NEW data released by leasing company Vanarama has revealed that just 6% of tradespeople in the UK protected their tools when insuring their van in the last year, with even less (4.5%) the year before.
‘Tis the season for tool theft and with nearly 4 in 5 tradespeople falling victim to the seasonal crime, Vanarama dug into its internal data to discover how many were protecting their livelihoods going into winter.
Vanarama analysed the number of van insurance policies they sold and compared them against how many of those tradesman also took out tools insurance. The tool theft insurance data is made only more shocking when looking at tool theft figures from the last year which are up by a quarter.
While tradespeople seem reluctant to insure their tools, they’re not against insuring the value of their vehicles. GAP insurance was taken on by 55% of van drivers. Tom Roberts, LCV Specialist at Vanarama, said: “These low figures of tool insurance uptake paints a concerning picture for tradespeople. Our internal data suggests that van drivers are happy to protect the overall cost of the van, but few worry about investing in protecting their tools – the very items they need to keep working.”
To help tradespeople stay safe this season, van leasing experts Vanarama have shared five tips you can take now to decrease the chance of break-in.
1. Where you go, your tools go – It’s simple, if you’ve got expensive tools in your van don’t leave them unattended overnight, take them with you. It may be easier said than done, but removing tools overnight is a major deterrent to potential tool thieves.
2. Park your van in safe locations – Parking can be a pain, but having your tools stolen is a nightmare, so make sure you give where you park a second thought. DON’T park in an unlit area that doesn’t have any CCTV cameras in sight. If you can, park the rear doors of your van close to a wall to make it difficult for thieves to get large objects, such as ladders, out of your van.
3. Keep an inventory so you know if anything is missing – For your own peace of mind as much for insurance purposes, keep a list of everything in your van along with photos. It’s easier to spot a theft or missing item quickly when you know what should be there. You can even make tools easier to identify if lost by marking your initials on them with a UV pen.
4. Darken your windows – If your van has rear windows, it’s easy for thieves to see the contents of your van. Darkening your rear windows will reduce the risk of your van being broken into meaning anything that is left in your van won’t be on view to thieves.
5. Hide valuables – Like you would in a car, ensure any sat navs or gadgets are hidden before leaving the vehicle. Thieves will break in for much less value than a box of tools and removing any valuables in plain sight can reduce the chance of break-in.
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