[ Focus: Insurance ]
ON THE ROAD A
Criminals are adopting increasingly sophisticated methods to steal from and take commercial vehicles. PHIL SCARRETT from the Electrical Contractors’ Insurance Company (ECIC) delivers key advice on steps you can take to protect yourself from the cost and hassle of targeted crime
combination of an upturn in the economy and a small but meaningful drop in fuel prices has contributed to a significant rise in the number of ‘white van man’ journeys undertaken,
according to recent figures from the Department for Transport. This, combined with news from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) that residential construction is experiencing its strongest growth for 10 years, is good news for everyone working within the building sector. Whatever colour it may be, the van is one of the
most important tools of the electrician’s trade and, as prospects improve, it’s vital that any measures to reduce the risk of theft of tools or even the vehicle itself are considered. Theft means disruption, unexpected costs and potential loss of work – as well as being a real pain.
50 ECA Today March 2014 According to HPI, the vehicle history people, the
most frequently stolen commercial vehicle is the Ford Transit, followed closely by the Land Rover and the Mercedes Sprinter. This potential criminal threat poses a huge problem for electrical contractors, for whom it is vital to keep their vehicles on the road in order to take advantage of the recent upturn in business.
Cost of van theft According to a police crime survey, around 47,000 commercial vehicles are stolen in the UK each year, costing £152m in lost assets – and this excludes the consequent loss of turnover and the extra operating costs incurred. At the Electrical Contractors’ Insurance Company (ECIC), over the past year we have seen claims for the theft of tools from contract sites and vans hit an average of £5,091, up from £2,865 in 2012.
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