Caravan Insurance

Howarth Timber & Building Supplies has settled on the Renault Master dCi 120 dropside van for its specialist business of transporting heavy loads of wood and windows.

Six of the 3.5 tonne Renault vans have now been delivered, fitted with a combination of 3.6m and 4.2m dropside bodies made of aluminium.

The firm said that it tried a number of alternatives for its intensive style of transportation, but only the 2.5 litre turbo charge dCi 120 proved robust enough to handle the average 25,000km travelled every year.

Another specific need to be met was the stop/start nature of the business, taking its toll on the van's framework and engineering.

Gary Froggatt, regional manager, told the Transport News Network that while a minimum of four years operational life would be expected, "the Master vans should go well past five".

"We believe a tried and tested powerplant is as important as the rest of the vehicle in terms of fuel consumption, durability and longevity," he continued.

Howarth has also installed a GPS device, the RAC Thatcham Q-rated Trackstar system. The security system alerts the owner if someone unauthorised moves the van and could lead to cheaper van insurance.

Van insurance will also need to cover any accidents or injuries that could result from the heavy manual work indispensable to the business.