Suilven

Not too far from you, Liverpool, Toxteth, it's moved on a lot from the riots in the 80s but try telling insurers that! The few gangbangers remaining round here, they just bother with their own kind, we inhabit the same space but live in a different sphere as I'm sure it is in most large cities. Thanks @Ratman will take your advice on trying other brands of van too. Am away for a long weekend just in case anyone thinks I just rocked up to ask one question then did a disappearing act once said question was answered.

Just an update for you all. NFU said postcode not rural, I'm in a city to be fair, they said the same of the alternate postcode I gave on the edge of the city. Major insurers all said no, brokers said no, some didn't even bother to respond to enquries I made by phone presumably after the postcode was mentioned, and very local brokers finally said no this afternoon, I asked a few and the reason is always postcode. Back to the old drawing board for now I guess. Anyways, thanks one and all for your tips and suggestions, much appreciated.

Thanks for the suggestions @Ratman and @spuddog0507 have got permission to use another postcode so will see what comes of that, failing that will see what comes of another brand of vehicle as you mentioned. I'll make sure to report back whatever the outcome.

That's a good point, guess the worst that can happen other than being nicked is a window gets busted in, plus there are loads of better looking much more desirable motors sitting round here anyways.

Just your bog standard transit tipper Bob, nowt special, white, common as muck, the only thing notable about it is the seats look like they did on the day it came out the factory nigh on a decade ago.

@eggsarascal I did indeed as that's who the other van is covered with, they quoted 2k over the phone but that had doubled when the text and email arrived moments later!

We're all just algorithm fodder nowadays!

Didn't even consider them no, thanks, I will call the local office tomorrow.

First of all hello to you all and apologies my first post is a question. I am trying to become a new startup and have hit a brick wall when it comes to van insurance. I live in what was once a dodgy part of town but it's been over a decade since it was dodgy and the area is slowly gentrifying. So commercial insurance companies I have tried so far either wont touch me based on postcode or (laughably or frustratingly) because I say I'll be carrying a gallon of fuel for the saws - perhaps they expect tree work to be done with a nail file? Tried comparison sites, tried local companies who are probably desperate for custom due to internet, tried the big ones, all similar answer. I've got a van chosen and marked down for me, just waiting on insurance cover before I shell out any money for it, it's not new, only worth £4.5k but isn't full of rust so it would look decent when pulling up to jobs etc. but those that are willing to quote are asking for almost what the van's worth. I'm late 40s, drive another van (not commercial but longer than the tipper) and a car, have more NCB than they log, no convictions driving or otherwise and just feel like I'm living in a regressive country. I've got someone teed up to work with me on a sole trader basis. They're proper jobs, we're not sitting knitting dolls clothing and flogging it on ebay! I know commercial is more expensive and I cant transfer the 20+ years private car NCB over to a works van but simply don't see how I can make this work, and this is before we get to the whole raft of other insurances required plus storage unit fees for chippers and suchlike. I would have thought somewhere between 1.5 - 2k for van insurance, but maybe I have my head in the clouds. Anyway, bit long winded but have tried to give as much detail as briefly as possible, has anyone been in the same or similar situation and can anyone recommend an insurance broker who could come up with something reasonable?