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Frequently Asked Questions

Here you’ll find answers to the frequently asked questions about van insurance. If you can’t find the answer to your question here please call the customer services team on 0844 561 4615 or send us an email at questions@octagoninsurance.com.

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• Is immediate cover available?

  Yes. Immediate cover is available both via the phone and the internet.

• Am I insured to drive any other vehicle?

  There is no cover for driving another vehicle under the policy as there is no ‘driving another vehicle’ extension.

• What if my van or circumstances change?

  You should tell us of any changes to your circumstances, otherwise your policy could be invalid. You need to inform us of any changes that could impact on your insurance. For example, you should immediately inform us of a change of address or any convictions received (motoring or non-motoring related).
  
  Please notify us in advance if you wish to change drivers on your policy. The policy wording gives more details of the changes that should be notified to us.
  
  Just give us a call on 0844 561 4615 and we will advise you if the changes affect your insurance cover or payments. If you are unsure of the relevance of such changes, you must call us and ask.

• What is a No Claims Bonus (NCB)?

  For every year of claim free driving, each policyholder will earn a discount towards the cost of their renewal (to a maximum of 9 years).

• What is an Excess?

  An excess is the amount you must pay in the event of any claim, regardless of who is to blame for an incident. It varies depending on the car that is covered, the age and experience of the drivers on your policy.

• Can I pay a voluntary excess?

  Yes, if you have Comprehensive cover you may get a discount on the premium if you agree to pay towards the cost of any claim for loss of or damage to your vehicle. This will apply in addition to any compulsory policy excesses.

• Do I need to send Octagon proof of my No Claims Bonus (NCB) entitlement?

  Yes, you need to send this to us within 14 days of taking out a policy in order to validate your commercial vehicle insurance.
  
  The commercial vehicle insurance renewal notice received from your previous insurer during the last 12 months will show the number of years of No Claims Bonus you have earned.
  It’s important to note that any No Claims Bonus you may have earned on a private car policy cannot be used on one of our commercial vehicle insurance policies. For more information about No Claims Bonus click here.
  
  We will be unable to authorise work on any vehicle insurance claim you may make until we receive No Claims Bonus proof. We will cancel your van insurance policy if you do not provide proof of No Claims Bonus.
  
  Please be aware we check 100% of the No Claims Bonus proof documents we receive. For the benefit of all our customers, if a fake or falsified NCB is supplied we may notify the Police and alert other insurers in order to assist with the prevention and detection of fraud.

• How long after not having insurance is my No Claims Bonus (NCB) valid?

  A No claims bonus (NCB) is valid for 2 years following expiry of your previous commercial vehicle policy.

• If my No Claims Bonus (NCB) has been earned in another country, is it still acceptable?

  We will only accept UK bonus earned on a commercial vehicle policy, and which is less than two years old.

• What is a protected No Claims Bonus (NCB)?

  In the event of a claim, if we cannot recover our outlay from the person responsible, or you cannot recover your excess, your no claims bonus is normally reduced at the next renewal.
  
  Bonus protection allows up to two non recoverable claims in a three year period without reducing your no claims bonus.
  
  Please note that you will not accrue any further years NCB should you have a claim and you have protected NCB in place.

• Can I claim on my van insurance policy if my vehicle is hit by an uninsured driver?

  Yes, if you have comprehensive cover.
  
  How will the claim affect your No Claims Bonus (NCB)?
  - If the uninsured driver is identified at the scene or later traced we will not reduce your NCB even though we are unable to recover our costs from the driver.
  - If we cannot identify the uninsured driver then your NCB will be affected.
  
  If you have Third Party Fire or Theft cover, you are not insured for damage to your car (other than due to fire or theft). We will therefore not repair your car in this instance.

• What modifications do you cover?

  Apart from any form of performance enhancements we will cover your vehicle if you have any standard options, fitted by the manufacturer (or their approved garage) at the time of first purchase.
  
  Examples of modifications that we will also cover are:
  • Air Conditioning
  • Alloy wheels
  • Satellite Navigation (permanently fitted)
  • Sunroofs
  • Tow Bars
  • Roof Racks
  • Professionally fitted conversions to LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas)
  • Internal racking
  
  Examples of modifications that we will not cover are:
  • Bodywork changes (Air dams, side skirts/sills)
  • Darkened windscreens or driver & passenger windows
  • Exhaust system changes
  • Engine alterations
  • Performance Enhancement of any kind (e.g. chipped engine)

• Do I have to tell you about my conviction(s)?

  You must advise us of any motoring or non-motoring convictions including pending convictions, when taking out a policy with Octagon. You must also advise us immediately of any new convictions once you have taken the policy out with Octagon.
  Failure to disclose any material information or inaccuracies in the information given could invalidate your insurance cover and mean that part or all of your claim may not be paid.

• Does my policy allow me to drive abroad?

  All motor policies issued in the UK include the minimum cover required in any EU country. In addition, Octagon policies provide cover equivalent to that held in the UK for up to 90 days during the insurance policy year. A list of EU countries follows and a list of additional countries to which the minimum cover and 90 day extension applies;
  Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

• Can I spread my payments and pay by monthly instalments?

  Yes, we have arrangements in place with Creation Premium Finance Limited, who can offer facilities to pay your premiums by monthly instalments.

• I am thinking about buying a vehicle that has been imported from outside Europe. Would you be able to provide cover?

  We are unable to cover any van imported to the UK by someone other than the original manufacturer or its approved dealership network. We only cover vans built to UK specifications and manufactured specifically for use in the UK. We are therefore unable to cover vehicles commonly referred to as Grey Imports, which are typically imported from Japan or America as used vehicles.

• Do you insure young drivers?

  Yes – We insure drivers from the age of 21.

• Can I pay for insurance using someone else’s card?

  Yes, you can use someone else’s card to pay your premium, but you’ll need to get their permission first. If you’re speaking to Octagon Customer Services, we will need to gain permission from the cardholder before we can go ahead.

• How do I make a claim?

  If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident or have your vehicle stolen, vandalised or damaged in any way, you can call us to report a claim on 0844 815 4975. We will provide you with the support you need, details of the repairer nearest to you and all the steps involved.
  If you wish to make a claim in respect of a damaged windscreen please call our Glass Helpline on 0800 011 3685.

• Can you provide cover for my caravan as well as my vehicle?

  If your vehicle is covered by us, there is no cover for loss of or damage to any trailer, caravan or vehicle you may tow. If you require cover for the caravan itself, we would suggest you contact a caravan club who will be able to provide comprehensive cover.

• If I have maximum no claim bonus (NCB) and I buy a second vehicle can I add my no claim bonus to both vehicles?

  No. Your no claim bonus (NCB) can be applied on one policy only.

• If I leave my keys in the vehicle am I covered on my vehicle insurance?

  No. You should take all reasonable steps to ensure that your vehicle is locked and secure to prevent theft. Failure to do so could invalidate any claim you have.

• How do I renew my policy?

  We’ll send you a reminder before your current policy expires. This will explain what you need to do to renew your vehicle insurance with Octagon for another year. If you have purchased your policy using our recommended payment plan provider, we’ll renew your cover automatically, unless you tell us not to.
  
  If you don’t receive a reminder, or you need to change your policy before you renew it, call our renewals team on 0844 561 4605
  Mon -Thurs 9am – 7pm
  Fri 9am – 6pm
  Sat 9am – 4pm

• Where can I view the policy documents?

  You can view the policy documents applicable to your purchase on the Van Policy Documents page.

• Are my goods covered if I insure my vehicle with you?

  Goods in transit are not covered.

• Are my tools covered if I insure my vehicle with you?

  Tools are not covered but you can purchase separate cover online or by phoning on 0844 561 4608
  Mon -Thurs 9am – 7pm
  Fri 9am – 6pm
  Sat 9am – 4pm

• Can I get my van insured under my company name?

  We do not issue policies in the name of companies. We will however issue policies in the name of an individual who is a director or partner in the business.

• Are my details secure over the Internet?

  We use industry standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 128 bit encryption technology to keep your personal information as secure as possible.

• How can I cancel my van insurance policy?

  For full details about how you may cancel your van insurance, please review your van policy documents.