The August Bank Holiday is just about to start so now is a good time to remind you all to secure your van and its contents if it is not going to be used for a few days or you are going away on holiday and intend to leave your van on the drive, outside your home or outside your business premises.

Thieves know that Bank Holidays are likely to be a period of opportunity for them to steal your van and/or what is inside it. Yes, your van insurance will no doubt pay out if your van is stolen but wouldn’t it be better to take some measures to reduce the likelihood of this happening.

After all, without your van and tools, even just for a day or two could have a negative impact on your cash flow if you are unable to work. Your van insurance may well pay out for “this, that and the other” but you could still do without the inconvenience and the time required to deal with the matter.

So, to reduce the likelihood of you having to claim on your van insurance below are a few suggestions: –

• Remove any valuables and tools from the van and leave a sticker on your van window or rear door telling people that.
• Have security devices fitted such as an alarm, immobiliser or tracking device and, again, advertise this fact on the outside of your van.
• The best thing you can do if you normally leave your van on your drive or on the roadside is to put it in a lock up or secure garage even if it costs a few pounds. How does the saying go-“out of sight, out of mind”
• Fit a steering lock to deter potential thieves.

You may well be able to think of a few more good ideas so feel free to leave them at the end of this post.