Obtaining cheap commercial van insurance is easier than many might think, but it will involve some degree of trial and error. Before shopping for cheap commercial van insurance it is important to determine whether or not the van in question is used completely for commercial use, mostly for commercial use but occasionally for personal use or primarily for personal use but occasionally for business use. In the first two cases it may make more sense to register the van under the business for purposes of liability even if it means a higher insurance rate. If, on the other hand, the van is used primarily for personal use then there may be reasons to keep it registered under the name of one of the principals. Be certain to consult with a tax expert and potentially a lawyer as well to understand the risks and benefits associated with registering the vehicle under the business.

If the business is registered under the business then it pays to have a positive Dun & Bradstreet (D & B) rating. Contact Dun and Bradstreet to understand their business credit rating system and how it can impact insurance rates but remember that they are a business, not a non-profit organization or government body and they also have an interest in serving their own bottom line so do not expect much help for free. In the long run, however, having a positive D & B score will help almost any business especially those looking for insurance. If the commercial van will be registered under the name of one of the principals of the business in question then they should have excellent credit.

If there is a choice between multiple principals the best rates for insurance often go to those with the highest FICO scores. There are plenty of web sites on the internet that specialize in helping consumers understand their personal credit and learn how to achieve higher credit scores over time.

Once the issue of how the commercial van will be insured is settled, it is time to look at which employees will drive the commercial van. The fewer the employees, the better but choosing too few employees might create a problem if an accident happens when a registered driver is ill and a backup that is not on the policy is behind the wheel. This can be true even if there is very little or even no responsibility borne by the driver of the commercial van but it can be disastrous if any significant portion of responsibility were to fall on the driver of the commercial van. The demographics and driving histories of each driver may or may not make a big difference.

Shop around, especially if one is using their business credit. Unlike FICO scores, D & B ratings are not influenced negatively by the number of inquiries.