Van insurance isn’t cheap, especially if you’re a sole trader, new business or younger driver.
That’s exactly why ghost broker scams are becoming more common.
These fraudsters pretend to be insurance brokers, collect your money and leave you driving without valid insurance—often without you realising until the police stop you.
Here’s how to protect yourself.
If one quote is dramatically cheaper than every other insurer, ask yourself why.
Legitimate insurers generally price similar risks in the same ballpark.
Before paying anyone, search the Financial Conduct Authority register.
If they’re not listed, walk away.
Read How to avoid fake van and car insurance scams
Many ghost brokers operate exclusively through Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, TikTok or WhatsApp.
Buying insurance through direct messages should immediately raise questions.
Professional insurance brokers should accept business payments—not transfers into someone’s personal current account.
Once you’ve bought a policy, ring the insurer using the telephone number published on its own website.
Don’t use contact details provided by the broker.
After your policy starts, make sure your van appears on the Motor Insurance Database.
It’s a quick way to identify potential problems before they become much bigger ones.
Ghost brokers often obtain genuine insurance using false information before changing the documents.
Check your:
Anything inaccurate could invalidate the policy.
Save every email, quote, payment confirmation and insurance document.
If something goes wrong, having a complete paper trail can help demonstrate that you believed you had bought legitimate insurance and may support any investigation or legal proceedings.
Some ghost brokers arrange genuine insurance but cancel it shortly afterwards, keeping the refund while the driver continues using the van believing they’re still insured.
If you don’t receive renewal reminders, payment confirmations or policy updates, contact your insurer directly to make sure your cover is still active.
Scammers rely on urgency and excitement.
If someone is promising “today only” prices, refusing to answer questions, or discouraging you from contacting the insurer yourself, walk away.
Buying van insurance should never feel rushed. Spending an extra 10 minutes checking a policy is far better than discovering you were never insured in the first place.
Even if you’ve genuinely been scammed, the law may still treat you as driving without insurance.
Possible consequences include:
For anyone who relies on a van for work, that could also mean lost income while the matter is resolved.
Don’t ignore it.
Contact the insurer immediately, report suspected fraud to Action Fraud and seek legal advice if you’ve already been stopped by police or notified of prosecution.
The sooner you establish what has happened, the better your chances of limiting the consequences.
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