Your van is one of your most important business tools and, without it, you and your work can suffer. So you look after it. But even a van that’s regularly serviced, maintained and cared for, will almost certainly have a problem at some time.
But if you have a warranty policy, that’s the time to get it out and think about making a claim to get your vehicle back on the road and working for you as soon as possible. That’s exactly what van warranties are designed for.
They are there to give you peace of mind in the event of something going wrong. They are especially important if the repair you need turns out to be an expensive one. That’s when a warranty really comes into its own.
You paid good money for your cover and now you expect a decent service and satisfaction from your provider. So how do you claim on that policy that you carefully thought about, and decided to take out?
Types of warranty
There are different types of warranty, depending on where you bought your van, how old it is and whether it was new or used when you obtained it. There’s the manufacturer’s warranty that comes with a new van, or in some cases, a used van if it’s bought from the manufacturer. These can last for several years and are a big part of any manufacturer’s offer.
There’s also the independent dealer warranty offered by a private van dealership. These usually only provide cover for a few months. You can also take out your own extended warranty from one of several cover providers. These will differ from company to company so it’s worth looking carefully at what you are being sold.
The size of your van, its age and the amount you use it will all affect the final premium your provider charges, as these elements all increase the chances of you making a claim.
The other obvious point is that your van is a work vehicle, so the warranty needs to cover business use rather than just personal use. Many work vans also have conversions and modificiations from factory specification, so those will need to be declared to the warranty company to make sure they don’t affect your cover.
Time to claim
So, something has gone wrong with your van and you need some repairs quickly. Now will be the time to make a claim. It’s quite straightforward to do as long as you understand a few key points.
First, don’t assume that every working part on your van is going to be covered by the warranty. Cover providers list in advance what they are prepared to consider covering and what is not on the list. You should normally be covered for all the major working parts of your van – the components that make the vehicle what it is. These will be items such as:
- Engine
- Gearbox
- Drivetrain
- Steering
- Brakes
- Suspension
- Fuel pump
- Ignition system
- Electrics
- Air conditioning
Any parts that can wear out with use and are generally considered a consumable won’t usually be covered. These include: battery, clutch, tyres, brake pads and exhaust pipe. Components that are damaged as a result of poor workmanship or maintenance are also excluded so don’t go trying to repair something yourself and then make it worse – you could invalidate the warranty on that part.
And when you know you are going to have to make a claim, do it as soon as possible. Continuing to drive with a faulty part on your van could harm other components, and this ‘consequential damage’ is often not covered.
Some policies will ask you to take the van back to the dealer who originally sold it to you, for confirmation that a claim is legitimate and for an estimated cost of repair. If this is not possible, call your insurer’s claims hotline to report the issue, and then choose from their list of authorised repairers.
Follow the rules of the warranty
Don’t have any work done before you have reported the fault and don’t go to an unauthorised repairer. This could invalidate your policy in both cases.
Make sure you have kept your van’s servicing schedule up to date – most insurers will insist on this – and that the vehicle has a valid MOT certificate. The garage or repair workshop will work out which components are covered by your cover provider and report back to them.
Many insurers will offer roadside assistance as part of their package while others will allow emergency repairs – if you have broken down at the roadside for example. You will need to obtain a receipt for any work, details of repairs carried out, and you must keep any replaced parts in case the insurer wants to see them.
Getting the payment made
There are two ways to have the work paid for – some insurers make payment for the fix direct to the garage or repair shop, while others will reimburse to you when you have paid. You will have your excess amount deducted from the final figure (the higher excess you agree to, the lower your premium), and you pay this to the repairer if your provider settles up direct with them.
Pay-out amount
There are other reasons why you might not get the full cost of the part or repair that you were expecting, but these will be set out in your policy and are worth knowing. They include:
Claim limit: Each component will have a top limit on pay-out
Labour cost limit: Insurers set maximum hourly rates and if your repairer charges more than this, you might have to make up the difference if you choose to go with them
Mileage allowance: You must stay within a set mileage range to keep your warranty valid
Not happy?
If you and your insurer can’t agree on what should be covered, or if they refuse to pay for your claim, there are several courses of action for you:
Check your policy’s terms and conditions: If the broken component is listed in the ‘What’s Covered’ section, you have a good case
Look at the FAQs: Most providers will have a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section which might help
Contact direct: You can contact them via their phone helpline or by email
Complain: If you are still unhappy take your case higher, especially if your policy is covered by an insurer. Buying a fully insured warranty means you have the assurance that the company you’re dealing with is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Additionally, a regulated warranty provider will be in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which can pay compensation if they go out of business and can’t pay your claim.
Buying an insured warranty means that if you are unhappy about the service you’ve received, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for a binding decision that your insurer is obliged to follow. If your warranty is from the dealer where you bought the van, check if the company is covered by any industry body.
Warranty providers are diverse, but all will provide cover information in their policy document. Read it carefully before taking out a policy and you won’t have any nasty surprises if the time comes to make that claim.
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