Quoted van insurance premiums increased by 2.4% over the past 12 months, according to the latest Consumer Intelligence Van Insurance Price Index, with a much sharper rise of 4.3% recorded in the last three months alone. The average Rank 1-5 new business quoted premium for van insurance across price comparison websites (PCWs) stood at £1,767 in May 2026, up from £1,720 in May 2025.
The increase follows a period of deflation between May and October 2025, with premiums rising steadily again over the last seven months.
"The majority of the Top 10 most competitive providers increased premiums in the latest quarter. The exception was Zego Sense, the most competitive provider with the largest Rank 1-5 share, which moderately decreased premiums," said Laura Vas, Senior Insight Analyst at Consumer Intelligence.
Newer vans see the steepest quarterly rises
Breaking the data down by vehicle age reveals a clear pattern: the newer the van, the steeper the recent price rise. Competitive premiums for vans aged 0-2 years rose by 8.1% in the latest quarter, the strongest increase of any age group, followed by a 6.4% rise for vehicles aged 3-4 years. Increases for older vehicles were far more modest, at 2% for vans aged 5-8 years and 3% for those aged 9 years and over.
Most competitive providers raised premiums for the newest vehicles, with the increases particularly pronounced among Van Insurance Experts, Freedom Brokers and Admiral Group.
Driver age remains a key factor
Drivers aged 25-49, who account for around 70% of the van insurance market, saw average competitive premiums increase by 4.0% over the past 12 months. Drivers at either end of the age spectrum saw modest reductions over the same period, with premiums falling by 0.8% for under-25s and 2.4% for over-50s.
In the latest quarter, however, premiums increased across all age groups, led by a 5.1% rise for drivers aged 25-49. Smaller quarterly increases were recorded for under-25s (+1.1%) and over-50s (+3.4%). Despite these more modest recent rises, younger drivers continue to face by far the highest premiums: average competitive quotes in May stood at £3,529 for under-25s, compared with £1,643 for drivers aged 25-49 and £1,113 for those aged over 50.
Premium distribution and long-term trend
In May 2026, van drivers most commonly received quotes between £500 and £749, accounting for 20% of Rank 1-5 quotes, followed by the £750-£999 band. The median quoted premium was £1,067, while the average was higher at £1,767, reflecting a distribution skewed by a smaller number of higher-value quotes. Around 9.5% of quotes fell within the £250-£499 band, while approximately 2.5% exceeded £7,500.
Since Consumer Intelligence began tracking quoted van insurance premiums in April 2014, average overall quoted premiums have increased by 197.9%. Over that period, drivers aged 25-49 have seen the largest rise, at 224.2%, followed by a 205.7% increase for over-50s. Under-25s have experienced the smallest long-term increase, at 87%.
Differences by type of cover
By usage type, Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SDP) drivers saw an average annual increase of 3.0% in their cheapest available quotes, while Carriage of Own Goods drivers saw a similar rise of 2.1%. Both categories also saw increases over the latest quarter, with SDP premiums up 4.5% and Own Goods premiums up 4.3%.
Van Insurance Price Index
The independent authoritative source of price movements in the van insurance market, using real customer quotes from PCWs and key direct brands.
The data is used by the Office for National Statistics, regulators and insurance providers as the definitive benchmark of how price is changing for consumers.
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