insurer’s risk.

Black Box Insurance: Pay As You Drive

Black Box insurance, also known as telematics insurance, uses technology to monitor your driving behaviour and adjust premiums accordingly. This approach to insurance can deliver substantial savings, particularly for younger car and van drivers who face the highest standard premiums.

Currently, approximately 5% of UK drivers use telematics policies, though adoption is growing rapidly with 12.7% of drivers under 30 opting for this type of cover[12]. Telematics devices or smartphone apps track factors including speed, braking, acceleration, cornering, and time of day you drive. Safe drivers can reduce their premiums by up to 60% at renewal[13].

A typical 17-year-old driver pays £2,700 for fully comprehensive cover, but this can reduce to approximately £1,500 with a telematics policy, dropping below £1,000 at renewal with good driving[13]. For van drivers, telematics and GPS trackers can also reduce premiums by up to 25%, as they demonstrate safe driving behaviour and provide theft recovery capability. For detailed information on how telematics works, visit our black box insurance page.

Electric Car & Van Insurance

As the UK transitions towards electric vehicles, understanding EV insurance costs is increasingly important. With 1,394,000 licensed zero-emission vehicles on UK roads as of December 2024[14], the electric vehicle insurance market is evolving rapidly for both cars and vans.

Electric Car Insurance Costs

Electric car insurance has traditionally been more expensive than petrol or diesel equivalents, though the gap is narrowing. The average cost of comprehensive electric car insurance is approximately £572 (Q4 2024)[15], compared to £410 for petrol and diesel vehicles[15]. This represents a difference of £162 annually, significantly less than the £668 gap reported in early 2024[16].

Several factors contribute to higher EV insurance costs: higher purchase prices increase replacement costs, specialist repairs require qualified technicians with EV-specific training, and battery replacement can cost thousands of pounds. However, as EV adoption increases and more technicians gain qualifications, these costs are expected to continue falling. For a deeper look at EV insurance, read our electric car insurance cost guide.

Electric Van Insurance

As more electric vans enter the UK market, insurers are beginning to offer tailored policies for commercial EV operators. Electric vans like the Vauxhall Vivaro-e, Mercedes eVito, and Ford E-Transit are becoming common sights on UK roads, particularly among courier and delivery fleets. Insurance for electric vans tends to carry a premium over their diesel equivalents, largely due to higher vehicle values and specialist repair requirements. However, some insurers now offer discounts for electric commercial vehicles, recognising their lower running costs and the environmental commitment of their owners.

When comparing electric car or van insurance quotes, look for policies that include charging cable and home wallbox cover, battery protection and accidental damage cover, recovery to the nearest charging point, and provision of an electric or hybrid courtesy vehicle during repairs.

Cheapest Electric Cars to Insure

Vehicle Model	Average Annual Premium	Insurance Group Range
Dacia Spring	From £400	1-10
Volkswagen ID.3	From £420	15-25
Nissan Leaf	From £430	18-28
Mini Cooper Electric	From £440	20-30
Vauxhall Corsa-e	From £460	20-28

How to Find the Cheapest Car and Van Insurance

Finding cheap insurance doesn’t mean compromising on cover. These strategies work for both car and van drivers looking to reduce their premiums.

When to Compare Insurance Quotes

Timing your insurance comparison can impact the price you pay. Research suggests starting your search approximately three weeks before your renewal date often delivers the best prices[5]. Insurers balance early-bird discounts against last-minute desperation, with the sweet spot typically falling in this window.

The car insurance market saw significant price movements throughout 2024. After reaching a peak of £635 in Q1 2024, premiums fell by 2.05% in Q2 and a further 1.61% in Q3[17]. Following a brief rise to £621 in Q4 2024, prices decreased again to £589 in Q1 2025[1]. Van insurance has followed its own trajectory, with average costs rising nearly 5% year-on-year even as car insurance fell[2]. This volatility makes regular comparison essential rather than assuming your renewal price is competitive.

What’s Driving Premium Changes?

Understanding the factors behind premium fluctuations helps explain why comparing quotes matters. The average car insurance claim paid reached a record £4,800 in Q1 2024, an 8% increase year-on-year[18]. Modern vehicles contain increasingly sophisticated technology, pushing repair costs up by 32% in Q3 2023 alone[19]. For vans, tool theft remains a significant issue – over 17,000 tools were stolen from vans in 2024[2], contributing to higher claims costs across the commercial vehicle market.

Why Compare Insurance via Brumble?

Brumble simplifies the process of finding cheap car and van insurance through our trusted comparison partners. We help you access quotes from over 130 UK insurers in minutes, whether you need comprehensive car cover, specialist van insurance for your trade, or telematics policies to reward safe driving.

Helpful Guides

Our free guides cover everything from reducing your premiums to understanding specialist cover types. Whether you’re a first-time driver or an experienced motorist, there’s something here for you.