Low deposit van insurance
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Read more…Van statistics
How many vans are there in the UK?
Vans are a popular choice for individual or corporate use when transporting goods. They make up a significant portion of all vehicle use in the UK and they legally require third party insurance to cover any damage to other parties in an accident. Check out our van insurance guide to discover which type of cover will suit your situation best. And for everything else, we’ve collected all the latest facts about van use in the UK right here.
Quick facts
- There are 4.1 million licensed vans in the UK.
- 42% of vans are owned by individuals
- Vans drove a total of 55.5 billion miles throughout the UK in 2019.
- The Ford Transit Custom is the UK’s bestselling van, with 34,690 sold in 2019
Van registration in the UK 2011-2018
In 2018, van registration numbers were the lowest they’ve been in three years, decreasing by 5,000 registrations from 2017 to 2018. However, from 2011 to 2018, the number of registrations has increased overall by 37%.
| Year | Number of registered vans |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 260,000 |
| 2012 | 240,000 |
| 2013 | 270,000 |
| 2014 | 322,000 |
| 2015 | 372,000 |
| 2016 | 376,000 |
| 2017 | 362,000 |
| 2018 | 357,000 |
Best selling vans in 2019
The most popular vans by number of vans sold were calculated from January to August 2019. By far the most popular model is the Ford Transit Custom, with 34,690 sold in this eight-month period. The next most popular model, the Ford Transit, has half as many vans sold.
| Sales position | Model | Numbers sold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Transit Custom | 34,690 |
| 2 | Ford Transit | 17,490 |
| 3 | Mercedes Sprinter | 14,440 |
| 4 | VW Transporter | 11,940 |
| 5 | Ford Ranger | 9,580 |
| 6 | Peugeot Partner | 9,350 |
| 7 | Ford Transit Connect | 8,790 |
| 8 | Citroen Berlingo | 8,770 |
| 9 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 7,740 |
| 10 | Vauxhall Combo | 7,340 |
The distribution of ultra-low-emission vans around the UK in Q4 2018
The map below shows the distribution of licensed ultra-low-emission vans around the UK, which were not eligible for a government grant. The only vehicles that are eligible for a government grant are electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Ultra-low-emission vehicles were most popular in the South East in Q4 2018 and least popular in Northern Ireland.
The number of vehicle miles per type of vehicle for the year ending March 2019
With almost 80% of all vehicle miles attributed to cars and taxis, these types of vehicles contributed the most to the total number of vehicle miles. Vans, on the other hand, only contributed 15% of all vehicle miles.
| Vehicle type | Vehicle miles |
|---|---|
| Cars and taxis | 256bn miles |
| Light Commercial Vehicles (Vans) | 50.9bn miles |
| Heavy Goods Vehicles (Lorries) | 17bn miles |
The distribution of van miles based on type of road in 2018
The 51 billion miles covered by vans in 2018 resulted from a 0.9% growth in miles from the previous year – the largest percentage of growth of any motor vehicle type. In the chart below, these 51 billion miles are distributed based on the different types of roads the vans used.
| Types of roads | Number of van miles |
|---|---|
| Motorways | 10.6bn |
| Rural 'A' roads | 15.6bn |
| Rural minor roads | 8.1bn |
| Urban 'A' roads | 6.7bn |
| Urban minor roads | 10bn |
Rural “A” roads make up 31% of all the miles covered, making it the most popular type of road for van drivers to use. At 21% usage, motorways are the next most popular road type, closely followed by urban minor roads, at 20%. Therefore, it is safe to assume that van drivers are more likely to drive on main roads than rural minor roads.
Average van insurance price by cover type in 2018
The average cost of van insurance by insurance type for 2018 is shown below. Surprisingly, this data shows that the higher the level of cover, the cheaper the insurance is. Namely, comprehensive van cover is £1,719 – only half the cost of the £3,444 third party cover. And with a comprehensive plan covering you for damage to your own and other people’s vehicles, according to this research, it offers the best value for money.
| Type of insurance | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Third Party | £3,444 |
| Third Party, Fire and Theft | £3.379 |
| Comprehensive | £1,719 |
Sources
Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact:
Matt Mckenna
UK communications manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
UK communications manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
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