What is classic van insurance?
Classic van insurance is a specialist type of cover designed to protect vans of a specific age and vintage. If you’ve invested the time, money and effort that goes into owning and maintaining a cherished vehicle, chances are you’ll want a more robust policy to better protect your van.
Policies specific to classic vehicles can include optional features like agreed value cover – where you agree with your insurer on the value of your van that will be paid out in the event of a total loss – limited mileage coverage, cover for events and track days, and more.
Get a Classic Van Insurance Quote
What types of classic vehicles can you cover?
Whether you use your pride and joy for business or personal purposes, we can cover all types of classic vans and other larger vehicles with tailored cover, including:
- Pickup trucks
- Lorries
- Trucks
- Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
- Catering vans
- Campervans
- Motorhomes
How old does a van or truck have to be to count as a classic vehicle?
When it comes to insurance, there are a lot of opinions on what counts as a classic or vintage vehicle. For the most part, we use the following categorisations:
- Veteran vehicles: pre-WW1 vehicles
- Vintage vehicles: post-WW1 to pre-WW2 vehicles
- Classics: post-WW2 to vehicles from the 1980s
- Modern classics: vehicles from the 1990s and early 2000s
Whilst we do use specific classifications for the different van and pickup truck eras, we also know that there are some nuances to this, too. For instance, your van might not fit into the above categories, but it could still count as a classic model if you purchased a limited edition version or your van has a cult following.
If you’re not sure whether your van, pickup, lorry or HGV would count, speak with us directly.
Get a Classic Van Insurance Quote
How much is classic van insurance?
Classic van insurance tends to be more affordable than standard van insurance, especially when you take out cover with a specialist insurance broker like us. This is because we understand that if you’ve invested in a classic model, you’re more likely to treat it with the care and attention it deserves.
We also know that classic vehicle enthusiasts tend to spend a lot of time and effort restoring their van or pickup and keeping it roadworthy, which is why we can often offer heavily reduced discounts on your cover.
What’s taken into account when working out a classic van insurance premium?
We take into consideration a wide range of factors when working out your premium. This includes:
- Your driving history
- Any no claims bonus (NCB) you’ve built up
- How you’ll use your classic vehicle
- The type of cover you choose
- The classic van or truck you own
- Whether you have experience driving similar vehicles
How can I reduce my premium?
Here are some great ways to reduce your classic van insurance premium – let us know if any apply to you:
- Adding security precautions: installing Thatcham-approved alarms, trackers and other security features can help prevent your van from being stolen or recover it if it is the target of theft.
- Low-mileage discounts: let us know if you drive fewer than 7,500 miles a year as limited-mileage policies tend to be more affordable.
- Park your van safely: if you keep your vehicle in a garage or on the driveway, let us know as this reduces the risk of your van being stolen, which can lower your premium.
- Private use: let us know if you’ll only be using your classic van, lorry or truck for personal purposes, as your premium will likely be lower than business-use policies.
- Car club and forum members: We can sometimes offer extra classic van insurance discounts of up to 15% for enthusiasts, so if you’re part of a club, let us know.
- Second vehicle policies: if you have multiple vans or a car and a van, let us know as insuring two or more vehicles at once can help you save.
Extra Benefits
Agreed Value
Agreed Value Car Insurance
Owning a car that you really care about makes it all the more important to get proper compensation should you need to make an insurance claim. Our agreed value car insurance is a great way of tailoring your insurance to you.
A wide range of vehicles, from classics and performance cars to modified cars and imports, would benefit from guaranteed value car insurance. Phone us now to see if your car is one of them.
Excess Protect
Excess Protect
Even though having the right insurance can save you money when you need to claim, your policy excess could still run into hundreds of pounds.
Our excess protect policies will pay your excess for you, up to an annual limit, if you need to make a claim on your policy – saving you money.
The amount of excess you have to pay depends on your policy and can be found on your policy documents. If you opted for a voluntary excess this is an extra amount on top of your compulsory excess, which can bring your premiums down, but is payable on top of your compulsory excess when you make a claim.
We offer excess protect cover at different levels to suit your policy. Speak to a member of our team to find out more and to add it to your policy.
Breakdown
Flux Rescue Breakdown Cover
Get comprehensive breakdown cover from just 70.00 a year that offers 24 hour UK and EU roadside assistance and recovery, 365 days of the year.
With cover provided for breakdown and recovery, transport to your home, destination of choice, or a garage for you and five passengers, emergency accommodation expenses, home start service, and breakdown cover for your caravan or trailer too, you can get fantastic protection without breaking the bank.
Our breakdown helplines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, and we have a network of more than 1,800 breakdown experts across Europe, so you’re only ever one phone call away from help.
Keycare
Keycare Insurance
If you’ve ever lost your keys, you’ll know that it’s no laughing matter, and can in fact end up costing you a lot of money in locksmith fees.
For just 23.00 a year, our five-star Keycare insurance policy will cover locksmith expenses, replacement locks and keys, car immobiliser replacement costs, car hire costs, and transport costs if you’re stranded, up to a value of £1,500.
We’ll pay out if your keys are stolen, locked inside your home or vehicle, or lost for 48 hours. Better yet, your keys are protected regardless of your location; we now cover keys worldwide.
For more information and to add Keycare to your policy, speak to a member of our team today.
Misfuel
Misfuelling Insurance Cover
A staggering 400 people every day put the wrong fuel in their car – that’s 150,000 people every year!
The damage caused by filling your car or van up with the wrong fuel can be catastrophic, and lead to hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds worth of repairs being carried out.
With misfuel cover, as long as you’ve realised your error before driving away we’ll cover draining the fuel from your car, tow you to a garage if we can’t help at the pump, and provide £10 of fuel to get you on your way again.
Spare Parts
Spare Car Parts Insurance
Whether you own spares for your kit car or are in the process of modifying your day-to-day motor, are collecting parts for a future mod or have just got a few old spares lying around, your standard insurance policies could be leaving your vehicle spare parts dangerously unprotected.
Sadly, most household insurance policies exclude cars and their unattached parts, and even those that do offer cover could end up costing you dearly with high excesses and the premium rises after a claim.
But, with Adrian Flux’s Spare Parts Insurance, you can get cover for storing thousands of pounds worth of spares at home or in your car from as little as 15.00.
Over 82.4% of customers who got an online quote could have saved money if they’d called us instead.
Why choose Adrian Flux for classic van insurance?
We have designed all of our policies to suit classic van, truck and lorry owners like you. Each policy gets the attention of a classic van insurance expert, ensuring you get the right cover for your pride and joy.
Our tailored cover can include optional extras like:
- Cover for rally days and events
- European cover for up to 90 days as standard (more can be added depending on your policy)
- Agreed value cover
- Cover for dismantled parts
- Cover for laid-up vans
- Modifications covered on a like-for-like basis
- Cover for left-hand drive models and imports, including American vans and pickups
Types of classic van cover
There are three types of cover to choose from:
Third party only (TPO)
This is the lowest level of cover you can take out. It covers any damage or injury to other vehicles, people and property. It won’t cover any damage to your own classic van.
Third party, fire and theft (TPFT)
This level includes everything under TPO, and also covers your classic van or truck if it’s damaged by theft or stolen.
Fully comprehensive
This is the highest level of cover, and can often be the most affordable. It includes everything under TPO and TPFT, plus any damage or injury to your own vehicle and you and any passengers. It can also include eligibility for a courtesy van, depending on the policy you take out.
Get a Classic Van Insurance Quote
Classic van, truck and lorry usage
On top of the type of cover you choose, you will also have to let us know how you intend to use your classic van, truck, lorry or HGV.
Private van insurance
Social, domestic and pleasure (SDP)
This is the most basic level of private van insurance. It covers you for everyday, non-work-related activities, such as:
- Shopping and running errands
- Going on holidays and day trips
- Visiting family and friends
- Transporting hobby equipment (e.g. camping, cycling, fishing, etc.)
Social, domestic, pleasure and commuting
This covers everything under SDP usage, and also allows you to drive to and from a single, permanent place of work. Note that if you drive to multiple locations for work, you might need to take out a commercial classic van insurance policy.
Business van insurance
Carriage of own goods
This is often taken out by sole traders and tradespeople. It covers you to use your classic van for business and can include cover for carrying your own tools, equipment or materials in your vehicle. Examples include:
- A plumber carrying tools
- An electrician with their equipment
- A builder transporting materials to a construction site
Carriage of goods for hire or reward
This type of business cover is usually taken out by couriers and delivery drivers. Essentially, if you are paid to transport other people’s goods and make multiple deliveries in a single trip, you’ll need a policy that covers the carriage of goods for hire or reward.
Haulage
If you work in haulage, you’ll need slightly different cover from other people who carry goods for a living. If you tend to carry a single, heavy load over a long distance, it’s likely that you’ll need haulage cover. This is common for classic HGV owners, but it can apply to classic van or lorry owners too.
Mobile catering insurance
If you use your classic van for mobile catering, whether as an ice cream van, fish and chip shop, coffee van or any other purpose, you’ll need a more specialist type of cover. This type of insurance includes cover for any modifications you’ve made or fixtures you’ve installed to better serve your business. It can also provide more extensive cover for fires in the event one breaks out as a result of your catering equipment.
Get a Classic Van Insurance Quote
Winners of the WhatVan? Insurance Company of the Year award
We’re proud winners of the user-voted WhatVan? Insurance Company of the Year award in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. If you’re looking for the best van insurance cover you can get on a budget, we think we’re a great option – and our customers agree.
Keep your tools safe with Adrian Flux DNA+
If you depend on your tools and equipment for work, tool theft can put a stop to your ability to earn a living. With thefts like this on the rise, we’re now offering a new product completely free to all our commercial van insurance customers: Adrian Flux DNA+.
You’ll receive warning labels and a traceable solution to put on your tools to help reduce the risk of your tools being stolen, allowing you to continue working without interruptions.
Over 82.4% of customers who got an online quote could have saved money if they’d called us instead.
Why do I need classic commercial vehicle insurance?
If your vehicle is over a certain age, you will need to take out classic commercial vehicle insurance, as opposed to a standard commercial vehicle insurance policy. This is because standard van insurance may not provide the correct level of coverage if your vehicle is of a certain age. You will also find it will be a lot cheaper if your vehicle qualifies too.
Can I get classic truck insurance?
As a classic car insurance specialist, we’re able to cover all types of classic vehicles. This includes classic trucks used for business or pleasure. So whether you have a valued vintage light goods vehicle or cherish a classic pick-up, we can offer a great deal on your classic commercial vehicle insurance.
Speak to us for a classic vehicle insurance quote that’s tailored to your needs and the specialist needs of your truck.
FAQs
Are classic vans MOT exempt?
This depends on how old your vehicle is. If it was built or first registered more than 40 years ago and no ‘substantial changes’ have been made to the vehicle in the last 30 years, then your classic van will be MOT exempt. More modern classic vans will not be MOT exempt.
Is my vehicle tax exempt?
If your classic van or truck was built more than 40 years ago, it will be tax exempt. Note that you’ll need to apply for a vehicle tax exemption before you stop paying.
Can I get cover on a Q-plate van?
Yes, we offer Q-plate insurance, so if your van’s age or identity is unknown, speak with our team of experts and we’ll see what we can do.
Can you get classic insurance on a commercial van?
Yes, you can get classic cover on a commercial van as long as it’s a certain vintage or is eligible through any of our other classic vehicle schemes (e.g. it was part of a limited run or has a cult following). Classic commercial insurance provides cover for vans, trucks, lorries, pickups and HGVs.
Can I drive a classic commercial van on my car insurance?
No, even if your standard car insurance allows you to drive other vehicles on your policy, it won’t include the cover necessary for a commercial vehicle, such as the carriage of goods for hire or reward or haulage. Nor will it take into account the particular needs of classic vans, such as agreed value cover or like-for-like cover on modifications.
It’s important you take out the right cover for your specific vehicle type.