2-minute read
79% of tradesmen leave their tools in their van overnight, a new poll by Simply Business has found. This is despite the fact that the vast majority of tradesmen are worried about theft of vans or tools.
Of the 160 tradesmen polled by Simply Business, 70 per cent said they leave their tools in their vans overnight most of the time, with a further 9 per cent saying they do it from time to time.
Only 21 per cent said they never leave tools in their vehicle overnight, even though another recent survey found 98 per cent of tradesmen worry about work vehicle or tool theft.
Last month the UK experienced what some called a ‘tool theft epidemic’, with thieves taking advantage of weaknesses in some makes of vans by using the new ‘peel and steal’ technique.
Not only does this way of breaking into vans take hardly any time, it requires none of the usual equipment, making it much harder for tradesmen to take effective action and police to return stolen tools.
With this in mind, it’s becoming increasingly dangerous for tradesmen to keep tools in the van overnight – or sometimes even during the day, as thieves become more brazen. Not only can it result in damage to your vehicle and theft of your tools, it may also invalidate your insurance, meaning you have to pay out of pocket for repairs and replacements.
Given the recent spike in reports tool theft, here are our top tips for keeping everything safe, if not under lock and key:
It’s also worth checking whether you’ve protected your equipment with tool insurance. If you do have it in place, or decide to take out a new policy, make sure you read over your documents so that you understand the limits and exclusions of the policy and know what type of claims will be covered, as well as what your insurer expects of you.
Have you been the victim of tool theft? Tell us about your experiences in the comments
As the UK's biggest business insurance provider, we specialise in public liability insurance and protect more trades than anybody else. Why not take a look now and build a quick, tailored tradesman insurance quote?
Start your quoteWe create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always take professional advice. Read our full disclaimer
Keep up to date with Simply Business. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and follow us on social media.
Subscribe to our newsletter6th Floor99 Gresham StreetLondonEC2V 7NG
Sol House29 St Katherine's StreetNorthamptonNN1 2QZ
© Copyright 2021 Simply Business. All Rights Reserved. Simply Business is a trading name of Xbridge Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Registration No: 313348). Xbridge Limited (No: 3967717) has its registered office at 6th Floor, 99 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7NG.