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Get to work – take a lead from the UK’s van man!

May 2008

Findings from a poll by Budget Van Insurance reveal a staggering 88% of van drivers do not ‘take sickies’.  The survey reveals UK van men and women are far too busy running their own businesses, with 70% being self-employed, to take time off when they’re having a bad day!

As well as keeping the wheels of British entrepreneurship turning, van drivers are also conscientious when it comes to their customers.  Almost 70% have absorbed the recent hike in petrol prices rather than increase prices for customers.

Martin Chillcott, [Head of Marketing] for Budget Van Insurance says:
“The results confirm what we’ve long known, that UK tradesmen and women are hard at it, keeping their business afloat and contributing to the development of the UK’s economy. It’s great be able to back this up with our findings and give the UK van driving population the credit they deserve. 

“In the current climate, it’s interesting their dedication extends to customers. They’re trying hard to not pass on increases in basics, like fuel, to their clients - British industry could learn a lesson or two from its van drivers! 

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For further information please contact:
Roland Cross/Joanne McGilway
Broadgate                                                                               020 7726 6111

Note to editors:

The BGL Group

The BGL Group, formerly known as Budget Group of Companies (the Group) was founded in 1992 and has grown to become one of the UK’s largest personal lines insurance intermediaries, through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions (the last major acquisition was five years ago).

The Group now arranges and administers insurance for 1.9 million customers. It operates major contact centre operations (Fusion) in Peterborough, Coventry, Sunderland, Peterlee in the UK, and Cape Town, South Africa. The Group currently employs 2,255 people with its head office in Peterborough.

As an intermediary, the Group is able to access a wide range of underwriters, making it highly competitive in the marketplace, offering core products such as motor, home, commercial vehicle and motorcycle insurance.  The Group also offers a wide range of supplementary products, which include breakdown cover, legal protection, travel insurance, life assurance, pet insurance and mortgage payment protection insurance.

  In 2006 the Group received ‘Intermediary of the Year’ (Insurance Age UK Broker Awards) for its outstanding contribution to the insurance industry.  In April 2007, the Sunday Times’ PricewaterhouseCoopers Profit Track 100 rankings selected the Group as ‘one to watch’.

Budget Van insurance searches a panel of 12 insurers to offer competitively priced van insurance, in addition to exceptional product benefits. In 2006 Budget Van launched various innovative marketing campaigns including ‘it’s a van man thing’ and ‘flying traffic wardens’, which resulted in it being awarded ‘Marketing Campaign of The Year 2006’ (Insurance Times Awards). More recently Budget Van and News of the World have joined forces to produce the Dream Dates Calendar 2008.

BISL Ltd, part of the BGL Group s is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Registered Address: Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, PE2 6YS.
Registered in England no 3231094