Van insurance news
04/06/2009

Many use vans as cupboards

It may be tempting to store possessions in your vehicle, but it may not be wise, particularly if your van insurance policy does not cover against theft. But whatever the pros and cons, new research has revealed that millions of Brits are doing it, between them storing billions of pounds worth of goods in their vehicles.

And while vans might offer more storage than most cars, it is not only van insurance holders who are doing it. Research from Confused.com reveals that 7 million motorists store goods worth more than £200 in their vehicles, with a further 2.8 million storing goods worth in excess of £400.

It seems lack of storage space at home is one of the major reasons behind using vans and cars as cupboards. This would perhaps help explain why people in London, home to most of the UK's expensive real estate, are more likely to use their vehicles for storage (29%) than people from anywhere else in the UK.

A van insurance expert with the company that commissioned the research comments, "While cars can be viewed as providing extra storage space for some, especially in areas such as London where homes tend to be comparatively smaller, it is ill-advised to store expensive items such as golf clubs in cars for long periods of time.

"If it is necessary to store personal possessions in cars, it is important that all precautions are taken to make sure that theft is prevented, not least locking the car and storing items out of sight - failure to do so could invalidate any insurance claim. But, undoubtedly, leaving any item in a car will increase the chances of theft."