It may be every eight-year old’s dream job, but owning an ice cream truck is serious business. Like a food truck, an ice cream van is both a vehicle and a portable business, so it’s important you get the correct cover. You don’t want to be caught cold by having to cover expensive repairs, loss of stock or compensation claims.
Find out how to get the inside scoop on ice cream van insurance and how you can save on your policy.
What is ice cream van insurance?
Ice cream van insurance is any type of policy that covers the day-to-day operation of your ice cream van business. This can range from driving cover, protection for your goods and products, to employee and public liability cover.
Certain insurance providers may only offer policies to cover certain aspects of your business and it may be hard to find a single policy that provides all the cover you need. You may find you need to purchase separate policies to cover the business part of your ice cream van, then regular van insurance to cover your general driving.
What does ice cream van insurance cover?
You can choose to get ice cream van insurance to cover a wide range of situations. This includes:
General driving cover
Like with any other vehicle, you’ll need to be properly insured to drive your ice cream van on UK roads. You generally have the choice of three levels of cover:
Third party. This only covers any damage or injury you cause to another party if you cause an accident, but does not cover any damage done to your vehicle.
Third party, fire and theft. Along with cover for third parties, this protects you against any damage or loss to your vehicle that’s caused by fire or theft.
Fully comprehensive. This is the highest level of insurance and offers protection against accidental damage to your vehicle, along with fire, theft and third party cover.
Business cover
You can also get insurance to cover the business side of your ice cream van, including:
Goods in transit. This protects your products from loss or damage when you’re transporting them.
Public liability. If someone makes a compensation claim against your business or your van is involved in a non-traffic accident.
Breakdown cover. Whether it’s the vehicle itself or the equipment inside, you can get protection to cover the cost of any repairs or breakdowns.
Employers’ liability. If you have any staff, you can get cover against any workplace-related accidents. If they also drive your vehicle, you’ll need to get named driver insurance to ensure they’re legally covered to drive the ice cream van.
How much does ice cream van insurance cost?
This will depend on the type and level of cover you need. If you’re only after insurance to cover your goods and equipment, the cost of insurance may be cheaper than for someone looking to also cover the general use of the van and third party liability.
If you’re just looking to cover the driving use of your ice cream van, the cost of your policy will vary based on the level of cover you need, with third party cover generally being the cheapest. However, keep in mind that it’s generally more expensive to insure a van than it is a regular car and an ice cream van may even require specialised insurance.
How to get cheap ice cream van insurance
There are a number of things you can do to reduce the cost of ice cream van insurance. These are:
Choose a higher excess. Many providers will let you choose a voluntary excess, which is the amount you’ll need to pay when you make a claim. By nominating a higher excess, you’ll generally receive a lower premium, but will then have to pay the higher amount if you claim.
Improve your security. Make sure your van is parked in a secure location and consider fitting it out with cameras and alarms.
Compare your options. As it’s likely you’ll need specialised insurance to correctly cover your ice cream van, it’s important that you shop around and compare a range of providers before deciding on the policy that is best for you.
Pay annual premiums. You’ll generally have the option of paying for your insurance on a monthly or yearly basis. While it can be tempting to choose monthly premiums, you can generally save money by paying your premium once a year.
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Tom Stelzer is a writer for Finder specialising in personal finance, including loans and credit, as well as small business and business loans. He has previously worked as a freelance writer covering entertainment, culture and football for publications like FourFourTwo and Man of Many. He has a Master of Media Arts and Production and Bachelor of Communications in Journalism from the University of Technology Sydney. See full bio
Could a black box fitted to your van save you money on your insurance? Read our guide to learn more about telematics insurance and compare deals on your van cover now.
Find out from our review of Direct Line for Business van insurance if it’s got the cover you’re looking for. Compare quotes to find the best cover for your van.
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