Van Insurance
When we use the term car insurance, it’s important to note that all types of passenger vehicles fall into that category – not just cars. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs), trucks and vans are all considered “cars”, and are eligible for car insurance coverage. Here’s a quick look at what types of vans can get a standard car insurance policy.
It pays to shop around.
What Qualifies as a Van?
A van is a 4-to-5 door automobile used for carrying people or goods. Commercial vans are larger than personal ones and, as such, require commercial vehicle insurance. For the purposes of this page, we’ll focus on personal vans, which are only used to transport passengers and their belongings. The most common type of personal van is the minivan. A minivan is larger than a sedan but is still eligible for standard car insurance coverage.
Is Van Insurance Different from Car Insurance?
Van insurance is identical to insurance for more “regular” cars. In fact, in Canada, the policies for each are one and the same. All the insurance coverage that is mandatory and/or available for regular cars also applies to personal vans. These include:
- Third-party liability: This is required by law in all provinces and territories. Third-party liability protects you in the event that you are responsible for injuring someone on the road or for damaging their property.
- Accident benefits: With this, medical and rehabilitation expenses are covered if you’re in an accident. Depending on the policy, a loss of income benefit may also be available if you cannot work due to the collision. (Funeral costs may also be available, if needed.)
- Collision: This covers the repair cost of any physical damage to your car, as a result of an accident or a collision with an object on the road.
- Comprehensive: With this coverage, you are protected in the event that your car is stolen or damaged by things like falling objects, vandalism or heavy wind.
- Uninsured motorist: This coverage kicks in if you are hit either by a driver without insurance or a driver who cannot be identified (hit and run).
Are Vans More or Less Expensive to Insure Than Cars?
Many minivans are actually cheaper to insure than sedans, and there are a couple of reasons for this. First, vans are larger than regular cars and tend to have better safety ratings. Second, minivans are not considered to be high on thieves’ priority lists. This lessens the chances that they’ll be stolen and thus makes insurance companies more confident about insuring them. Use the widget on our site to get a quote for your van insurance today.