ABS : Acronym for 'Anti-lock Braking System'.
Accident : By this we mean an accident even if you were not at fault.
Airside : The secure area of an airport that is under the control of HM Customs & Excise and the Security Services.
Any Driver Policies : Insurance policies whereby you can insure a number of drivers. This type of policy is typically used by businesses where they can insure a vehicle to have lots of drivers on the policy.
Body Type : The classification for your vehicle – car, van, pick-up etc.
Brake Horsepower : Brake horsepower (bhp) is the measure of an engine's power at its output shaft, without accounting for the loss of power caused by the van's auxiliary components. In short, bhp is the raw engine power.
Breakdown Cover : Additional protection which can be purchased with your van insurance policy. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Certificate of Motor Insurance : The proof issued by the Insurer that your van is insured, as required by law.
Claim : This is the notification to an insurance company following an accident or damage to your vehicle, where you would request payment of an amount due under the terms of the policy.
Compulsory Excess : The amount of money that the Insurer insists you must pay in the event of a claim. There may be additional excesses for drivers deemed 'high-risk' for example, young inexperienced drivers and high group rated vehicles.
Compulsory Insurance : The minimum class of insurance required by law. In the UK, drivers must hold at least Third Party Only Cover.
Condition : A clause in a policy, which governs the payment of a claim.
Cover Note : A temporary document providing evidence of your insurance cover.
Decline : If a proposal is declined, the Underwriter has decided not to accept it.
Deductible : see Excess
Direct Debit : A way for a business to collect regular payments from customers. It is the most popular way for people to pay for services such as insurance as it enables the payments to be spread easily across several months.
Drivers' Legal Protection cover : An optional extra insurance policy to run alongside car or van insurance policies, which covers you for legal costs in recovering 'uninsured losses'. These can include excess recovery, van hire costs and loss of earnings if you are involved in an accident, which isn't your fault. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Driving Licence : The legal approval needed to drive a motor vehicle.
DVLA : Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – an executive agency of the Department of Transport, which is responsible for issuing Driving Licences and van registration documents, among other things.
Employed : You are a regular employee of a company.
Employment Status : We need to know whether you are you employed, unemployed, retired or a voluntary worker.
EU Licence : Provided they comply with the minimum age requirements, drivers from a European Community/European Economic Area country can drive in the UK.
Excess : The amount of any claim that you agree to pay if your van is lost, stolen or damaged, irrespective of fault. You are entitled to seek recovery from a responsible party in the event of an accident that was not your fault.
Exclusions : Circumstances that are not covered under an insurance policy.
Extended Cover : Insurance for items over and above the basic policy.
Financially Assisted : You have an income, but not through your own employment.
Fixed Penalty : Fixed penalties were introduced for certain motoring offences as a way of reducing the number of cases dealt with by the courts.
Fully Comprehensive or Comprehensive Cover : The widest ranging van insurance cover. In addition to the cover provided by Third Party, Fire and Theft insurance, this also covers your car against any damage caused by an accident, whether you are at fault or not. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Full Driving Licence : The licence issued by the DVLA to drivers who have passed their driving test. You need a full Driving Licence to drive a van unsupervised.
Grey Import : A van designed and built for sale outside the EU, and imported into the UK. As such a van was not originally intended for sale here, it may not be manufactured to European specification and may not have undergone European approval. See also Parallel Import.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) : The maximum weight that can be loaded onto a van, defined by the manufacturer.
Hazard : Something, which may increase the likelihood of a claim.
Hazards or Toxic Goods : We mean goods that are toxic in nature such as, chemicals. Hazardous might be something, which is dangerous rather than poisonous.
Heavy Goods Vehicle : See Large Goods Vehicle.
Household Duties : This term is normally used to describe those at home performing the duties of a house person.
Immobiliser : An electronic anti-theft device that is activated when the ignition key is removed, largely preventing unauthorised starting of the engine. The manufacturer generally fits these, but it is also possible to have an immobiliser fitted by a specialist who would supply a certificate of installation.
Independent : Your income does not come from an employer, regular employment or the state.
Inexperienced Driver : A person who has not held a full United Kingdom or European driving licence for at least 12 months.
Insurance Broker : An individual or firm that places its customers' insurance with an Insurer.
Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) : A Government tax on premiums collected by the Insurer.
Insurance Schedule : The document that describes details of the cover you have and information that you have supplied to your Insurer.
Insured : The person who is, or whose van is insured. Also known as the Policyholder or Proposer.
Insurer : An organisation which issues an Insurance Policy in exchange for a premium and pays any eligible claims arising.
International Driving Permit : You need a full Driving Licence to drive in other countries. In certain countries, you also need an International Driving Permit, which translates details of a Driving Licence into several languages.
Kerb Weight : The weight of a vehicle when empty.
Large Goods Vehicle : A formal term for goods vehicles with a maximum allowed mass over 3.5 tonnes. This term replaces Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) which is still commonly used. The term was changed from HGV to LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) because some countries in Europe don't have a word for heavy.
Legal Liability : The obligation to recompense others due to your negligence.
Load Index : The number marked on a tyre's sidewall, which indicates its maximum load-carrying capacity.
Losses : This means the loss of value to your vehicle due to factors such as vandalism.
Low-Profile Tyres : Tyres, which are comparatively shallow in cross-section compared to their width and therefore fitted to relatively large-diameter wheels.
Main Driver : The person who will drive the van the majority of the time. This person needs to be included on the policy as the main driver.
Manufacturer's Un-braked Towing Limit : A statement by a van manufacturer of the maximum weight of un-braked trailer it is permitted to tow.
Market Value : The cost of replacing a van with another of similar make, model and condition at the time of loss or damage.
Medical Condition : This means any condition, which you have had to report to the DVLA as it may affect your driving. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Medical Examiner's Report (MER) : A doctor's statement, given at the request of the Insurer. The cost is usually paid by the Insurer but terms and conditions apply.
Modified : A van that has been altered in a way that affects its appearance or performance.
MOT : An annual test required for motor vehicles.
Motoring Convictions : Offences such as speeding, which are detailed on your driving licence. You will need to notify Swinton Commercial of any motoring convictions in the last five years, even though these may have been removed from your licence.
Motor Insurance Groups : Vehicles are usually rated by insurance companies on a scale of one (lowest) to 20 (highest). These ratings take into account the engine size and age, plus the vans desirability to thieves.
Negligence : The failure to exercise ordinary care or caution, which may cause injury, damage or loss.
No Claims Bonus : A discount offered as a reward for you not making a claim on your insurance for a number of years.
Parallel Import : Vehicles imported from abroad and sold within the UK by the manufacturer, but usually at a higher price than a standard model. See also Grey Import.
Period of Insurance : The length of policy, shown in the Schedule.
Personal Liability : See Legal Liability.
Policy Document : The document which details what is covered and outlines the circumstances under which a claim will be paid and the Conditions governing any payment. A policy is a contract, which is binding on both the customer and the Insurer.
Policyholder : see Insured.
Policy Summary : An outline of the significant features, benefits & exclusions of your van policy.
Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) : The check carried out by the dealer to identify any problems before delivery of your van.
Premium : The amount you will need to pay to an Insurer to be covered by the insurance.
Premium Loading : See Loading (Premium).
Proposer : See Insured.
Protected No Claims Bonus : If you have four or more years No Claims Bonus, you may be able to pay an extra premium to protect your No Claims Bonus if you make a claim. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Provisional Driving Licence : The Driving Licence issued by the DVLA to learner drivers before they have passed their driving test. To drive a car with a Provisional Driving Licence you must be supervised by a qualified person who has held a valid Full Driving Licence for three years or more and is over the age of 21.
Public Liability Insurance : This protects you against the financial risk of being held financially liable for injury to somebody.
Q Plated Vehicles : Vehicles with a DVLA number plate beginning with 'Q' are of certain age or origin. These include kit conversion vehicles, which are built from various components. Q plates are not transferable.
Registered Keeper : This is not necessarily the legal owner of a vehicle. It is the person recorded by the DVLA as being liable for the licensing of the vehicle or declaring it off the public road and also the person to whom the police would contact about motoring and parking offences. The actual legal owner could be the person or company who bought the vehicle.
Renewal : Almost all insurance policies run for a year. At the end of this period, it can usually be continued ('renewed') or transferred to a different Insurer.
Resident : Somebody who is officially registered as living in a country.
Responsible Party : The person responsible for an accident causing losses or damage.
Retired : You are no longer active in your work or profession
Road Tax : A tax, which must be paid on motor vehicles before they are allowed on the road.
Schedule : The document that describes details of the cover you have and information you have supplied to your Insurer.
Security Device : A blanket term incorporating vehicle alarms, immobilisers and tracking devices. See also Van Security Device.
Self-employed : Somebody who works for themselves, paying their own tax and National Insurance.
Service Description : The markings on a tyre's sidewall, which indicate its size, load index and speed rating.
Signage : By this we mean if the van carries any additional commercial logos, advertisements or contact details.
Statement of Detail (SOD) : A document that records all the details you entered on the Internet, forming the basis of your contract with the insurance company. The SOD is available to view at the end of the quote and after confirming to proceed with the quote. Please check this document carefully to ensure all the details are correct.
Theft : In this context, we are specifically referring to the robbery of your van or any of its contents.
Third Party Only Cover : The minimum level of insurance cover for a van, which is required by law. Third Party Only covers your liability for death or bodily injury to anyone else and your liability for damage to someone else's property. It does not cover any damage to your van. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Third Party, Fire & Theft : In addition to the cover provided by Third Party Only Cover insurance, this also pays you compensation if your van is stolen or destroyed by fire (subject to policy terms). Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply. Please refer to relevant policy wording for full details.
Tracker Device : A device which allows a van to be located if it is stolen.
Type Approval : The process that ensures vehicles, their systems and components meet the appropriate environmental and safety standards.
Underwriter : This can either be an Insurer or a person working for the Insurer who decides whether or not to accept a risk and what premium to charge.
Van Alarm : A device installed in a van in an attempt to discourage theft.
Van Security Device : Any means of making your van more secure, which could, in theory, make it eligible for a reduction in your premium. Typically, Insurers will usually only take into account approved Van Alarms, Immobilisers and Tracker Devices. See also Security Device.
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) : A unique serial number given by a manufacturer to a van.
Voluntary Excess : An additional amount you may wish to pay in the event of a claim above any compulsory excess insisted upon by the Insurer. You can decide this sum at the point you take out a policy. Doing this could help to lower your premium.
Voluntary Worker : A person who is not paid for their work.
Wheelbase : The distance between the front and rear axles of a van.
Wheel Clamp : The means of stopping a wheel on a van from turning. It is used as a Security Device and also to hold illegally parked cars.
